Morning Bible Study: Luke 3:2-6

3:2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, God’s word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 

3 He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 

4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:

A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

Prepare the way for the Lord;

make his paths straight!

5 Every valley will be filled,

and every mountain and hill will be made low;

the crooked will become straight,

the rough ways smooth,

6 and everyone will see the salvation of God.

Commentary

(the following is from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, 1706 -- www.christianity.com)

"The scope and design of John's ministry were, to bring the people from their sins, and to their Savior. He came preaching, not a sect, or party, but a profession; the sign or ceremony was washing with water. By the words here used John preached the necessity of repentance, in order to the remission of sins, and that the baptism of water was an outward sign of that inward cleansing and renewal of heart, which attend, or are the effects of true repentance, as well as a profession of it. Here is the fulfilling of the Scriptures, Isaiah 40:3, in the ministry of John. When way is made for the gospel into the heart, by taking down high thoughts, and bringing them into obedience to Christ, by levelling the soul, and removing all that hinders us in the way of Christ and his grace, then preparation is made to welcome the salvation of God."