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. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20 Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. (Luke 3:15-20 KJV )
John Testifies about Christ
We are now approaching the public appearance of our Lord Jesus—the morning star has risen, and the Sun is about to follow. People began to wonder if John the Baptist was the promised Messiah. This was exactly how the way of the Lord was being prepared—by stirring people’s hearts and raising their expectations, making them more ready to receive Christ.
As they listened to John’s powerful teaching, saw the divine authority behind it, and noticed its call to true repentance, they began to think that the time for the Messiah had come. The political and spiritual signs also pointed that way: the scepter had departed from Judah—they had no king but Caesar—and the lawgiver was gone, as Herod had recently executed the Sanhedrin. Daniel’s prophecy about the seventy weeks was drawing to a close (see Luke 19:11), and the desperate state of the Jewish people made them long for both reform and deliverance.
Their thoughts naturally turned to John: Could he be the Christ? Though he lacked the royal appearance they expected of the Messiah, his holy life, authoritative preaching, and spiritual power made people wonder if he might reveal himself as the Messiah in due time. This inward reasoning and searching opened the door for Christ to be received.
In response, John made it clear that he was not the Messiah (Luke 3:16-17). Though he didn’t know their private thoughts, he addressed their speculations by pointing them to the One who would come after him. John’s role was to prepare people and direct them to Christ. After telling everyone what kind of repentance they must show, he gave one more essential message: they should expect the Messiah to appear soon.
John explained that his role was limited—he baptized with water, urging people to repent and assuring them of forgiveness if they did. But he had no power to change hearts or give the Spirit. That work belonged to the one coming after him—Jesus.
He humbly acknowledged that Jesus was greater in every way. He wasn’t worthy even to untie the strap of Jesus’ sandals. Though John was a prophet, and in some ways greater than those before him, Christ was greater still. All the prophets, including John, spoke by the Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:10-11). John’s humility not only gave honor to Jesus but also gave us an example of how we should speak about Christ—with deep reverence—and how we should speak of ourselves—with humility.
Jesus had power, John didn’t. John baptized with water, a sign of cleansing. But Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire—purifying not just the outside but also the heart, burning away sin like fire removes dross from metal.
John could proclaim a message that called people to repentance, and symbolically separate the righteous from the wicked. But Jesus would come with His winnowing fork in hand. He would thoroughly clean His threshing floor, separating the wheat from the chaff. The wheat—the sincere believers—He would gather into His storehouse, the true church now, and heaven eventually. The chaff—those who were empty and unrepentant—He would burn with unquenchable fire (see Malachi 3:18; Mal 4:1-2).
Luke concludes his account by noting that John said many other things as he exhorted the people (Luke 3:18). He was a passionate preacher who urged his listeners to action. He gave practical guidance rather than speculative teaching. Though some in his audience were learned men—the Pharisees and Sadducees—he focused on the common people and tailored his message to them. Most of all, he preached the good news, continually pointing people to Christ and stirring up their hope and expectation. His preaching was thorough and varied, so that if one truth didn’t reach someone’s heart, another might.
But then John’s ministry was suddenly interrupted (Luke 3:19-20). Herod the tetrarch had been rebuked by John for many sins, especially his unlawful relationship with his brother’s wife. Herod, unable to bear the truth, added one more evil to his list: he imprisoned John. This silenced a powerful voice for righteousness and deprived the people of John’s ongoing teaching. Though John may still have ministered to some while in prison, he could no longer speak to the crowds as before.
We can’t think of Herod’s action without grief, nor of God’s allowance of it without awe. But God’s ways are higher than ours. John had been preparing the people for Christ for about a year and a half. Now, as Christ—the Sun of Righteousness—began to shine, it was time for the morning star to fade. John, Christ’s forerunner in preaching, would also be His forerunner in suffering.