Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
Tax collectors came to John the Baptist while he was proclaiming the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins to prepare the way of the Lord. They came with princes, rabbis, soldiers and peasants to the Jordan, alarmed by the solemn warning and cut to the heart by his heart-searching preaching, and many were brought to repentance and baptized to share in the kingdom he announced. Their question expresses sincere desire for practical direction and definite instruction for conversion. He answered them to collect no more than the amount appointed to them, practicing no extortion, injustice or oppression, and he did not bid them abandon tax collecting but to remain in their occupation and prove repentance by dealing honestly and justly where God had called them. Becoming subjects of Christ's kingdom requires such evidence of faith and repentance in daily conduct and daily work, bearing good fruit in justice, honesty, mercy and love by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, as Zaccheus did when he made restitution fourfold for extortion, and this message is to be studied by present workers as a call to conversion and fruit-bearing.
John's Ministry and Question
Luke 3:12 belongs to the ministry of John the Baptist in the period from his announcement to his imprisonment, when he proclaimed the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins to prepare the way of the Lord for the people of his day. Tax collectors came with princes, rabbis, soldiers, and peasants to hear John at the Jordan. The solemn warning from God alarmed them for a time, and with the other listeners they were cut to the heart by heart-searching preaching with a sense of their sins. Many were brought to repentance and received baptism, since persons of all ranks submitted to John's requirement of baptism in order to participate in the kingdom he announced.
Their inquiry, What shall we do, expresses sincere desire for practical direction. It presents them as seeking definite instruction for conversion within John's call to repentance and to bearing fruit.
Repentance in Daily Work
To the tax collectors who came for baptism asking what to do, John answered to exact and demand only the tax appointed to them, collecting no more than the amount appointed or assigned to them. That answer forbade all extortion, injustice and oppression in gathering taxes. He did not tell them or his other hearers to abandon tax collecting or to forsake their former duties and occupations. He bade them remain in their occupation and give evidence of repentance by faithfulness to God in the place where God had called them, dealing honestly and justly while rejecting dishonesty and oppression.
Becoming subjects of Christ's kingdom requires evidence of faith and repentance in daily conduct and daily work. That evidence is bearing good fruit rather than exploiting position, showing justice, honesty and fidelity, with mercy, benevolence and loving generosity. It is kindness, virtue, compassion and the love of God seen in life by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, including ministering to the needy, bringing offerings to God and shielding the defenseless. Without such fruit they are like chaff given to the fire.
Zaccheus lived out that command when convicted that his tax gathering oppressed people and broke the Old Testament Scriptures. He made restitution to those he had robbed and repaid fourfold for extortion, and this obedience evidenced genuine conversion and sincere repentance that brought salvation to his house. John's own dwelling in the wilderness and his austere, isolated life were by God's direction to shield him from the influence of the priests and rabbis and to prepare him for a special mission. That life was not an example for the people to follow.
Call to Present Readers
The tax collectors came to John to be baptized and asked, Master, what shall we do, and he answered them to exact no more than what was appointed to them. That exchange belongs to John's message of the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins to prepare the way of the Lord, given to the people of his day. That message is to be studied to advantage by present workers. Within John's call to repentance the coming of the tax collectors shows them seeking practical direction.
Its application is a call to conversion and to bearing fruit, with a warning against continuing to disappoint Christ's expectation. The inquiry, what shall we do, expresses sincere desire for practical direction and is the right language for all readers in view of the claims of moral purity and the cure of unchastity. Those who sincerely ask it are to receive definite directions. The directions begin by supposing the inquirer to be a parent, directing parents in guarding, warning, and instructing children early and faithfully.
Tax collectors came to John the Baptist while he was proclaiming the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins to prepare the way of the Lord. They came with princes, rabbis, soldiers and peasants to the Jordan, alarmed by the solemn warning and cut to the heart by his heart-searching preaching, and many were brought to repentance and baptized to share in the kingdom he announced. Their question expresses sincere desire for practical direction and definite instruction for conversion. He answered them to collect no more than the amount appointed to them, practicing no extortion, injustice or oppression, and he did not bid them abandon tax collecting but to remain in their occupation and prove repentance by dealing honestly and justly where God had called them. Becoming subjects of Christ's kingdom requires such evidence of faith and repentance in daily conduct and daily work, bearing good fruit in justice, honesty, mercy and love by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, as Zaccheus did when he made restitution fourfold for extortion, and this message is to be studied by present workers as a call to conversion and fruit-bearing.
John's Ministry and Question
Luke 3:12 belongs to the ministry of John the Baptist in the period from his announcement to his imprisonment, when he proclaimed the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins to prepare the way of the Lord for the people of his day. Tax collectors came with princes, rabbis, soldiers, and peasants to hear John at the Jordan. The solemn warning from God alarmed them for a time, and with the other listeners they were cut to the heart by heart-searching preaching with a sense of their sins. Many were brought to repentance and received baptism, since persons of all ranks submitted to John's requirement of baptism in order to participate in the kingdom he announced.
Their inquiry, What shall we do, expresses sincere desire for practical direction. It presents them as seeking definite instruction for conversion within John's call to repentance and to bearing fruit.
Repentance in Daily Work
To the tax collectors who came for baptism asking what to do, John answered to exact and demand only the tax appointed to them, collecting no more than the amount appointed or assigned to them. That answer forbade all extortion, injustice and oppression in gathering taxes. He did not tell them or his other hearers to abandon tax collecting or to forsake their former duties and occupations. He bade them remain in their occupation and give evidence of repentance by faithfulness to God in the place where God had called them, dealing honestly and justly while rejecting dishonesty and oppression.
Becoming subjects of Christ's kingdom requires evidence of faith and repentance in daily conduct and daily work. That evidence is bearing good fruit rather than exploiting position, showing justice, honesty and fidelity, with mercy, benevolence and loving generosity. It is kindness, virtue, compassion and the love of God seen in life by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, including ministering to the needy, bringing offerings to God and shielding the defenseless. Without such fruit they are like chaff given to the fire.
Zaccheus lived out that command when convicted that his tax gathering oppressed people and broke the Old Testament Scriptures. He made restitution to those he had robbed and repaid fourfold for extortion, and this obedience evidenced genuine conversion and sincere repentance that brought salvation to his house. John's own dwelling in the wilderness and his austere, isolated life were by God's direction to shield him from the influence of the priests and rabbis and to prepare him for a special mission. That life was not an example for the people to follow.
Call to Present Readers
The tax collectors came to John to be baptized and asked, Master, what shall we do, and he answered them to exact no more than what was appointed to them. That exchange belongs to John's message of the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins to prepare the way of the Lord, given to the people of his day. That message is to be studied to advantage by present workers. Within John's call to repentance the coming of the tax collectors shows them seeking practical direction.
Its application is a call to conversion and to bearing fruit, with a warning against continuing to disappoint Christ's expectation. The inquiry, what shall we do, expresses sincere desire for practical direction and is the right language for all readers in view of the claims of moral purity and the cure of unchastity. Those who sincerely ask it are to receive definite directions. The directions begin by supposing the inquirer to be a parent, directing parents in guarding, warning, and instructing children early and faithfully.