In chapters one and two of his Gospel, St. Luke the Evangelist narrates the miraculous births of St. John the Baptist to Zechariah and Elizabeth and of Jesus to Mary, emphasizing their early lives especially that of Jesus who we follow up until he is about twelve. This sequence, where John appears as the forerunner and Jesus follows, prefigures the structure of the narrative in subsequent chapters.
Distinct from the other Gospel writers, St. Luke demonstrates a meticulous concern for historical precision, anchoring the commencement of Jesus’ public ministry within a specific and well-defined chronological framework. This precision not only underscores the historical reliability of his account but also provides the reader with a clear temporal context for these pivotal events.
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberi-us Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysani-as tetrarch of Abilene,
Luke employs a Hellenistic historiographical style, anchoring John the Baptist’s ministry within a precise historical framework. By naming both secular rulers and Jewish religious leaders, Luke situates sacred events within the broader context of world history, lending credibility to his account and emphasizing the universal significance of Jesus’ mission. This approach is very reminiscent of the Hebrew “toledot” as seen in Genesis and other books that express genealogies.
Where it differs is its attention to detail, Luke mirrors the practices of Greco-Roman historians like Thucydides, Polybius, and Josephus, who often contextualized events within a specific chronological framework by referencing rulers, political officials, and key figures.
The scholar Sir William Ramsay, a renowned archaeologist and historian, praised St. Luke as a historian of exceptional accuracy and reliability. Ramsay initially approached the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles with skepticism, intending to disprove their historical claims. However, after extensive research and archaeological findings that consistently supported Luke’s accounts, Ramsay changed his perspective and concluded that Luke was a first-rate historian.
Ramsay famously stated that “Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy… but this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.”
The first detail we acquire is that it is in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. He reigned from 14-37AD and considering they counted even parts of a year this would place us in 28-29AD. Then we are told of Pontius Pilate who will be a semi-central character in the Passion account. Pilate is the governor of Judea, he occupied this office between 26-36AD.
The sons of Herod the Great reign as “tetrarches”. This literally means “ruler of a fourth” denoting an individual who administrated over a quarter of a kingdom in the stead of the overarching ruler but by the time of the first century AD it had become more general basically referring to a subordinate ruler or governor of a smaller region under the oversight of a larger imperial power, such as Rome. Luke’s use of these titles expresses his full understanding of not only the historical context of the period but its political context. They all inherit this title, not Herod the Greats “King of the Jews” title, they will all occupy these offices starting from Herod’s death until the late 30s AD.
2 in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness;
Luke also gives us the religious hierarchy within Judea. This was internal Jewish governing structure that dictated the way of life for Jews through the administration body of the Sanhedrin. When they were not under the power of some foreign empire and did not have their own king (most of the time) this was where the buck stopped with Jewish governance.
What’s interesting is Luke’s use of what appears to be a dual high priesthood, which of course was not how the Jewish high priesthood worked but what Luke is doing is explaining a rather unusual circumstance that only occurred in this period. The office of the high priesthood was supposed to be for life, as according to the Law of Moses in the book of Numbers but the Romans were calling the shots as the domineering empire at the time and did not care for Jewish Law. They deposed Annas who was high priest 6-15AD and Annas substituted his Son-in-Law Caiaphas who held the office up to 36AD. Whilst officially according to the Romans Annas was deposed, the Law mandated that Annas was still technically in-charge. So a “dual” high priesthood was formed with Annas governing through his Son-in-Law who acted as the official appointed by the Romans.
John is reintroduced, in this time period, articulated via Roman and Jewish governance structures. Think of it as the worlds first time-skip. Luke reintroduces John as a prophet, the “word of God came” to him whilst he was out in the wilderness. To the Jewish mind this would bring forth the image of previous prophets of the Jewish people like Elijah.
3 and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
The “region about the Jordan” recalls the Israelites’ crossing of the Jordan into the Promised Land (Joshua 3-4). John’s ministry in this area symbolically invites Israel to a renewed relationship with God, echoing the call to repentance and covenant fidelity.
Baptism (baptisma, Greek) was not entirely novel but builds on Jewish purification rites, particularly those associated with ritual washing (e.g., at Qumran). John’s baptism differs in its focus on repentance (metanoia), signifying a complete turning away from sin and preparation for the coming of the Messiah.
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Luke explicitly connects John the Baptist to Isaiah’s prophecy, emphasizing his role as the forerunner of the Lord. The wilderness setting evokes themes of divine encounter and renewal, recalling Israel’s formative experiences in the desert (Exodus, Deuteronomy).
Biblical Scholars like Dr John Bergsma draw a connection here with the Qumran community that we typically refer to as Essenes, the authors and owners of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Not only were they active close to this region but their self imposed exile into the wilderness was paired with this same prophecy of Isaiah. In his work Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, he goes over many connections between John’s way of life and the Essenes.
What is striking is that the context of Isaiah following the verses quoted is that of God coming to his people as a king, healing and saving his people, restoring Israel and pouring out the spirit, so not only was John the Baptist expecting this manifestation along with the Gospel Author but so were the Essenes who were the second biggest group after the Pharisees.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
The leveling of mountains and filling of valleys represents the universal scope of salvation and the removal of all obstacles to God’s reign. This imagery may also symbolize the humbling of the proud and the lifting of the lowly, a theme consistent with Luke’s Gospel (cf. Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1:52).
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
The phrase “all flesh” expands the scope of salvation beyond Israel to include all humanity. This universal perspective is a central theme in Luke’s Gospel and Acts, highlighting God’s plan for all nations. This contrasts with the view of the Essenes who up to this point had so much in common with John. Their view was very insular whereas John the Baptist takes very seriously the promises made in the Old Covenant to bring the Gentiles into God’s Family.
In Greek, the word for salvation (soterion) implies deliverance and restoration. This aligns with the name “Jesus” (Iesous in Greek, derived from Hebrew Yeshua), which means “The Lord saves.”
By citing Isaiah 40:5, Luke underscores the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in the person of Jesus Christ. John’s ministry is the opening act in this divine drama, preparing humanity to encounter the Savior.
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