Verse-by-Verse Commentary
The Book of Luke
Chapter 3: All Flesh Shall See the Salvation of God
Luke 3 opens the public stage of the gospel. Rooting the story in the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Luke tells how the word of God came to John the Baptist in the wilderness, and how he preached 'the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,' calling all to bring forth 'fruits worthy of repentance,' for 'all flesh shall see the salvation of God.' When the people wonder whether John is the Christ, he points beyond himself: 'one mightier than I cometh... he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.' Then Jesus is baptized, and as He prays the heaven opens, the Holy Ghost descends 'in a bodily shape like a dove,' and a voice from heaven declares, 'Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.' Luke closes with the genealogy of Jesus traced back through David and Abraham all the way to 'Adam, which was the son of God,' showing the Saviour's bond with the whole human race. The chapter proclaims repentance, the coming of the Spirit, and the Saviour of all flesh.
About This Commentary
This is a verse-by-verse study of Luke chapter 3. For each section you will find the KJV text, the Greek words that sharpen the meaning, plain explanation, and a Gospel Focus. Here John preaches repentance, points to the mightier One, and Jesus is baptized, with His genealogy traced to Adam. Every Scripture quotation is from the King James Version.
Setting the Stage
Fruits Worthy of Repentance
John preaches repentance and calls for a changed life, not empty words.
One Mightier Than I
John points beyond himself to the One who baptizes with the Holy Ghost.
Thou Art My Beloved Son
The heaven opens, the Spirit descends, and the Father's voice speaks.
The Son of Adam, the Son of God
The genealogy traces Jesus to Adam, binding Him to all humanity.
Bring Forth Fruits Worthy of Repentance (Luke 3:1-14)
John calls the nation to a repentance that shows itself in a changed life, not in mere heritage or hollow profession.
All Flesh Shall See the Salvation of God
"Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 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. 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; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 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? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? 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. Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages."
Word Study
"repentance," Greek metanoia (μετάνοια). The word means a change of mind, a turning of the whole inner person, which then shows itself in a changed life. John does not preach mere sorrow or ceremony; he demands "fruits worthy of repentance." Real repentance is proved by its fruit: the generous share their coats and food, the tax collectors stop cheating, the soldiers stop bullying and are content. True metanoia changes how a person lives with others and with money. Heritage cannot substitute for it, "We have Abraham to our father" saves no one; God looks for the fruit of a turned heart.
Explanation
Luke dates John's ministry with six political and religious markers, grounding redemption in real history, and then the word of God comes -- not to the emperor or high priest but to John "in the wilderness." His preaching of "repentance for the remission of sins" fulfills Isaiah's call to prepare the way, leveling every mountain and valley of pride and despair. When the crowds ask "what shall we do?" his answers are strikingly practical: share your coat, take no more than your due, do violence to no man. True repentance is not mere feeling but shows itself in changed conduct, bearing "fruits worthy of repentance."
Gospel Focus
Luke, ever the careful historian, anchors the gospel in world history, naming the emperor, governors, and high priests, and then says something striking: amid all this earthly power, "the word of God came unto John... in the wilderness." God's word bypassed the palaces and the temple hierarchy to come to a preacher in the desert. John's message was "repentance for the remission of sins," fulfilling Isaiah's word about "the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord." He came to level the ground for the coming King, and Luke, the Gospel of the Saviour of all, extends the quotation to its universal note: "all flesh shall see the salvation of God." John's preaching is bracing and honest. He calls the crowds a "generation of vipers" and warns them to "flee from the wrath to come," and he insists that repentance must bear fruit: "Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance." He demolishes their false security, that being Abraham's descendants was enough, "God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham", and warns that "the axe is laid unto the root of the trees," for every fruitless tree is cut down. Then, tenderly, when the people ask "What shall we do?", he gives concrete, practical answers to each group: share with the needy, stop cheating, do no violence, be content. True repentance is not vague feeling but changed behavior in the ordinary business of life. This is the note on which the gospel begins: prepare the way of the Lord by turning from sin, and let that turning show in how you treat others and handle money. The Saviour is coming, and "all flesh shall see the salvation of God"; make His paths straight in your heart by real, fruit-bearing repentance.
Thou Art My Beloved Son (Luke 3:15-22)
John points beyond himself to the mightier One, and at Jesus' baptism heaven opens to reveal the fullness of God.
He Shall Baptize You with the Holy Ghost
"And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: 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. And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 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."
Word Study
"baptize," Greek baptizo (βαπτίζω). The word means to immerse, to plunge, to overwhelm. John's water baptism pictured the washing of repentance, but he points to a greater baptism: the mightier One "shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire", an immersing, overwhelming outpouring of God's own Spirit. This is the promise fulfilled at Pentecost and in the Apostolic church (Acts 1:5; 2:4), when believers were filled with the Holy Ghost. Water baptism looks to Christ; the baptism He gives is the Spirit Himself, poured out on those who repent and believe.
Explanation
As the people wonder whether John is the Christ, he points emphatically beyond himself: "one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose" -- and "he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." John's water prepares; Christ will pour out the Spirit. Then Jesus Himself is baptized, and while He prays, heaven opens, the Spirit descends in bodily form, and the voice declares, "Thou art my beloved Son." The one God unveils the mystery of the incarnation at the Jordan: the Spirit-Deity, the witnessing voice, and the beloved Son in whom that fulness dwells.
Gospel Focus
As John's fame grew, the people wondered "whether he were the Christ." John's greatness was in pointing away from himself: "one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose." He baptized with water; the Coming One would "baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire," and would separate the wheat from the chaff in final judgment. John knew his place: the forerunner, not the King; the voice, not the Word. Then comes the baptism of Jesus. Sinless though He was, needing no repentance, Jesus is baptized to identify with the people He came to save and to fulfil all righteousness. And as He prays, heaven opens in one of the most glorious scenes in Scripture: "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." Here the one true God reveals Himself in the fullness of His work: the Son, God manifest in the flesh, standing in the water; the Spirit of God, descending as a dove; and the voice of God from heaven, owning the Son. This is not three separate Gods, nor three separate persons, but the one God, whose Spirit is upon His Anointed and whose voice bears witness to His own manifestation in flesh. The same God is the Spirit that descends and the voice that speaks and, in the man Christ Jesus, the Son who stands in the Jordan, "God was in Christ." The scene is the Father's public sealing of His Son at the outset of His ministry: the beloved Son, in whom God is well pleased, anointed with the Spirit for the work of salvation. And it holds a promise for us: the One anointed here is the One who will baptize His people with that same Holy Ghost. Come to Him in repentance, and He will fill you with the Spirit of God.
The Son of Adam, the Son of God (Luke 3:23-38)
Luke traces Jesus' line back not merely to Abraham but to Adam and to God, binding the Saviour to the whole human race.
Which Was the Son of God
"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, Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David, 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, 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, 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, Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, 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, 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 Cainan, Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God."
Word Study
"the son of God," Greek tou Theou (τοῦ θεοῦ). Luke's genealogy runs backward, and where Matthew's stops at Abraham, Luke presses all the way to "Adam, which was the son of God." Adam is called God's son because God created him directly and in His own image. By tracing Jesus' human line to Adam and to God, Luke, the Gospel of the Saviour of all people, shows that Jesus belongs not to the Jews only but to the whole human race. He is the Second Adam, come to undo what the first Adam lost, the Saviour of all who share Adam's flesh and Adam's fall.
Explanation
Luke traces Jesus' genealogy not forward from Abraham like Matthew but backward -- past David, past Abraham, all the way to "Adam, which was the son of God." The direction and the destination are the point: Jesus is not merely Israel's Messiah but the second Adam, the Saviour of the whole human race. By ending at Adam, Luke shows that the salvation Jesus brings reaches every son of Adam, Jew and Gentile alike. The universal Saviour is joined by this list to the universal family He came to redeem.
Gospel Focus
A list of ancient names may seem to us the least interesting part of the chapter, but Luke places it here, right after the Father's voice named Jesus "my beloved Son," with rich purpose. Note first the careful phrase, "as was supposed" the son of Joseph. Luke, who has already told us of the virgin conception, quietly reminds us that Joseph was Jesus' legal but not biological father; the true Father had spoken from heaven. The genealogy is real human ancestry, tracing the flesh Jesus took, yet Luke guards the truth that this child was conceived by the Holy Ghost. Second, and most striking, is where the line ends. Matthew, writing to Jews, traced Jesus back to Abraham, the father of the nation. Luke, writing for the whole world, traces Him past Abraham, past Noah, all the way to "Adam, which was the son of God." This is deliberate and beautiful. Jesus is bound by His humanity not only to Israel but to the entire human race, to every son and daughter of Adam. He is the Saviour of all flesh, exactly as John proclaimed. And by reaching to Adam, Luke sets the stage for the great truth the apostle Paul would unfold: as "in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive," for Christ is the Second Adam, the new head of a redeemed humanity. Where the first Adam, "the son of God" by creation, fell and plunged the race into sin and death, Jesus, the true Son of God come in flesh, would obey where Adam disobeyed and, by His cross and resurrection, raise up a new humanity. So this long list of names is really a proclamation of the gospel's reach: the Saviour has taken our very flesh, joined Himself to Adam's fallen family, that He might redeem it. Whoever you are, of whatever nation, this Saviour is your kinsman by His humanity and your Redeemer by His grace. He is the son of Adam, and He is the Son of God.
Chapter 3 in Review
Luke 3 opens the public gospel with the ministry of John and the baptism of Jesus. Anchored in world history, "the word of God came unto John... in the wilderness," and he preached "the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins," demanding "fruits worthy of repentance" and pointing to the day when "all flesh shall see the salvation of God." He directs all eyes beyond himself: "one mightier than I cometh... he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." Then Jesus is baptized, and as He prays the heaven opens, the Spirit descends "like a dove," and the voice declares, "Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased." And the genealogy traces Jesus through David and Abraham to "Adam, which was the son of God."
For the Apostolic reader the chapter proclaims repentance, the Spirit, and the Saviour of all. John's preaching still calls us: repentance is not heritage or feeling but a turned heart that bears fruit in how we treat others and handle what we have. The baptism of Jesus unveils the one God in the fullness of His work, the Spirit descending, the voice from heaven, and the Son standing in the Jordan, not three Gods nor three persons, but the one God manifest in flesh, anointed by His own Spirit, owned by His own voice. And the One anointed here is the One who baptizes His people with that same Holy Ghost, the promise fulfilled at Pentecost. Finally, the genealogy to Adam declares the wideness of grace: Jesus took the flesh of the whole human race, the Second Adam come to save all who share Adam's fall. He is the son of Adam and the Son of God, the Saviour of all flesh. Prepare His way with real repentance, look to Him to baptize you with the Spirit, and rest in the Saviour who has made Himself your kinsman to be your Redeemer.
- True repentance bears fruit in changed living, not in heritage or empty words (3:8-14).
- John pointed beyond himself to the One who baptizes with the Holy Ghost and fire (3:16).
- At the baptism the one God is manifest: Spirit as dove, voice from heaven, Son in flesh (3:22).
- The One anointed here baptizes His people with the same Spirit (3:16; Acts 2:4).
- The genealogy to Adam shows Jesus is the Saviour of the whole human race (3:38).
- Jesus is the Second Adam, the true Son of God come to redeem Adam's fallen family (3:38).
Questions for Reflection
- Does your repentance bear fruit in how you treat others and handle your money?
- Have you looked to Christ to baptize you with the Holy Ghost?
- Do you rest in the one God revealed at the Jordan, manifest in flesh as the Son?
- Do you receive Jesus as the Second Adam, your kinsman and Redeemer?
References & Sources
Scripture is quoted from the King James Version (KJV). Supporting passages are listed so every claim can be verified in its own setting. The voice preparing the way: Isaiah 40:3-5. Fruits of repentance: Matthew 3:8-10; Acts 26:20. The baptism with the Holy Ghost: Acts 1:5; 2:1-4; 11:15-16. God manifest in flesh, one God: 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:16; Deuteronomy 6:4. Christ the Second Adam: Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45-47. If anything here does not look right, a verse, a reference, or a wording, please tell us at info@FruitBearers.net. Thank you for helping us keep Bible Learning error free.
- The preaching of John the Baptist: Luke 3:1-14; Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Isaiah 40:3-5.
- John's witness and the baptism of Jesus: Luke 3:15-22; Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; John 1:29-34.
- The genealogy of Jesus: Luke 3:23-38; Matthew 1:1-17; Romans 5:12-19.