A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Luke · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
1. NOW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Ceſar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea, and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lyſanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2. Annas and Cajaphas being the high-prieſts, the word of God came unto John the ſon of Zacharias in the wilderneſs.
1, 2. Note; A Tetrarch is the Governour of the fourth part of a Province, or large Country. Whether Annas and Caipahas were both High Prieſts (by corruption▪) at once, or exerciſed it by turns; or being yearly choſen, one had it one part of the year, and the other ſucceeded him; or whether Annas is ſo called for his power with, or over the High Prieſt by affinity and intereſt, or whether Annas, though ſo called; had another ſort of Government diſtinct from the Prieſthood, Expoſitors are not agreed. But it's certain, that the High Prieſthood was greatly corrupted, and uſually bought of the Romans.
3. And he came into all the countrey about Jordan, preaching the baptiſm of repentance for the remiſſion of ſins,
3. Preaching Pardon to all true Penitents, and telling them that publick deliverance from their National Calamity was at hand to be offered them, if they would prepare for it by Repentance.
4. As it is written in the book of the words of Eſaias the prophet, ſaying, The voice of one crying in the wilderneſs, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths ſtraight. 5. Every valley ſhall be filled, and every mountain and hill ſhall be brought low, and the crooked ſhall be made ſtraight, and the rough ways ſhall be made ſmooth, 6. And all fleſh ſhall ſee the ſalvation of God.
4, 5, 6. Prepare your ſelves for the Kingdom of God, in which he will raiſe the humble and the oppreſſed, and take down the proud and the oppreſſors, and will bring in Juſtice and Reformation into an unrighteous, wicked World; and the Saviour of the World ſhall appear, and his Salvation be proclaimed and wrought throughout the Earth.
7. Then ſaid he to the multitude, that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to ſay within your ſelves, We have Abraham to our father: for I ſay unto you, that God is able of theſe ſtones to raiſe up children unto Abraham.
7, 8. Do you think to ſcape the wrath that is coming on you, by an hypocritical Repentance, and the Ceremony of Baptiſm? Shew that you truly repent by your reformed lives, and preſume not on your being Abraham's Seed: For God, that can make Man of Stones, can of the Gentiles raiſe a Seed of Believers to Abraham.
9. And now alſo the ax is laid unto the root of the tree: every tree therefore, which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and caſt into the fire.
9. God is …ntring into Judgment with you, and will …ut down wicked and fruitleſs Hypocrites for the fire.
10. And the people asked him; ſaying, what ſhall we do then? 11. He anſwereth and ſaith unto them, he that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none, and he that hath meat, let him do likewiſe.
10, 11. Love others as your ſelves, and ſee them not ſuffer in want, while you have ſupply for them, and can ſpare it from your plenty: Prefer▪ their neceſſity before your fulneſs or ſuperfluity.
12. Then came alſo Publicans to be baptized, and ſaid unto him, Maſter, what ſhall we do? 13. And he ſaid unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
12, 13. Exciſe, or Tax-gatherers.
14. And the ſouldiers likewiſe demanded of him, ſaying, And what ſhall we do? And he ſaid unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuſe any falſly, and be content with your wages.
14. Live not as Souldiers uſe to do, by violence to the poor people that cannot reſiſt them, and by falſe accuſing, and robbing, and plundering.
Note; He meaneth not that it is enough to Salvation, to amend the crimes of their lives, without a renewed, holy heart; but that this alſo muſt be done.
15. And as the people were in expectation, and all men muſed in their hearts of John, whether he were the Chriſt or not: 16. John anſwered, ſaying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier then I cometh, the latchet of whoſe ſhoes I am not worthy to unlooſe; he ſhall baptize you with the holy Ghoſt, and with fire:
15, 16. See on Matth. 3. Note; The great and peculiar work and notification of Chriſt, was his ſending the Holy Ghoſt on his Diſciples.
17. Whoſe fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. 18. And many other things in his exhortatation preached he unto the people.
17, 18. Who will winnow you throughly, and will gather and ſave all true Believers, and burn the Unbelievers in fire unquenchable.
Note; Chriſt, that is a Saviour, is the ſevere deſtroyer of his obſtinate Enemies.
19. But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Phi…ips wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20. Added yet this above all, that he ſhut up John in priſon.
19, 20. Note; John would not ſorbear the faithfull diſcharge of his office in reproving a wicked King to ſave his liberty or life. 2. To impriſon and perſecute his reprover, was wicked in Herod above all his former wickedneſs.
21. Now when all the people were baptized, it came to paſs that Jeſus alſo being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened. 22. And the holy Ghoſt deſcended in a bodily ſhape-like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which ſaid, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleaſed.
21, 22. Note, Baptiſm, with his own Prayer, were the means thus miraculouſly approved by God, in which he will bear witneſs to his Son from Heaven.
Note, The deſcent of the Holy-Ghoſt on Chriſt, with Gods vocal Teſtimony, was a fit inveſtiture of him in the office, of the Captain of our Salvation, who was to mark out his Soldiers with the ſame gift of the Holy-Ghoſt, and his adopting word.
23. And Jeſus himſelf began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was ſuppoſed) the ſon of Joſeph, which was the ſon of Heli. 24. Which was the ſon of Matthat, which was the ſon of Levi, which was the ſon of Melchi, which was the ſon of Ianna, which was the ſon of Joſeph, 25. Which was the ſon of Mattathias, which was the ſon of Amos, which was the ſon of Naum, which was the ſon of Eli, which was the ſon of Nagge, 26. Which was the ſon of Maath, which was the ſon of Mattathias, which was the ſon of Semei, which was the ſon of Joſeph, which was the ſon of Juda, 27. Which was the ſon of Joanna, which was the ſon of Rheſa, which was the ſon of Zorobabel, which was the ſon of Salathiel, which was the ſon of Neri, 28. Which was the ſon of Melchi, which was the ſon of Addi, which was the ſon of Coſam, which was the ſon of Elmodam, which was the ſon of Er, 29. Which was the ſon of Joſe, which was the ſon of Eliezer, which was the ſon of Jorim, which was the ſon of Matthat, which was the ſon of Levi, 30. Which was the ſon of Simeon, which was the ſon of Juda, which was the ſon of Joſeph, which was the ſon of Jonan, which was the ſon of Eliakim. 31. Which was the ſon of Melea, which was the ſon of Mena, which was the ſon of Mattatha, which was the ſon of Nathan, which was the ſon of David, 32. Which was the ſon of Jeſſe, which was the ſon of Obed, which was the ſon of Booz, which was the ſon of Salmon, which was the ſon of Naaſſon, 33. Which was the ſon of Aminadab, which was the ſon of Aram, which was the ſon of Eſrom, which was the ſon of Phares, which was the ſon of Juda, 34. Which was the ſon of Jacob, which was the ſon of Iſaac, which was the ſon of Abraham, which was the ſon of Thara, which was the ſon of Nachor, 35. Which was the ſon of Saruch which was the ſon Ragau, which was the ſon of Phaleg, which was the ſon of Heber, which was was the ſon of Sala, 36. Which was the ſon of Cainan, which was the ſon of Arphaxad, which was the ſon of Sem, which was the ſon of Noe, which was the ſon of Lamech, 37. Which was the ſon of Mathuſala, which was the ſon of Enoch, which was the ſon of Jared, which was the ſon of Maleleel, which was the ſon of Canan, 38. Which was the ſon of Enos, which was the ſon of Seth, which was the ſon of Adam, which was the ſon of God.
23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38. He entered on his publick office about thirty: And now young novices run into the Miniſtry. Luke reciteth the pedegree of Joſeph, and Matthew of Mary Q. Whence had Luke that part of the pedegree that is not written in the Scripture before? Anſ. By other Hiſtory and Tradition, with the help of Gods Spirit.
The Genealogical controverſies I paſs by.