Luke 3:2-4
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,[a] the word of God came to John(A) the son of Zechariah in the desert. 3 [b]He went throughout [the] whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,(B) 4 [c]as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:(C)
“A voice of one crying out in the desert:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,(D)
make straight his paths.
Footnotes
- 3:2 During the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas: after situating the call of John the Baptist in terms of the civil rulers of the period, Luke now mentions the religious leadership of Palestine (see note on Lk 1:5). Annas had been high priest A.D. 6–15. After being deposed by the Romans in A.D. 15 he was succeeded by various members of his family and eventually by his son-in-law, Caiaphas, who was high priest A.D. 18–36. Luke refers to Annas as high priest at this time (but see Jn 18:13, 19), possibly because of the continuing influence of Annas or because the title continued to be used for the ex-high priest. The word of God came to John: Luke is alone among the New Testament writers in associating the preaching of John with a call from God. Luke is thereby identifying John with the prophets whose ministries began with similar calls. In Lk 7:26 John will be described as “more than a prophet”; he is also the precursor of Jesus (Lk 7:27), a transitional figure inaugurating the period of the fulfillment of prophecy and promise.
- 3:3 See note on Mt 3:2.
- 3:4 The Essenes from Qumran used the same passage to explain why their community was in the desert studying and observing the law and the prophets (1QS 8:12–15).
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