Luke 3:19-20 summarizes John's interaction with Herod, which resulted in his imprisonment and ultimately his death. (Matthew 14:1-12 describes that event in more detail). Most of the time, it appears that worldly rulers ignore criticism of them by religious people. History records, it seems, that religious groups that gain power are merciless in oppressing other religious people that disagree with them. But for some reason, worldly political rulers find it more expedient to let religious people criticize them without repercussion, perhaps as a vent to avert political revolt. And it appears that Herod acted against John because of his wife's insistence. Whether Herodias and Jezebel (I Kings 16 - 2 Kings 9) were cut from the same cloth I cannot judge. The gospel narratives make it clear that John's naming as sin Herod's marriage to Herodias was the cause of his imprisonment and death.

Luke 3:21-22 The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is summarized with two specific events: the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, and the voice of the Father from heaven pronouncing His approval of His beloved Son. The Trinity is present at the baptism of Jesus. Matthew 3:13-15 includes the detail that John said he needed to be baptized by Jesus, not the other way around. And Jesus explaining that it was necessary to fulfill all righteousness. Jesus did not need to be baptized for repentance. Jesus did not need to be baptized as Christians are today, according to Romans 6:3-4 and Colossians 2:12, into His death. He would die on the cross. When Christians today are baptized, we identify ourselves with His death, in order that we can spiritually be joined with Him by faith. So Jesus' baptism seems to serve primarily as an example for us - we should not shirk from baptism. Indeed, if we do not identify ourselves with Christ in His death, how can we claim the resurrection from the deadness of separation from God? It is only through partaking of the power of Christ's resurrection that we gain eternal life. Sacraments are a mystery to me in this respect. How can a symbolic act such as baptism impart a spiritual reality such as identification with Christ in His death? (Romans 6:3-4)

          The Holy Spirit is various symbolized as a dove or as fire. We find both in this passage. Yet they seem to be such different, and clashing, symbols. Fire destroys, cleanses, but a dove coos and seems harmless and gentle. Perhaps this combination of symbols is what we need to understand the very nature of God Himself. He is a purifier, by strong measures when necessary, but He is also gentle and approaches us that way.

Luke 3:23-38 The genealogy of Jesus was discussed earlier (Luke 1:26-38). Here we find what must be Mary's genealogy. The evidence for this is as follows. It is completely different from that given in Matthew 1:1-16, which includes Jeconiah at the time of the deportation to Babylon. (Matthew 1:11-12). Matthew 1:16 says that Jacob begat Joseph - the greek word 'gennao' meaning specifically begotten, born of, conceived. Luke 3:23 says that Joseph was the son - greek word 'huios' of Eli. This word meaning son is also used metaphorically of moral characteristics. Since Mary's parents were never mentioned, we have no idea what this relationship means, in fact, we are only inferring that Eli was Mary's father.

          Why did the Evangelists give us two completely different genealogies? Perhaps we should get the certainty that Jesus was qualified to fulfill the promise that the seed of David would establish his throne forever. (2 Samuel 7:16) To the Jews, this would have been important because the then-reigning kings - Herod's line - were not Jews and not descended from David. This was probably why Herod was so insecure that when he heard that one was born King of the Jews, he engaged in wholesale slaughter to try to eliminate the legitimate King. (Matthew 2:7-8 & 16). However, neither of these genealogies was present at that time. Why were they recorded for us 50-70 years later?

         Could this be a continuation of the Old Testament legacy of recording lineage, that we find in many places, the most notable being I Chronicles 1-8? Matthew showed Jesus' descent from Abraham, important to Jews. Luke showed Jesus' descent from Adam. A simple observation - the line of descent from Abraham given in Matthew 1 passes through Jeconiah, which brought a curse on that line - the Jewish kingly line. The line of descent from Adam passes through Abraham but not through Jeconiah, avoiding the curse. The physical line of Judaism had failed, in Jeconiah. The line of faith that brings us to Mary is the line that brings us the Savior Messiah. Hebrews 11 gives numerous examples to show that it is not physical lineage, but faith, that constitutes being children of God, the theology being presented in Galatians 3.