Luke 3:3

3 John went into all the district about the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of the penitent for the forgiveness of sins;

Luke 3:3 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 3:3

And he came into all the country about Jordan
He came out of the wilderness of Judea, where he first began his ministry, to some parts of the country that bordered on Jordan, and was near unto it, on either side the river; sometimes he was at Bethabara, and sometimes at Aenon, near Salim; for he did not take a tour round about all, the country that encompassed Jordan, but being at it, or in places adjacent to it, all the country round about came to him; see ( Matthew 3:5 ) .

Preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins:
this was the work and office of John, as signified by Elias, in ( Malachi 4:5 Malachi 4:6 ) the Jews say ^F14,

``the Israelites will not repent, till Elias comes; as it is said, ( Malachi 4:5 Malachi 4:6 ) in the land of Israel repentance delights.''

John came into this land, preaching this doctrine; (See Gill on Mark 1:4).

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 Pirke Eliezer, c. 44.

Luke 3:3 In-Context

1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being Governor of Judaea, Herod Tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip Tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias Tetrarch of Abilene,

2 during the High-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, a message from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the Desert.

3 John went into all the district about the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of the penitent for the forgiveness of sins;

4 as it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying aloud! `In the Desert prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight.

5 Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill levelled down, the crooked places shall be turned into straight roads, and the rugged ways into smooth;