Luke 3:19-20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Luke 3:15-20

We are now drawing near to the appearance of our Lord Jesus publicly; the Sun will not be long after the morning-star. We are here told, I. How the people took occasion, from the ministry and baptism of John, to think of the Messiah, and to think of him as at the door, as now come. Thus the way of the Lord was prepared, and people were prepared to bid Christ welcome; for, when men's expectations are raised, that which they are in expectation of becomes doubly acceptable. Now when they observed... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Luke 3:19-20

3:19-20 So then, urging the people with many other pleas, John preached the gospel to them. But, when Herod the tetrarch was rebuked by him concerning the matter of Herodias, his brother's wife, and concerning all the other wicked things he had done, he added this also to them all--he shut up John in prison. John was so plain and blunt a preacher of righteousness that he was bound to run into trouble. In the end Herod arrested him. Josephus says that the reason for the arrest was that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 3:19

But Herod the tetrarch being reproved by him ,.... By John, as the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions add: for Herodias his brother Philip's wife ; for taking her to wife, whilst his brother Philip was living. The account, which the Jewish chronologer F24 Ganz. Tzemach David, par, 1. fol. 25. 2. gives, of this Herod, and of this fact of his, and John's reproving him for it, and the consequence of it, perfectly agrees with this of the evangelist. "Herod Antipater, and there are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 3:20

Added yet this above all ,.... This sin to all other sins, and which was of a more flagitious nature; and attended with more aggravating circumstances, especially in the issue of it: that he shut up John in prison ; in the castle of Machaerus, by the instigation of Herodias; See Gill on Matthew 14:3 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 3:19

Herod the tetrarch - See this subject explained at large, Matthew 14:1 ; (note), etc., and Mark 6:21 , Mark 6:23 ; (note). read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 3:19

Verse 19 Luke 3:19.Now Herod the tetrarch. Luke alone explains the reason why Herod threw John into prison: though we shall afterwards find it mentioned by Matthew 14:3, and Mark 6:17. Josephus says, (Ant. 18, v. 2,) that Herod, dreading a popular insurrection and a change of the government, shut up John in the castle of Macherus, (because he dreaded the man’s influence;) (318) and that Herodias was married, not to Philip, who was Salome’s husband, but to another Herod. But as his recollection... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 3:1-20

The ministry of the Baptist. We left Jesus, when last we studied Luke's narrative, in Nazareth, subject to his parents and realizing a gracious development in subjection. We have now to pass over about eighteen years, of which we know only that during them he had become a carpenter, that we may contemplate the preparatory movement under John the Baptist. In these verses we find Luke entering upon the description with the hand of a true artist. He summarizes for us a whole life in fewer... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 3:1-22

THE BAPTISM OF JOHN . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 3:20

He shut up John in prison . It did not enter into St. Luke's plan to write any detailed account of the circumstances which led to the death of the Baptist. The story (related at length by St. Matthew) was, no doubt, well known in all the Gentile Churches. He simply mentions the act which consigned the dauntless preacher to the dungeons of Herod's palace-fortress, close to the Dead Sea; it was termed Macha, or Machaerus. In closing his little sketch of the work of his Master's great pioneer,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Luke 3:19-20

See the notes at Matthew 14:1-13. “Added this above all.” To all his former crimes he added this; not implying that this was the “worst” of his acts, but that this was “one” of his deeds, of like character as the others. The event here mentioned did not take place until some time after this, but it is mentioned here to show what was the end of John’s preaching, or to “fill out” the account concerning him. read more

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