In Luke 3, John the Baptist calls people to repent because God’s Kingdom is at hand. He then challenges them to “produce fruits that are consistent with repentance.” What does this mean?
Scripture:
Genesis, chapters 6-8; Luke, chapter 3
Luke 3:1-6 (NASB):
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.
And he came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “THE VOICE OF ONE CALLING OUT IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!’
‘EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE LOWERED; THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH; AND ALL FLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD!’”
(Note: in the NASB, quotations from the Old Testament are placed in all capital letters. In this case, the quotation is from Isaiah 40:3-5).
Observations: The Word of God Came to John
At the beginning of chapter 3, Luke has “fast-forwarded” his account of Jesus’ life and ministry by about 18 years. At the end of chapter 2, Jesus was 12. That’s when he stayed behind at the Temple at the end of the Passover feast, causing Joseph and Mary to come back to find Him. Chapter 3 picks up with John the Baptist’s ministry in the Judean wilderness. At the end of chapter 1, Luke tells us that John “grew and was becoming strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel” (Luke 1:80).
In today’s reading, we see that the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. John had stayed in the wilderness waiting until God told him it was “time” – time to begin his ministry as the forerunner of the Messiah. When God gave John the command, John came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Most of us miss the impact of John’s message. Those who follow Jesus have responded to His call to “repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). We understand repentance as turning from our sins and following Him, so that’s how we interpret John’s preaching. But the call to repent and be baptized would have stunned John’s audience. Most people understood baptism as a ritual for Gentiles who converted to Judaism. Why would a Jewish person need to be baptized? And God had given them the sacrificial systems of the Mosaic covenant to provide forgiveness. Every year on the Day of Atonement, the high priest offered a sacrifice to atone for the sins of the people. God also prescribed specific sacrifices for individual sins. Why would they need to respond to John’s call to repent and be baptized?
What Does It Mean to Repent?
Most people would probably explain “repentance” as “saying you’re sorry for something you’ve done.” Clearly, that’s part of it – but only part. In fact, it’s probably the easiest part of true repentance. Anybody can say that they’re sorry – even if they don’t mean it. But to actually be sorry – to demonstrate the reality of their repentance – is much more difficult.
The Christian concept of repentance involves change – change of mind, change of heart, change of actions, and change of attitude. The Greek word is metanoia, the noun form of the verb metanoeo. This verb means to relent – to acknowledge that God is right and that our sinful actions and attitudes are wrong. As the Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament puts it: “Theologically, it involves regret or sorrow, accompanied by a true change of heart toward God.” It is more that simple regret; regret wishes something to be undone, but does not include any acknowledgment that one’s actions were wrong.
So when John called people to repent, he challenged them to:
- Acknowledge guilt for their sins
- Admit that God’s way is right
- Commit to obeying God
- Change their actions
That is still what repentance means today!
Application: Fruits of Repentance
Now, you may be asking, “Where do you get that from today’s Scripture?” I’m glad you asked! First, in verse 8, John tells the crowd: “Therefore produce fruits that are consistent with repentance, and do not start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraha, as our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children for Abraham. But indeed the axe is already being laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Luke 3:8-9). Produce fruits that are consistent with repentance. In other words, change your actions so they are consistent with God’s standards.
Here’s What Repentance Looks Like
Next, notice that the crowd asks John for specifics: “Then what are we to do?” (Luke 3:10). It’s easy for preachers to talk in generalities – “repent, produce fruit…” But we are often afraid to get specific, because we don’t want people to think we’re picking on them. John was not afraid! Luke tells us that John gave three specific answers. The first answer was directed at everyone: “The one who has two tunics is to share with the one who has none; and the one who has food is to do likewise” (Luke 3:11).
What? What does that have to do with righteousness, and being ready for God’s kingdom? Only everything!When Jesus was asked later what was the greatest commandment, He said that we should love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. He then said that “upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:36-40). Loving our neighbor begins with the basics – food and clothing. It doesn’t stop there, but it certainly starts there. “I was hungry, and you fed me…” (see Matthew 25:31-46).
Specific Fruits of Repentance
Tax Collectors
As I said, it starts there, but doesn’t stop there. The tax collectors came to John and asked what they should do. “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to” (Luke 3:13). Tax collectors were hated because they were widely viewed as parasites who took advantage of their own people. Notice that John doesn’t say, “Stop collecting taxes for the Roman government.” He says, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” Don’t take advantage of people; take care of them. Be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.
Soldiers
Finally, some soldiers came to John. “Soldiers” were part of the Roman army; because Judea was subject to Rome, it was not permitted to have its own army. It’s not clear what duties these soldiers had, but John gives them some specific direction: “Do not extort money from anyone, nor harass anyone, and be content with your wages” (Luke 3:14). In some ways, soldiers in those days were like police today – they kept the peace and enforced the laws. Because they had the authority of the government behind them, they could take advantage of others. John gives some specific examples, and then he identifies a root issue. “Be content with your wages” sounds like Jesus’ warning that we cannot serve both God and money.
Who Is In Charge?
That brings me to the core of repentance: the concept of control. Who is in charge? In whom do I trust? To repent in preparation for God’s Kingdom means to acknowledge God’s authority – over me. If I trust God, I can be content with what He gives me. He has promised to supply what I need, so I don’t need to take matters into my own hands. At its heart, repentance is about surrender – and each day is a new opportunity to produce that fruit!
Prayer:
Father, thank You for Your promise to supply all that I need. Thank You, too, for the ways that You have always proven faithful to that promise! And thank You for reminding me that living in Your Kingdom means more than just “going to heaven someday”; it means demonstrating that Your Kingdom is here right now. Show me how to demonstrate Your love to others, that they may see You. Help me, today and each day, to surrender my will to Yours, that I may live in peace in Your Kingdom. Amen.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In