Luke 3:1–6

Verse 1. Pilate being governor of Judea, lit. procurator; that is with a subordination to the president of Syria. Witham.—This was Herod Antipas, son of Herod the great, mentioned in Calmet. 1, verse 5.

Verse 2. Under the high priests, Annas and Caiphas. There was properly but one high priest at a time; and Caiphas had this office and title all the ten years that Pilate governed Judea. See Joseph. l. xviii. Antiq. c. iii.—In these short notes I shall not pretend to examine the chronological difficulties, as to Christ’s birth, death, and so forth Witham.

Verse 3. To all who read, it is plain, that Saint John not only preached baptism, but likewise conferred it upon many; yet, he could not give baptism to the remission of sins. Saint Gregory hom. xx.—When the victim was not yet immolated, how could they obtain remission of sins? How could Saint Luke say, preaching the baptism of penance, for the remission of sins? The ignorant Jews not considering the greatness of their transgressions, Saint John came exhorting them to acknowledge their sins, and do penance for them; that being converted, and truly contrite, they might seek after their Redeemer, and thus obtain remission of their offences. Saint John Chrysostom hom. x. in Matt.—From these words originated an opinion, that the baptism of John remitted sins. Thus Prudentius, in his hymn on Saint John:

Hortatur ille primus, et Doctor novæ

Fuit salutis, nam sancto in flumine

Veterum pictas lavit errorum notas.

The fallacy of this sentiment, now universally exploded, may be detected from two passages of Scripture: 1. Where John himself declares that he does not baptize with the Holy Ghost; and secondly, in the Acts, (Calmet. 19) where Saint Paul orders those who had only been baptized by John, and had not heard of the Holy Ghost, to be rebaptized. We must then conclude, that Saint John’s baptism was only a ceremony or initiation, by which they enrolled themselves as his disciples, to do penance, as a preparation for the remission of sins by means of the second baptism, that is of Jesus Christ. Jans. Evan. Conc.

Verse 5. Every valley, and so forth If these words, in one sense, were a prediction of the deliverance of the Israelites from their captivity, (Isaiah 40:3) and an admonition to level the roads for those that were to return, they also signified the redemption of mankind from the slavery of sin; and that all obstacles, which retarded this benefit, should be removed, and also that the proud should be depressed, and the humble receive graces. Witham.

Verse 6. This text is given according to the Sept.