The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 89

Vere. 1-20.-77ie ministry of the Baptist. We left Jesus, when last we studied Luke's narrative, in Nazareth, subject to his parents and realizing a gracious develop- ment in subjection. We have now to pass over about eighteen years, of which we know only that during them he had become a carpenter (cf. Mark vi. 3), that we may contemplate the preparatory mo,.ement under John the Baptist. In these verses we find Luke entering upon the description with the hand of a true artist. He summarizes for ns a whole life in fewer verses a great dea.l than it had years. And yet they a.re so deftly written that, had John Baptist no other memorial, they would secure for him undying fame. Let us take the facts as they are put before us by Luke, noting such lemons as they are well fitted to suggest. And- L THE BAPTIST APPEARED WHEN DECAY RAD BET IN BOTH IN CHURCH AND STATE. (Vers. 1, 2.) The Jewish kingdom, which had a unity until the death of Herod the Great, has now been parcelled into tetrarchies, each governor reigning by grace of the Roman emperor. The sceptre is assuredly departing from Judah. The ancient glory of the lsraeliti■h mona.rchy only makes the present decline the more impressive. The kinadom needs resuscitation or to be supplanted by a better kingdom. A national leader was never more needful than now. The fulness of time has surely come. Again, decay has seized upon the Jewish Church. The singular number used here (&px••pl,.,s), while two names are associated with the high priesthood, shows to what a condition the affairs of the Church had come. Annas is not allowed his lifetime of the office, according to the Law of Moses, but Caiaphas, his son-in-law happily, has been appointed by the civil power in his room. Reformation is, therefore, sadly needed; the hour has struck, and happily the man is here. II. THE BAPTll!T CAME AS THE PIONEER OF THE LORD. (Vers. 3-6.) Luke here borrows imagery from the prophecy of Isaiah (xl. 3-5), and a careful study of the pusage endorses the application of it to the preparatory work in view of the advent of Messiah. John, like a pioneer, is to make a smooth path for the Prince of Peace; but the valleys to be raised, tho mountains to be laid low, the crooked to be made straight, and the rough ways to be made smooth, are not outward and physical obstacles. It is not by fora they are to be overcome, but by a voice, by a cry. They represent conse- quently the cAar-ad«-, of men. The VR.lleys represcut the depressed and despairir,g; cm. nL 1-38.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 81