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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Luke 3:7 - 3:9
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John's preaching:
v. 7. Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
v. 8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father; for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
v. 9. And now also the ax 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.
These words of John, although directed mainly to the Pharisees and Sadducees, found their application to most of the people that came to John's baptism, inasmuch as they blindly followed their blind leaders in their hypocritical behavior. The great mass may ever be willing enough to come and hear an earnest preacher of repentance, but they have no intention of changing their heart. Therefore John fitly calls them generation of vipers, who have the nature and the attributes of serpents, Psa_140:3. Their pitiful attempt to escape the wrath to come by feigning piety and giving themselves the resemblance of truth-seekers will not save them from the wrath to come. Fruits of repentance, deeds of love and kindness that flow out of a heart which, in repentant humility, has turned to Christ, they only will be accepted as proof of an entire change of mind, of the fact that the new birth has taken place. Not fictitious, but real, actual fruits are demanded, such as measure up to the thoroughness of the change of heart. "In order that they might not glory in their repentance and righteousness, He says to them furthermore: Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance.
As though He would say: You want to be righteous before all other men and depend upon your own works; change this foolish notion, acknowledge yourselves to be poor sinners, and perform other and better fruits of repentance. " And begin not to say within yourselves; the fact that Mat_3:8 has: Think not to say within yourselves, need cause us no uneasiness, for the Aramaic word which John undoubtedly used in this sentence, with a very slight change in the vocalization, may mean either "think" or "begin. " And the Lord, by accepting both forms, has authorized both readings. That they had Abraham to their father, that they were direct, lineal descendants of the father of the Jewish race, that their genealogies supported them in this boast, upon this fact many Jews relied for their acceptance before God. But they are not all Abraham's children that can trace their family back to him, according to the flesh, Joh_8:39; Rom_4:11. The real children of Abraham are those that, like him, place their trust for salvation in the Lord and His redemption. And besides, God can very well create children unto Abraham out of the stones of the desert. Of the entire Jewish nation the words were true that the ax was laid to the roots; if the national tree would not bring forth fruit when this last great chance was offered them and bring forth good fruit, then their judgment would be carried out upon them, as a warning also for all future generations, no matter where they might be living in the world. The last great visitation of grace for the children had dawned with the coming of the Baptist. Once more and for the last time the hand of sparing mercy stayed the hand of avenging justice which had even now lifted the ax; the people as a whole rejected the Savior, and the ax of God's wrath cut down the unfruitful fig-tree in the vineyard. The final disposition of all those that continue to reject the salvation of Jesus the Christ is the fire of the punishment of hell.