Luke 3 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 3:1, 2 – Factual Data

CHAPTER THREE:
JOHN THE BAPTIST, JESUS’ BAPTISM AND GENEALOGY

[“You Are My Son”]
Key word: Son

Luke 3:1, 2 – Factual Data

|| Matthew 3:1-12;[1] Mark 1:1-8[2]

LK3:1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar[3] – [when] Pontius Pilate[4] was governor of Judea, Herod[5] was the tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip[6] was the tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanius[7] was tetrarch of Abilene, LK3:2 also Annas[8] and Caiaphas[9] were chief priests – God’s message[10] came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.

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[1] Matthew 3:1-12: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew. The symbol || indicates parallel information in another Gospel.

[2] Mark 1:1-8: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Mark.

[3] The fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar: One absolute date in human history is the year Augustus died and Tiberius became Emperor of Rome – 14 AD – thus this is the year 29 AD in the fall. This is the exact year Daniel foretold when Messiah would appear. [Daniel 9:24-27]

[4] Pontius Pilate: He was appointed Roman governor of Judea in 26 AD by Tiberius. Josephus mentions him. [Jewish Antiquities, XVIII, 55-59 (iii, 1); (Jewish Antiquities, XVIII, 60-62 [iii, 2]; The Jewish War, II, 175-177 [ix, 4])] As does the Jewish theologian Philo of Judea who is not flattering. [The Embassy to Gaius, XXXVIII, 299-305] An inscription was uncovered in 1961 confirming the existence of Pilate.

[5] Herod: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew 14:1.

[6] Philip: Son of Herod the Great by Cleopatra of Jerusalem.

[7] Lysanius: An inscription confirms his existence. [Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum, Vol. 3, No. 4521]

[8] Annas: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew 26:3, John 18:13, and Acts 4:6.

[9] Caiaphas: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew 26:65; John 11:49-53; 18:12-14; Acts 5:17.

[10] God’s message: Or, word, command.

 

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Preceding

Luke 2 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 2:41-52 – Twelve Year Old Jesus in the Temple

Luke 2 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Review Questions on Chapter Two

Turbulent period gave us hands full of work

In 2020, we experienced the first disturbance in our daily work. Corona brought a lot of people in isolation and with a lot of physical as well as mental problems, who requested our attention and help.
With providing help to the needy, we did not get to do much writing, beyond answering many letters.

Then again, the summer of 2021 brought a flood of water over eastern Belgium causing so much damage that we went for months with several brothers and sisters there to help clean up the mess.

But not only Belgians demanded our attention. There was a large influx of war refugees first from Syria and then from Ukraine, who needed shelter and counselling.

Besides practical assistance, a lot of things came our way administratively, as a lot of people had questions about what was going on and whether these might be portents of things to worry about or a run-up to World War III.

Answering the many letters and people contacting us on social media kept us from publishing further articles on WordPress.

The news from Google that they were going to change their sites gave us other worries. Because our sites were too old and overloaded or voluminous, they could not be automatically transferred to the new sites form. We were therefore forced to redesign our websites, which in turn required a lot of work. That manual changeover and new layout provision, therefore, required a lot of time, which then kept us from publishing on this WordPress platform.
When we finally got around to publishing the sites “Belgian Biblestudents -Belgische Bijbelstudenten” and “Biblestudents – Bijbelstudenten“, other work came to demand our attention.

After several months of silence on this site, we now hope to get back on track to continue our regular publication of excerpts from the Bible.

After a year of the war in Ukraine, we still provide shelter and guidance to Ukrainians, but still, see the opportunity to pick up the thread and post articles here again from now on.

Hopefully, we may find our former readers back here and may hopefully appeal to new readers as well.

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Additional reading

1. Looking at 2021 in a nutshell
2. Expecting the E.U. to stand in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan
3. Afghanistan – A full-scale humanitarian crisis
4. After ten years of horror still no solution and peace for Syria
5. What 2022 brought to us and looking forward to 2023
6. Restrictions in Russia because of sanctions from the West for peace mission in Ukraine.
7. In Moldova, Ukrainian Jewish refugees anxiously wait out the war in synagogues and Jewish centers
8. Christians on the Left Statement on Ukraine April 2022

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:1-4 – A Factual and Logical Statement

CHAPTER ONE:
EVENTS REGARDING THE BIRTH OF JOHN AND JESUS

[“Great Expectations”]
Key word: Favored!

Luke 1:1-4 – A Factual and Logical Statement

LK1:1 Since many have taken their hand[1] to compile a statement regarding those facts[2] that are fully confirmed among us[3] – LK1:2 just as they have been handed down to us[4] from the original eyewitnesses[5] and attendants of the message[6] – LK1:3 it also seemed most fitting for me, having investigated everything[7] right from the beginning, to write to you most excellent[8] Theophilus[9] a factual account.[10] LK1:4 Thus you might become aware of the reliable information[11] about those matters in which you have been orally instructed.[12]

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[1] Since many have taken their hand: Or, NEB: many writers have undertaken; BAS: as a number of attempts have been made. It is likely that by the time Luke began his research Matthew and Mark were already available. It appears that Luke is aware of “many” who have prepared records of Christ’s life and teachings.

[2] To compile a statement regarding those facts: Or, KJV: to set forth in order a declaration; ASV: to draw up a narrative; RSV: to compile; NEB: to draw up an account of the events. The Greek for “facts” here is PRAGMATON from which the English “pragmatism” comes. Luke is dealing in “facts” and not a fairy tale. As a doctor he is observant and knows how to listen to a person’s statement of events as an eyewitness. He is precise in his dating of matters, sympathetic to women, careful in his use of specific designations, and reliable as a historian.

[3] That are fully confirmed among us: Or, KJV: most surely believed; ASV: fulfilled among us; BER: that have certainly taken place among us; WEY: received with full assurance. [John 20:31] The period between 29 to 73 AD is called the “eye witness period” during which those who were present could testify what they heard, saw, and felt. [1 John 1:1-3]

[4] Just as they have been handed down to us: Or, KJV: even as they delivered them unto us; NEB: following the traditions; MOF: exactly; WEY: on the authority of those. When Luke was alive as a traveling companion of Paul’s in the 50s and 60s AD he had great opportunities to interview a wide range of witnesses as well as read other first hand reports and records of these events.

[5] From the original eyewitnesses: Or, WEY: who were from the beginning eyewitnesses. These amounted to at least 500 Christian believers as well as others who could confirm what Jesus said and did. [1 Corinthians 15:6] The integrity of these witnesses could also be observed and compared. [1 Peter 2:12; 5:1; 2 Peter 1:16] It is likely Luke interviewed at length the apostles, as well as the seventy disciples, and also those women who followed Jesus’ ministry closely. [Luke 8:3; Acts 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39, 41]

[6] Attendants of the message: Or, ministers, servants, subordinates.

[7] Having investigated everything: Or, KJV: perfect understand; ASV: traced the course of all things accurately; NEB: as one who has gone over the whole course of these events in detail; RIE: have kept in close touch with the whole course of these events. If we judge from Luke’s precision in Acts we can imagine that he was meticulous in his gathering of facts.

[8] Most excellent: Or, most mighty. Either an endearing designation or an indication of his position in life.

[9] Theophilus: Meaning “God’s Friend.” The Book of Acts is also written to him. [Acts 1:1] We may assume Luke and Theophilus having copies made of his Gospel.

[10] Factual account: Or, accurate, careful. The Greek is ACRIBOS from which comes “accurate.”

[11] Become aware of the reliable information: Or, KJV: know the certainty; NAS: exact truth; NEB: authentic knowledge; GDS: reliable information; MOF: solid truth; TCN: satisfy yourself of the accuracy of the story. Luke states the reason or his Gospel – logical and reliable facts regarding Jesus’ life and ministry.

[12] Orally instructed: Or, informed, taught by word of mouth. In the beginning, before there were written accurate records of the Gospel, everyone learned by word of mouth, orally taught, though the prophecies in the Hebrew Bible could be examined.

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Preceding

Luke – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Introduction to the Third Gospel

Luke – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Introduction to the Third Gospel

Nazarene Commentary 2000©
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

INTRODUCTION TO LUKE

The Third Gospel is assigned by the common voice of the primitive Church to Luke, “the beloved physician” and companion of Paul. Of his earlier history nothing is recorded. There is no proof that he ever saw the Lord or that he became a believer until some time after his death. He was not a Jew, his name is Greek, his style and modes of thought point to Greek training, and it has been generally believed that he was one of “the Grecians who turned to the Lord” in the great commercial city of Antioch where the first Gentile church beyond Palestine was founded. From the incidental references to himself in the Acts we learn that he was the constant companion of the later ministry of the great apostle to the Gentiles, and this is confirmed by the allusions to him in the Epistles. From Colossians 4:14; Philemon 24; 2 Timothy 4:11, we learn that he was a Gentile, a physician, that he remained with Paul in his imprisonment at Cæsarea and attended him to Rome, where he was his companion during his long sufferings

Papyrus 45, a 3rd-century AD Greek papyrus of the Gospel of Luke

The Gospel of Luke differs from the other three in its sources of information. Matthew wrote as an eye witness; Mark probably recalled the recollections of Peter; John recalled his own personal memories of the life and words of the Lord, but Luke draws from the authentic sources of information then accessible, and he carefully presents the results in an orderly narrative. There are reasons for believing that during the period when Paul was a prisoner at Cæsarea, Luke, under his direction, set in order the facts of the Life of Christ in order to furnish an account fitted for the use of Gentile converts, and Gentiles who desired to learn of the Lord.

“As Paul was the apostle, so in a faint degree Gentile Luke was the evangelist, of the Gentiles. He traces the genealogy up, not merely to Abraham, but Adam, the son of God. He makes Christ’s first teachings at Nazareth commemorate the extension of God’s mercy beyond the limits of Israel. Luke 4:16-30. He shows how the sinner is forgiven upon condition of obedient faith. Luke 7:36-50. The publican is, in Paul’s favorite term, justified. Evidently their narrative of the Lord’s Supper is the same tradition. Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5.”

Luke’s two books, his Gospels and the Acts, are properly two successive parts of one Christian history; and as the latter terminates at the point where Paul has lived two years at Rome, in the year 64, so the Gospel must have been written before that period, namely during the 27 years after Christ’s death. For as Luke terminates his Acts abruptly with the close of Paul’s two years’ imprisonment, without adding a syllable of that apostle’s later history, it is very certain that the Acts was published at that time. Yet, we know from the preface to Acts that the Gospel had been already written. Thus, it is evident, that it was written 27 years after the crucifixion. [221] [B. W. Johnson The People’s New Testament (1891)]

Notes about this Version and Commentary

Luke 13:29–35; 14:1–10 on Papyrus 45 (folio 15; c. AD 250).

This text of the Gospel of Luke is a new version, the 21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures [NCMM], as an additional part of Nazarene Commentary 2000©. This rendering by Mark Heber Miller may be considered a literal version with limited paraphrase.

The words of Jesus are in red. Quotations and allusions from the Old Testament are in italicized blue with quotations within quote marks. In both the quotations and the allusions the source is given in brackets. When these quotations and allusions are part of the words of Jesus, they appear in purple.

Greek words of particular interest are in CAPS and accompanied by Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible code numbers. Cross-references have been checked and added when of special note. Each chapter and paragraph has a topical subject heading and each chapter ends with review questions for congregational or personal studies. Key phrases are compared throughout to other literal and paraphrased versions. Underlined words are sources for research elsewhere in Nazarene Commentary 2000©. Any verse may be located by entering LK1:1, etc., in the Find window, and chapters by entering CHAPTER ONE: etc.

Since Luke often parallels Matthew, when Nazarene Commentary 2000© covers the same material the symbol || will indicate to go to the footnote commentary in Matthew. For more information see similar notes on Mark and John.

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Preceding

Mark 11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 11:27-33 – Questions of Authority

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Almost all of Mark’s content is found in Matthew, and most of Mark is also found in Luke. Matthew and Luke share a large amount of additional material that is not found in Mark, and each also has a proportion of unique material.

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Additional reading

1. Luke’s Pauline Narrative – Reading the 3rd Gospel
2. Luke Verse by Verse
3. What governed the inclusion of some and the exclusion of other texts in the Bible?

Mark – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Introduction to Mark

Nazarene Commentary 2000©
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

Introduction to Mark

The Second Gospel was written by Mark, the kinsman of Barnabas, and the companion of Paul in his first missionary journey. When and where it was written is uncertain. Of its author the following facts are gathered from the New Testament: He is first named in Acts 12:12. His mother’s name was Mary, and we learn from Colossians 4:10, that she was a sister of Barnabas. She dwelt in Jerusalem, and this city was probably Mark’s early home. He was converted by Peter (1 Peter 5:13), it has been supposed, at the great ingathering on the day of Pentecost. He became a minister (Acts 12:25), attended Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey did not prove satisfactory to Paul (Acts 15:38), and as Barnabas insisted on taking him, he and Paul parted company on the second missionary journey.

That Paul and Mark were afterwards intimate is shown by the subsequent history. We find him by Paul’s side during his first imprisonment at Rome, A. D. 61-63; and he is acknowledged by him as one of his few fellow-laborers who had been a “comfort” to him during the weary hours of his imprisonment (Colossians 4:10, 11; Philemon 24). We next have traces of him in 1 Peter 5:13. “The church that is in Babylon … saluteth you, and so doth Marcus, my son”. From this we infer that he joined the spiritual father, the friend of his mother, at Babylon, then and for some hundred years afterwards returned one of the chief seats of Jewish culture. From Babylon he would seem to have returned to Asia Minor; for during his second imprisonment, A. D. 68, Paul, writing to Timothy, charges him to bring Mark with him to Rome, on the ground that he was “profitable unto him for the ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).

From this point we gain no further information from the New Testament respecting the Evangelist. It is most probable, however, that he did join the Apostle at Rome, whither also Peter would seem to have proceeded, and suffered martyrdom along with Paul. After the death of these two great pillars of the Church, ecclesiastical tradition affirms that Mark visited Egypt, founded the Church of Alexandria, and died by martyrdom. This tradition is, however, very uncertain. [B. W. Johnson The People’s New Testament (1891)]

Notes about this Version and Commentary

This text of the Gospel of Mark is a new version, the 21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures [NCMM], as an additional part of Nazarene Commentary 2000©. This rendering by Mark Heber Miller may be considered a literal version with limited paraphrase.

The words of Jesus are in red. Quotations and allusions from the Old Testament are in italicized blue with quotations within quote marks. In both the quotations and the allusions the source is given in brackets. When these quotations and allusions are part of the words of Jesus, they appear in purple.

Greek words of particular interest are in CAPS and accompanied by Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible code numbers. Cross-references have been checked and added when of special note. Each chapter and paragraph has a topical subject heading and each chapter ends with review questions for congregational or personal studies. Key phrases are compared throughout to other literal and paraphrased versions. Underlined words are sources for research elsewhere in Nazarene Commentary 2000©. Any verse may be located by entering MK1:1, etc., in the Find window, and chapters by entering CHAPTER ONE: etc.

Since Mark often parallels Matthew when Nazarene Commentary 2000© covers the same material, the symbol || will indicate to go to the footnote commentary in Matthew. For more information see similar notes on Luke and John.

Because Mark is so vivid and moves swiftly it is an excellent place to begin reading to children.

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Preceding

Matthew 28 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Risen Christ appears #6 Matthew 28:16-19 – The King’s Commission

Next:

Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 1:1-8 – The Beginning of the Good News