Luke 3:9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Luke 3:1-14

John's baptism introducing a new dispensation, it was requisite that we should have a particular account of it. Glorious things were said of John, what a distinguished favourite of Heaven he should be, and what a great blessing to this earth (Luke 1:15, 17); but we lost him in the deserts, and there he remains until the day of his showing unto Israel, Luke 1:80. And now at last that day dawns, and a welcome day it was to them that waited for it more than they that waited for the morning.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Luke 3:7-18

3:7-18 To the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, John used to say, "You spawn of vipers, who put it into your heads to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruits to match repentance. Do not begin to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." The crowds asked him,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 3:9

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees ,.... Not only to Jesse's family, which as a root in a dry ground, and to Jerusalem, the metropolis of the nation; but to the root of the vain boasting of every Jew; their descent from Abraham, the covenant made with him, their ecclesiastical state and civil polity, all which would quickly be at an end: the Romans were now among them, the axe in God's hand; by means of whom, utter ruin and destruction would be brought upon their nation,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 3:7-9

On this account of the Baptist's mode of preaching, see the notes on Matthew 3:7-11 ; (note). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 3:1-18

The forerunner, and his ministry. Some thirty years have passed since the birth of a son of the old age had filled the house of the good priest Eacharias with the voice of rejoicing. The blameless priest and his blameless wife are dead. The son who, when an unconscious babe, was called "the prophet of the Highest," has lived the life of a recluse, receiving his inspirations wholly from the study of the Law of the Lord, from lonely communings with God and truth in the great temple of... 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 3:8-14

The futile in religion, etc. In these verses we have brought into view four aspects of religious truth. I. THE FUTILE . The Pharisee, if he were charged with any evil course, consoled himself with the thought that he was a "son of Abraham;" to his mind it was everything with God that he was lineally descended from the father of the faithful, and had been admitted by the rite of circumcision into the "commonwealth of Israel." John, anticipating the doctrine of Jesus Christ,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 3:9

And now also the axe 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 . This intensifies the statement respecting the power of God to raise up, out of the very river shingle at their feet, children who should inherit the glorious promises made to Abraham. Nay, more, the Divine Woodman had already laid the axe at the root of the tree of Israel; its hours, as the peculiar people, were indeed numbered. Let these ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Luke 3:3-9

On the baptism of John - see the notes at Matthew 3:0. read more

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