Luke 3:3

3 John went throughout the region of the Jordan River, calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their 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 In the fifteenth year of the rule of the emperor Tiberius—when Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea and Herod was ruler over Galilee, his brother Philip was ruler over Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was ruler over Abilene,

2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas—God's word came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

3 John went throughout the region of the Jordan River, calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins.

4 This is just as it was written in the scroll of the words of Isaiah the prophet, A voice crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight.

5 Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked will be made straight and the rough places made smooth.