The word of God came unto John

The Lord is about to step out from obscurity into public service. His fitness for this great work is indicated for us in three ways.

Firstly, in the description of His forerunner, vv. 1-20. John the Baptist was a great man. Names are given: the emperor, the governor, the tetrarchs, and the high priests, but ‘the word of God came’ not to them in their palaces, but ‘to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness’, vv. 1, 2. We see him faithful in declaring the need for repentance (and the acknowledging of it in baptism, and the evidence of it in a righteous manner of life), vv. 3, 8-14; forthright in warning of the coming judgement, vv. 7, 9, 17; and fearless in exposing hypocrisy and immorality, right to the highest echelons of society, vv. 7, 8, 19, 20. Yet he freely acknowledges that he is not the Messiah, v. 15. There is One mightier than he, whose work will be even greater, v. 16, and for whom he, John, was preparing the way, v. 4. By such a description of Him we are left without doubt as to the greatness of the One of whom we are about to read more.

Secondly, in the declaration of His Father, vv. 21, 22. Luke’s brief description of the baptism of the Lord Jesus lays emphasis on the lovely words from heaven, ‘Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased’, and on the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Him. We know little of the first thirty or so years of His time on earth, v. 23, but this united testimony, involving the Father, the Spirit, and the Son, shows us the perfection of His life during the ‘hidden years’ in Nazareth, and how His service will be with all the approval of heaven itself.

Thirdly, in the details of His family, vv. 23-38. Luke has already told us that the Lord Jesus is of the family of David, through both Mary, 1. 27, and Joseph, 2. 4. Now he gives us the details of the line through Mary, complementing Matthew’s record of the kingly line, through Joseph, Matt. 1. But Luke does more: he traces the line right back to the first man Adam. Jesus Christ is not only the Son of David, He is also descended from Adam, but, coming by means of the virgin’s womb, He is the perfect Man - the only One who could possibly undertake the work which lies ahead.