Daily Bible Reading 17th April 2026 // Luke 3:19-38
19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
Luke gives the subject of Jesus' baptism only two verses, but this should not make us suppose that it is not significant in his interpretation and presentation of the gospel. Indeed, the opposite, as the long genealogy is designed to underline, for it (the genealogy) puts Jesus in His historical context 'as a real man with a family tree' (Caird), standing in the historic line of promise, not only going back to David (and therefore standing as the fulfilment of the Jewish Messianic hope) but also back to Adam (thus showing His kinship with humanity). It should be noted that Luke speaks of the baptism of Jesus in a participial phrase - as if the baptism of all the people were regarded as carrying with it the baptism of Jesus almost as a necessary complement. This has its own significance, indeed, for Jesus' baptism was that of a man with a public calling, as one identified with the people in their need. It was for this reason that He went to the Jordan and submitted Himself to John's baptism. John's baptism was a baptism of repentance; but Jesus had no sins of His own to repent of, no stain on His life that the symbolic waters of baptism needed to touch. The implication is clear and incontrovertible: it was a vicarious baptism that He underwent (i.e. a baptism for others). He did not go to the Jordan because He was a sinner, but because He wanted to number Himself with the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12), and thus fulfil the role prophesied for Him as the suffering servant of the Lord. He was therefore identifying Himself with men in their sin, standing in with them in their plight and need, and pledging Himself, as their Substitute and Representative, to procure their eternal salvation. Christ, we are told in Romans 8:3, was made 'in the likeness of sinful flesh'; and this shows how like it He became. It was the beginning of His mission 'to be made sin for us' (2 Corinthians 5:21).