This Sunday’s gospel lectionary reading for Advent 2 in Year C is Luke 3.1–6, the location and opening of John the Baptist’s ministry. We will hear more about the content of John’s ministry next week; for now, we are just given the setting.
But this setting tells us a huge amount about the gospel. The list of rulers is carefully designed not only to locate the gospel in the wider world, but also to match expectations of first century history. It moves us on from the earlier part of his story (in the first two chapters), demonstrates Luke’s accuracy as a historian—and implicitly claims that the good news announced by John is world changing.
Come and join Ian and James as they explore these questions!
Full written commentary behind the discussion can be found on the next article.
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This is a very fruitful passage to be savoured and immersed in!
Lukes exactness might well be due perhaps to the books of Maccabees and Josephus.
H A Ironside has a wonderful on-line book of which this chapter 4 audio/read 17minutes, details how the Maccabees shows the outworkings of Daniel’s prophecies and the preserving of a holy remnant.
/bibletruthpublishers.com/chapter-4-the-edomite-ascendancy/henry-allan-ironside/the-four-hundred-silent-years/h-a-ironside/la139491
He details the rise of the orthodox Pharisees and the more liberal Sadducees {Hellenizers} (Where have we witnessed similar?} Little wonder John and Jesus calls them vipers and the political “foxes”.
“The Word of the Lord came to John”
In deed “My sheep hear my voice” is a significant truth and transforming fact.
Whether through the Word of God, dreams, or prophetic utterances said over one.
D L Moody was asked “How do you know you are hearing the voice of God” to which he replied “Do you know the voice of your mother? In the same way I know the voice of God” So distinctive is the voice of God that we are never the same again.