The Gospel of Luke (10 ) The Baptism of Jesus 12/18/2022

Hebrews 4 and the Promise of God’s Rest

Jewish Christians to continue to persevere in the faith, not to abandon Jesus, but to continue to believe on him and live for him onto their full and final salvation. And in Hebrews 4, he was given a reason for motivation to live in this manner.

And he basically talks about Sabbath rest, that is, yet before the professing people of God. Throughout the Bible, of course, God promised a rest, a Sabbath rest for the people. It was, of course, figured by the seventh-day observance on Saturday.

But the promised land of Canaan was also viewed as a land of rest, rest from their labors in Egypt. But a lot of people thought that that was the sum total of God's rest, and the writer of Hebrews says, no, not at all.

In fact, the entire Bible, even David in the Old Testament, spoke about the true rest, the final rest of the people of God being heaven, the heavenly Canaan, and that this life is a time of labor and difficulty and hardship as we continue to believe, but we ought to do so because there's a glorious rest waiting for us.

And so Hebrews chapter 4, therefore, since a promise remains of entering his rest, let us fear, lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel is preached to us as well as to them, but the word which they heard did not profit them, talking about the Jews in the wilderness for 40 years, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

For we who have believed do enter that rest, as he had said, so I swore in my wrath they shall not enter my rest. Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world, for he has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way, and God rested on the seventh day from all his works, and again in this place they shall not enter my rest.

Since, therefore, it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again he designates a certain day, saying in David today, after such a long time as it has been said today, if you will hear his voice do not harden your hearts.

For if Joshua had given them rest, then he would not have afterward spoken of another.

Day.

There remains, therefore, a rest for the people of God, for he who has entered his rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his. Let us, therefore, be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

And there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Christ Our High Priest and Our Need for Grace

Let's pray. Father, as these people were in a time of great need for your grace, our God, for the blessed work of Jesus Christ as their high priest, Lord, to intercede on their behalf and to give them grace, our God, that they would be sustained in their faith before you.

So we too, our God, are living in a world which is hostile to our faith. The devil is our foe. Unbelievers are opposed to you, and therefore they're opposed to us. And we are in need of grace to help in our time of need.

We thank you for the blessed promise that Jesus Christ is interceding on our behalf as our high priest, that he ever lives to make intercession for the saints. We pray, Father, for those souls among us who are struggling in their Christian walk, who perhaps themselves are being tempted to walk away from this thing, this Christian life.

We just pray that you would sustain them, our God, that you would reaffirm them in the truth that's in Jesus Christ, that you would infuse in them a fresh desire, our God, and great grace to enable them to withstand, Lord, the opposing forces, either in their own mind or from those about them or from the devil himself, that we all, Lord, that each of us would continue in a vibrant, living faith to Jesus Christ.

Now Father, we pray that you would bless your word to us as we again look into Luke's gospel. Give us understanding, our God, more clear understanding of the person of Jesus Christ that's reflected in this gospel.

We pray that we would grow thereby, be encouraged thereby, and emboldened by our knowledge of the truth that's in Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, amen. Well let's turn in our Bibles once again, please, to Luke chapter 3, and today we're going to address, Lord willing, verses 21 through 38, and here we have the onset of the ministry of the Lord Jesus.

First, Luke introduces us to Jesus, that is, the adult Jesus when he was 30 years of age, when he came to be baptized by John the Baptist, and immediately following his baptism, Luke provides us a genealogy of Jesus that traces his ancestry back through history to the beginning, mentioning Adam as the son of God, in other words, Adam who was created by God, born by God, and so here's Luke 3, 21 through 38, and we even want to struggle through this genealogy at least once this morning.

When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized, and while he prayed, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended and bodily formed like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven which said, you are my beloved son, in you I am well pleased.

Now Jesus himself began his ministry at about 30 years of age, being as was supposed the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jana, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Nagai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Simei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, the son of Joannes, the son of Reza, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shelah, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Chosem, the son of Elmodom, the son of Ur, the son of Josi, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jerem, the son of Methath, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonah, the son of Eliakim, the son of Malia, the son of Mennon, the son of Matathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nashon, the son of Amminadad, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Tira, the son of Nahor, the son of Sirug, the son of Rehu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Canaan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalal, the son of Canaan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

John’s Ministry Gives Way to Jesus at the Baptism

Quite a genealogy. First we want to consider the details of the passage and then we'll draw some lessons for us that we may take from this passage. A passage can be considered in two easily distinguished sections, the first being of course the baptism of Jesus and then secondly we read the ancestry of Jesus.

So let's work our way through this, the baptism of Jesus. John passes from the scene, you notice he's not mentioned by name in Luke's account in verse 21 and following. Of course the people had been prepared by John for the appearance of the Messiah for we read that they were all in expectation and all that were willing to be baptized were baptized, had been baptized.

John had accomplished his mission and now Jesus would soon begin his ministry but our Lord did not immediately heal the sick or preach in the synagogues. The scriptures record several events that were preparatory for his ministry namely his baptism and then his temptation.

We'll address the temptation next week Lord's willing. Before Jesus would begin his life work he must first be baptized and then be tempted of the devil. Then he would come forth with full power to commence his ministry to the people of Israel.

Luke places Jesus's baptism at the end of the ministry of John the Baptist. This is what is suggested by the opening words when all the people were baptized. Now these words essentially closes the chapter on John and his ministry in Luke's Gospel giving way to Jesus only.

Jesus comes to the forefront, front of the stage as it were and so John was his preparer but that preparation had been completed. As one wrote, Luke suggests that the baptism of Jesus took place after that of the people.

It was the climax to the activity of John. After the Messiah had come there was no place left for the ministry of the forerunner and so in Luke's story John the Baptist now is passed from the scene. Now of course we know from the other gospel accounts that John's preaching and baptizing continued for some time after the Lord Jesus had begun his public ministry in Judea.

But John was clearly subordinate in prominence as well as less fruitful in ministry, as great as that was, than Jesus himself. And we read of the spirit and the words of John the Baptist in the fourth gospel, John's Gospel, when some of his own disciples, the disciples of John the Baptist became concerned that Jesus was now baptizing more people than John was.

We read about it, they came to John and his disciples and said to him, Rabbi he who is with you beyond the Jordan to whom you have testified behold he is baptizing and all are coming to him. And John answered and said a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.

You yourselves bear me witness that I said I am NOT the Christ but I have been sent before him. He who has a bride is the bridegroom but the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice.

Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. What a godly man, humble man who truly delighted in Jesus being exalted.

Well Luke intended to convey to his readers that John had successfully fulfilled his calling and ministry in preparing the way for the Messiah and that John had now given way to Jesus. And this was conveyed in Luke's account in subtle ways.

First Luke had given a summary and concluded word about John being imprisoned just before his baptismal event is recorded. And so here's Luke 3 18 through 20 with many other exhortations. He John preached to the people but here the Tetrarch being rebuked by him concerning Herodias his brother Philip's wife and for all the evils which Herod had done also added this above all that he shut John up in prison.

Now that of course took place at a later time but Luke records it here again allowing John to be seen as a past figure as it were. He's bringing the full attention and focus now upon Jesus. And so then immediately after this word of John's fate Luke wrote of Jesus having been baptized.

Now it's true that sometime after our Lord had been serving before Herod had imprisoned John but it was not until after this event that Jesus and the disciples left Judea to travel to Galilee where most of his ministry took place.

It was after John was in prison that Jesus left Judea and went to Galilee as Mark 1 14 reads. Now after John was put in prison Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. But Luke relating John's imprisonment at this point just before he tells that Jesus was baptized leaves his readers to see John's ministry as having been completed and that he has receded from the scene even as Jesus comes to the forefront of Luke's narrative.

Very cleverly written. And by the way take note also how Luke described the baptism of Jesus in Luke 321. Luke did not even mention John by name in Jesus's baptism. The focus is now entirely on Jesus.

Luke simply wrote when all the people were baptized it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized. John's not even mentioned. We know of course that John was the one who baptized Jesus but the emphasis Luke gives is wholly directed to Jesus and what concerns him directly.

He's bringing Jesus to the forefront where we see him principally. By the way we might interject a word about King Herod who had imprisoned John the Baptist. The first century Jewish historian Josephus writes about John the Baptist.

He was of course a Jewish man who had who had gone over to the Roman side and and saw that the siege of Jerusalem from the Roman side in AD 67 through 70 the siege and watched the fall and overthrow of Jerusalem and he wrote a history on behalf of the Romans and he wrote about John the Baptist.

And he thought later when King Herod's army suffered a major defeat Josephus attributes this to God punishing Herod because of the way he treated John the Baptist. So I thought this was quite interesting.

Here are the words of Josephus. Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God as a just punishment of what Herod had done against John who was called the Baptist. For Herod had killed this good man who had commanded the Jews to exercise virtue righteousness towards one another and piety towards God.

For only thus in John's opinion would the baptism be administered be acceptable to God namely if they used it to obtain not pardon for some sins but rather the cleansing of their bodies in as much as it was taken for granted that their souls had already been purified by justice.

Clearly Josephus had a wrong view of grace and mercy. Now many people came in crowds to him for they were greatly moved by his words. Herod who feared that great influence John had over the masses might put them into his power and enable him to raise a rebellion for they seemed ready to do anything he, John, should advise.

Herod thought it best to put him to death and in this way he might prevent any mischief John might cause and not bring himself into difficulties by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late.

Accordingly John was sent as a prisoner out of Herod's suspicious temper to Macareus. That was a fortress as it were on a hilltop. It's there today you can see it from a distance going south from Jerusalem toward Bethlehem.

The castle I already mentioned and was put to death and now the Jews thought the destruction of his army was sent as a punishment upon Herod and a mark of God's displeasure with him. I found that interesting.

Of course Josephus has it all wrong of course. John was beheaded because John kept telling Herod it's unlawful for you to have that woman and finally that woman got so upset that she conspired through her daughter to have John beheaded because of Herod's pride and he didn't want to lose face in front of the crowd.

Now these words reveal that Josephus was ignorant about the nature of true repentance or the deep true spiritual need of the Jews and he was certainly uninformed about specific events that led to John's death but it does reveal that the person in ministry of John the Baptist had been so influential that even this Jewish historian wrote of John and what many people thought of God punishing Herod for his unjust dealings with John.

Now interestingly perhaps because Luke wanted to direct his readers to focus entirely upon Jesus we do not read the details of Jesus's baptism that are found in the other Gospels. John's describe the actual occurrence of Jesus being baptized although it alludes to it John mentions it in John chapter 1 but while the three synoptic Gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke do record the event of Jesus being baptized Luke has less detail than the other two Mark and Matthew and in Luke's account again he does not refer to John the Baptist directly and just for your benefit I put the three accounts side by side so you can look at the different details and by the way look at the column of Luke 3 21 and 22 the name John is not mentioned but if you look across at Mark chapter 1 John is mentioned by name I am bolded John's name and then over at Matthew's account John is mentioned several times and a pronoun is referring to him as well.

It would seem to me clearly that Luke was attempting to set John in the background now and bringing Jesus to the forefront before his readers. Now let's consider the details and emphases of Luke's account.

Luke wrote when all the people were baptized again we know that John had baptized others after this event but the point is this Luke is setting forth that God's calling and ministry of John had accomplished God's purpose.

John had prepared the people for the arrival of their King Jesus Christ. And the clause of Luke 3 15 states this reality. Now as the people were in expectation and all reasoned in their hearts about John whether he was a Christ or not John had prepared the people.

Here are the words of one commentator on verse 21 the first clause. According to the first words of this verse Jesus before going to John first waited until the great mass of Jewish people had had their baptism completed.

This does not mean that all had by this time already been baptized. In Luke 7 30 Luke states that the Pharisees and lawyers did not get themselves baptized. And in John 3 23 we learned that John still continued to baptize even after Jesus had been baptized.

But nevertheless it is clear from this verse that the great majority of the people had then already been baptized. And the fact that John was imprisoned also would indicate that his mission had been completed.

And then Luke wrote when all the people were baptized it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized. We might wonder why Jesus would consent to be baptized. John's Commission was to preach repentance from sin and to show forth their faith in need of cleansing by being baptized.

But Jesus was without sin. So why was he baptized. You may recall from Matthew's gospel that John the Baptist initially resisted baptizing Jesus for he knew that Jesus was not in need of baptism of repentance.

Matthew recorded this interaction of John and Jesus and Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him and John tried to prevent him saying I need to be baptized by you and you are coming to me.

Jesus's response to John was that it was necessary and important for people to obey all the commands of God and so Jesus told him. Jesus answered and said to him permit it to be so now baptize me. For thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.

Jesus has said it's necessary that we all obey God's commands. And then John allowed him here. Righteousness would refer to everything that God has commanded. Jesus declaring that all people everywhere should obey or fulfill all of what God would have them to do.

You shouldn't hesitate shouldn't put it off you should do it. He too therefore should be baptized. For God had commanded had called all people to repent and be baptized. And so Jesus was showing forth his obedience to the command of God to the will of God to which he had commissioned John.

Now it should be stressed that in Jesus having been baptized Jesus was identifying himself with sinners those he came to redeem from their sins. As one wrote Jesus also went was baptized by him. The occurrence was to Jesus one of tremendous significance.

By subjecting himself to the baptism he finally and openly took the sin of mankind upon him and placed himself on the altar for the sake of the redemption of the guilty ones. For he himself had no need to be baptized but he offers himself as a substitute and representative of sinful mankind.

And so he the sinless one also undergoes this humiliation. And through this he shows his solidarity with the guilty human race for whose salvation he came. He who is himself without sin takes upon himself the sins of mankind in order to bring about reconciliation and redemption.

Thirdly Luke wrote that Jesus would be baptized while he prayed. When all the people were baptized it came to pass. Jesus also was baptized and while he prayed and the heaven was open Luke gives a great deal of attention in his gospel to the practice of Jesus praying.

I read this quote I thought wow. Numbers of occasions in Luke's gospel where Jesus is said to be prayed. Note the significant words. And Jesus was also baptized and was praying. Jesus attached great. I think that should be.

No. No that's right. Jesus attached great importance to prayer. He prayed not only in connection with his baptism as shown here but also when crowds were gathering just before choosing the twelve disciples.

In connection with and after the miraculous feeding of the five thousand when he was about to ask his disciples an important question on the mountain where he was transfigured just before extending the tender invitation.

Come to me all who are weary just before he taught the disciples the Lord's Prayer at Lazarus's tomb for Peter before his denial during the night of the institution of the Lord's Supper in Gethsemane on the cross and after his resurrection.

These references must be considered as being merely examples of a much more extensive life of prayer and thanksgiving. So if Jesus the sinless Son of God gave himself to praying this frequently certainly frequent and regular prayer should characterize our lives.

Jesus himself taught men always ought to pray and not lose heart. The Word of God commands us of course rejoice always pray without ceasing. And everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Of course when it says pray without ceasing it's not a command to be praying every moment of your consciousness. That's not possible not realistic. The command is simply saying that we are always to be a praying.

People pray without ceasing. We should be praying conversing with our Lord throughout each day and night. Non-christians talk to themselves. Christians talk to the Lord. We pray without ceasing. Well forth.

Luke wrote that while Jesus prayed the heaven was opened. The heavens being open speaks of an occasion in which God is going to reveal himself or some truth regarding himself. And here the heavens are open so that the Holy Spirit would come down upon Jesus.

This is perhaps clear in Mark's account. It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately coming up from the water he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove.

And so that's why the heavens departed. One wrote regarding this rending of the heavens. The opening of the heavens is an indication that divine revelation was about to take place. The significance is that after a period of apparent inactivity God himself comes down to act in power.

And so here the heavens open in order that the Spirit may descend. In fact one might even think of the Old Testament passage of Isaiah 64 1. Oh that you would rend the heavens that you would come down.

And that's exactly what happened here. The Holy Spirit came down. And then fifthly we read the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon him. There have been many various interpretations of what signified by the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove.

I read of six explanations in one commentary. But here is the conclusion by Howard Marshall. None of the above explanations is entirely satisfactory. It may be best to assume the thought is of the Spirit gently descending upon the head of Jesus as a dove might descend so that it looked like a dove.

However there may be an illusion or an association with what we read in Genesis 1 verse 1. And following in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void and darkness was on the face of the deep and the Spirit of God was hovering like a dove hovers over the face of the waters.

Genesis records that the Holy Spirit was hovering above the chaotic waters about to affect the onset of the sixth day creation week that the Holy Spirit is seen in the form of a dove descending upon Jesus may be a suggestion that the promise of the new creation was about to commence.

To quote Marshall again it's just possible that thoughts of the new creation brought about by the Spirit are in mind. We're not however told what the effect of the descent of the Spirit was. There is the same reticence here as in the Annunciation story when it was announced of course to Mary that he would be born.

The Old Testament promise that God would put the Spirit upon his servant is fulfilled. And that's the promise of Isaiah 42 verse 1. The Spirit rests upon the branch. Isaiah 11 to Jesus is commissioned and equipped for this task.

Such an act may be regarded as an anointing appropriate for a kingly office. When a king was inaugurated he was anointed with oil by the high priest. Here Jesus is being anointed the promised Messiah by the Holy Spirit.

And then in verse 22 we have the voice from heaven and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon him. And a voice came from heaven which said you are my beloved son and you I am well pleased.

Although it doesn't state it directly. Of course these are pronounced these words pronounced by God the Father. You are my son. What was the purpose for which God spoke from heaven according to Luke. We're zeroing in on Luke.

Now according to Luke it was God the Father affirming and confirming Jesus Christ directly and personally of his identity as the eternal Son of God and that God the Father was greatly pleased with every aspect of his life all 30 years.

But more than that it also speaks about the pleasure of the Father with regard to his son from eternity. Jesus is the eternal Son of God as one wrote. Where God here declares that Jesus is a beloved son this does not merely refer to the fact that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost.

The reference is to the to his eternal sonship from all eternity. He is in an absolute and unique sense the only begotten Son of God. And the Father's declaring this and affirming this notice very specifically and precisely.

In Luke's gospel the pronoun used is you are my beloved son. It's a singular first-person pronoun indicating that when God spoke God the Father spoke he was directing it directly to his son Jesus you are my beloved son.

There's no indication in Luke's gospel that anyone but Jesus himself heard these words for they were spoken directly to him and for his benefit. Interestingly although these words same words are in Luke's Mark's account these are not the precise words recorded in Matthew's gospel.

There we read the voice from heaven. This is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. A different pronoun demonstrative pronoun. This is my son God the Father pointing to someone else or to others this is my beloved son.

And so in Matthew's account is John the Baptist who has heard the words of God the Father testifying to and validating the identity of Jesus. We read in John's gospel that God had beforehand told John that he would recognize the Messiah by this heavenly vision of the Holy Spirit descending as a dove and resting upon him.

And here's John 1 29. Following the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Now this is not when Jesus was coming to be baptized.

This was 40 plus days after Jesus was baptized. Jesus is coming back perhaps from the wilderness. And John points out Jesus behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said after me comes a man who's preferred before me for he was before me speaking of his pre-incarnate state.

I did not know him but that he should be revealed to Israel. Therefore I came baptizing with water and John bore witness saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and he remained on upon him.

I did not know him but he who sent me to baptize with water that is God himself said to me upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on him. This is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and I have seen and testified this is the Son of God.

And so John both saw the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus as a dove. But God also confirmed to John this was his son. This is my son in whom I am well pleased. And so John was confirmed in the identity of his son.

The Genealogy of Jesus in Luke and Matthew

Well after considered after having considered the baptism of Jesus. Now let's give our attention to the genealogy of Jesus. And this is a difficult portion of Scripture. This genealogy of Jesus appears at first to be a rather unusual place in the gospel account.

Why here. Why not back in Luke chapter 1. That's the way it is in Matthew. Isn't it the opening words of Matthew 1 the genealogy. But not here. It's placed in Luke 3. A few weeks ago we commented the manner that Luke 3 open may suggest that the original gospel penned by Luke began with Luke 3 and maybe after he wrote some or all of it he wrote he added the infancy narratives to begin with.

Well the placement of the genealogy here is right after he first mentioned Jesus as the adult it may have been at the beginning of the gospel originally before he appended the infancy narratives. I thought that was kind of an interesting thing that was pointed out in a commentary I read.

Now when we compare the genealogy recorded in Matthew's gospel Matthew 1 verses 1 through 17 with this genealogy genealogy in Luke 3 23 through 38 there are noticeably different details between the two of them.

And again on page 7 of your notes I set them side by side. We're going to read them again thankfully. But if you look back and forth you can see that one is longer than the other. And if you read them carefully you would see they differ in a number of different places.

Both of them purport to be the genealogy of Jesus Christ. And so when comparing these two accounts there are certain similarities between them. But then there are differences and I've I've listed some that have been identified.

There are two major similarities between them. Matthew's first 14 names Abraham to David agree with Luke's. They both of the same. Secondly Shealtiel and Zerubbabel are found in both lists. That's the end of the similarities.

What about the differences. The great majority of the names in each list are absent from the other second Matthew's list Abraham to Jesus is much shorter than Luke's Jesus to Adam the Son of God. Matthew's skips more generations than does Luke between David and Shealtiel.

Matthew genealogy contains 16 different names. In Luke 22 between Shealtiel and Jesus inclusive Matthew mentions 13 names. Luke again 22 for Matthew presents three lists of two times seven names each.