Advent Season · Third Sunday of Advent · Year C
Luke 3:7-18
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
December 12, 2027
Overview & Insights
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Nicodemus is introduced as a particular example of the “believers” mentioned in 2:23–25. As a “ member of the Jewish ruling council ” and “ Israel’s teacher ” (vv. 1, 10), he is perhaps not wholly typical of the group, though later indications are that leaders of the people were indeed conspicuous among these so-called believers (12:42). It is probably out of fear that Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night. Speaking perhaps for the larger group, he makes a confession that puts the narrator’s summary (2:23) into his own words: Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him (v. 2).
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Commentary
Commentary on Luke 3:7-18 Working Preacher
The Lutheran home commentary on repentance made concrete in daily work and honesty.
Luke 3:7-18 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching
A Reformed preaching commentary on John's blunt call to bear fruit worthy of repentance.
Luke 3 - The Preaching of John the Baptist Enduring Word · David Guzik
A verse-by-verse evangelical study of John's warnings and practical instructions.
Luke Commentaries and Sermons Precept Austin
An inductive study gateway with word studies and cross references across Luke, including chapter 3.
Luke 3:7 Commentaries BibleHub
Classic commentaries gathered verse by verse on the brood of vipers and the coming one.
Luke 3:7 Verse-by-Verse Commentary StudyLight
A large library of expositors stacked verse by verse for a further voice on the passage.
God's Joy Is Justice, Advent 3 (C) Sermons That Work · Episcopal Church
An Anglican homily reading John's ethical demands as the shape Advent joy takes in practice.
Background & Word Study
Book of Luke Overview BibleProject
An animated overview of Luke's structure and themes to set the Gospel in context.
Luke 3:7 Interlinear BibleHub
The Greek of the passage word by word with parsing and lexical helps.
Enter the Bible: Luke Enter the Bible
Luther Seminary's book introduction to Luke and its distinctive concerns.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
Why is this read on Holy Cross Day?
Jesus tells Nicodemus that “as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up” (John 3:14). The bronze serpent of Numbers 21 becomes a sign of the cross: all who look in faith to the crucified and risen Christ are healed and given eternal life. The reading holds John 3:16, the gospel in miniature.
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