Luke 3 The Ministry of John the Baptist Read Luke 3:1-20 1. One of Luke s goals in writing his gospel was to give an orderly account (Luke 1:3) He lists seven people who occupied some type of leadership role at the time. List the seven people and their roles (see vv. 1-2). 2. Despite all these leaders in important roles, what event did Luke record that happened in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar? To whom did it happen? Where? (See v. 2.) 3. As the ministry of John the Baptist began, where did he go to minister (see v. 3)? (See also John 1:28.) 4. A preacher is someone who speaks the truth of God s Word to those who are far from Him or who do not know Him. A teacher is someone who speaks the truth of God s Word to those who do know Him. Which role was John the Baptist called to (see v. 3)? 5. The word minister means servant or person who serves. As John began his role as a minister, what was his message (see v.3)? (See also Matthew 3:1-2; Mark 1:4.) 6. Whose message was identical to John s? (See Matthew 4:17.) Luke 3 Page 1
7. Luke used a prophecy from Isaiah 40:3-5 to identify John s mission. What was that mission (see vv. 4-6)? 8. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, prophesied of John s ministry, giving even more clarity about John s mission. What additional insights into his ministry can you find in Luke 1:76-79? 9. When a king was scheduled to tour through a region of his kingdom, men were sent in advance to repair the roads and ensure the area was presentable. In Luke, the leveling of the land was a figurative expression denoting that the way of the Messiah would be made smooth through John. Instead of roadways, what did John prepare in advance of the coming Messiah (see vv. 3, 7)? (See also Matthew 3:5; Mark 1:5.) 10. As the multitudes came out to be baptized by John, what did they see? Describe John the Baptist s attire and diet (see Matthew 3:4). What prophet dressed similarly to John (see 2 Kings 1:8)? In Matthew 11:14, whom did Jesus equate with John? (See also Malachi 4:5; Matthew 17:10-13; Luke 1:17.) 11. Multitudes came out to be baptized by John. To whom, specifically, did John refer to as a brood of vipers (v. 7)? (See also Matthew 3:7.) 12. John referred to the wrath to come (v. 7). Upon whom will this wrath come? (See John 3:36; Romans 1:18; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6.) What does the word wrath refer to? (See Revelation 16:1.) How can people be saved from this wrath? (See Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10.) Luke 3 Page 2
13. When John addressed the brood of vipers, what did he say they should bear (see v. 8)? What was he referring to? (See also 2 Corinthians 7:9 11.) 14. What did John say this brood of vipers should not begin to say to themselves (see v. 8)? Why would that saying be of no value? (See John 8:33 39; Romans 2:28 29.) 15. When John addressed the brood of vipers, he said the ax is laid to the root of the trees, and those trees that are not bearing good fruit would be cut down and burned (see v. 9). What was John referring to by the trees and the ax? (See Psalm 1:3; Matthew 7:19; Luke 13:6 9.) 16. Three groups of people from within the multitudes who had come to be baptized by John were struck by the seriousness of John s message. Identify these three groups of people (see vv. 10, 12, 14). 17. The seriousness of John s message led these three groups of people to ask John a very serious question (see vv. 10, 12, 14). What was it? 18. What was it about John s message that led these people to ask that question (see v. 9)? (See also Matthew 3:12.) Luke 3 Page 3
19. How was their question important one that we, too, should try to get every unsaved person we know to sincerely ask? (See also Acts 2:37-38; 16:30-31.) 20. What did John instruct each of the three groups to do (see vv. 11, 13, 14)? 21. Because of the serious of John and his message, whom did the people think John might be (see v. 15)? (See also John 1:19-22.) 22. As the people reasoned in their hearts about who John might be, what was John s perspective of himself? What was his perspective of the One who would come after him (see v. 16)? 23. John s baptism was one of repentance for the remission of sins (see v. 3). What type of baptism did John say the One to come after him would bring (see v. 16)? What might this type of baptism mean? (See Acts 2:1-4; Malachi 3:2-3.) 24. What else did John s ministry and message consist of (see v. 18)? 25. What did Herod the tetrarch do to John? Why (see vv. 19-20)? (See also Matthew 14:3-5.) Luke 3 Page 4
The Baptism of Christ Read Luke 3:21-22 26. Multitudes of people came out to the region where John was baptizing and many were baptized. John the Baptist said that he did not know Jesus, but he recognized him. How did John recognize Jesus? (See John 1:31-34.) 27. When John recognized Jesus as He came to be baptized, how did John refer to Him? (See John 1:29.) 28. During John the Baptist s ministry of baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (v. 3), Jesus came to him to be baptized. John rightly recognized that the sinless Son of God needed no baptism of repentance and that he was certainly not worthy to baptize his own Savior (see Matthew 3:14). What reason did Jesus give for permitting John to baptize Him (see Matthew 3:15)? (See also 2 Corinthians 5:21.) 29. Luke alone records what Jesus did at His baptism. What did He do? What happened because of that (see v. 21)? 30. All three persons of the Trinity were present at the baptism of Jesus. How was each represented (see vv. 21-22)? Luke 3 Page 5
The Genealogy of Christ Through Mary Read Luke 3:23-38 31. Luke recorded how old Jesus was when He began His ministry (see v. 23). How old was He? Why is this age significant (See Numbers 4:3, 35, 39, 43, 47)? How many years had passed since Luke 2:42? 32. In Matthew s genealogy, the term begot, which means to be the physical father of, was used. In Luke, the phrase the son of was used. The word son can also mean son-in-law. As Luke recorded the genealogy of Jesus, he said, as was supposed (v. 23) in reference to Jesus being the son of Joseph. This passage is a record of Mary s genealogy. Who was Mary s physical father (see v. 23)? Who was Joseph s physical father? (See Matthew 1:16.) 33. Matthew s genealogy traces Jesus lineage from Abraham to Jesus. Luke s genealogy traces Jesus lineage in reverse order to whom (see v. 38)? 34. Matthew s genealogy proves Jesus was the royal heir to the line of King David. Luke s genealogy proves Jesus was legal heir to the throne of David. What son of David did Matthew trace Jesus genealogy through? (See Matthew 1:6.) What son of David did Luke trace Jesus genealogy through (see v. 31)? Luke 3 Page 6