(9) And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not
forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
(10) And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
(11) He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and
he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
(12) Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
(13) And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
(14) And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them,
Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages‖. (Luke 3:8-14)
The phrase, ―to bring forth fruit" in a Hebraic, spiritual context means more than simply, "doing good deeds‖.
It refers to spiritual insight and teachings.
Yochanan‘s eschatological message of imminent judgment closely resembles that held by the Dead Sea sect
(Essenes). And Yochanan‘s rite of baptism only differs in meaning from the ―purifying waters‖ of the
Essenes. Yochanan‘s preaching was intensely eschatological. He heralded the imminent Day of Judgment;
YHWH‘s retributive punishment would soon fall upon the apostasy of Israel. The merits of the patriarchs
would provide no escape and descent from Abraham would offer no advantage. Only sincere repentance
would avert the ―wrath to come‖, and this must lead to baptism. Moreover, those who confessed their sins
and received Yochanan‘s baptism as a sign of this repentance, were commanded to ―bear good fruit‖
following in ―the way of righteousness‖ taught by Yochanan.
Sharing
Luke 3:10 It goes contrary to the nature of individuals to share their wealth. People who have extras tend to
hoard those extras and not share them with others. And yet, Yochanan‘s instructions to the multitude were to
do just that.
Luke 3:12, 13: Publicans were Jews who bought the office of tax collector. This meant they were putting
themselves in the position where the Jewish community would dislike them because they would be reckoned
as working for the enemy; and therefore, traitors. Why would Jews seek that office in light of the reaction of
the community? The reason that people sold this office that paid only a very small salary was something that
the Roman law allowed. If the Roman government determined that an individual owed five shekels, the
publican would charge ten shekels. He would then give Rome five shekels and keep five for himself. It was
through this kind of extortion that the publicans became wealthy. Here Yochanan is telling them to do honest
work and to be fair in all their dealings instead of taking advantage of people.
Luke 3:14: Why did non-Romans want to enter the Roman army that was responsible for the defeat of their
nation? The answer, again, lies in what the Roman government allowed. The soldiers in the army had the
right to take the spoil of the subjugated people even after peace had come. This was the way they were able
to gain wealth. Yochanan is telling these soldiers to abandon this practice and rather to be honest.
3:11- 12 Yochanan prepares the way
―(11) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I,
whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. (12)
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he
will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire:‖
(15) ―And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were
the Christ, or not;
(16) John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I
cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and
with fire:
(17) Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his
garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
(18) And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people‖. (Luke 3:15-18)
Luke 3:15: The verse speaks of the expectation of the people. When they came to hear Yochanan, they fully
expected to see the long awaited Messiah. History records that in the period shortly before, and for a brief
time after the First Century A.D., the Messianic expectation had reached its greatest peak. The prophet
Daniel, over four hundred years before the time of Y‘shua, had foretold that the Messiah would appear in the
midst of the fourth kingdom from the time of his prophecy. The Messiah, according to Daniel 7, would then