Luke 3

Luke 3:1

BEing Governour] as a Proctor or overr of the Emperours businesses.〈◊〉 there were some provinces reserved for Caesar: distinct from them which belonged to the people of Rome, whose Governours were chosen by the people.Herod] Sonne to Herod the great, from whose other sonne called Archelaus the Romans tooke away Iudea, reducing it into a province Tetrarch] See upon Matthew 14:1 Iturea] these provinces, were Countries of the ancient Palestine, which lay beyond Iordan, bordering upon Siria Abilene] this was also a small Country beyond Iordan.

Luke 3:2

Annas] according to the Law there could be but one high Priest, namely the first of Aarons lineage: But this order was perverted in those dayes by the Iewes practises, and the Romans tyrannie: who had deposed Annas & see Caiphas who was his Son in Law in his place, though peradventure they had let Annas the title for honours sake, Acts 4:6. or peradventure he was his great deputie, Numb. 3. 32. 2 King. 25. 18 The word] that is to say he had an especiall command and revelation, for to begin to exercise his office. See Luke 1:80 In the wildernesse] see upon Matthew 3:1.

Luke 3:6

The salvation] namely Iesus Christ, in whom consisteth the salvation of the world, shall be manifested not onely to the Iewes, as hee was formerly but to all Natiens indifferently.

Luke 3:10

Shall we doe] to bring forth such fruits as thou requirest of us, ver. 8. and to flee from the wrath to come.

Luke 3:11

Let him impart] shewing his pietie by acts of pure charity towards his neighbours.

Luke 3:14

Falsly] vexing him by cunning or malice, and accusing him for false crimes,&c.

Luke 3:15

Were in expectation] concerning the comming and the manifestation of the Messias, that firme beliese being rooted in the mindes of them who lived in those dayes, that the time of it was come: as well in regard of the prophecies, and the accomplishment of times, as by reason of some secret inspiration of God.

Luke 3:23

About] the meaning seemes to be, that he was newly entred into his one and thirtieth yeare Thirtie] at which age the Priests began to enter into service. Num. 4. 3. 35, 39, 43, 47. which it seems our Lord did imitate, who was the great spirituall Priest The Sonne of Heli] the great difference that is betweene the two Genealogies of our Lord in Saint Matthew and in Saint Luke, as well in the names as in the number of the heads sheweth plainely that they are two severallones. In that of Saint Matthew, Ioseph is mentioned in his owne proper name as issued by naturall generation from those who are there set downe. In that of Saint Luke, he represents other persons, and especially that of the Virgin Mary, whose true pedigree is set downe by St. Luke. For in the Iewish genealogies, women made no heads, but if they were not heires, the brothers only were named in them: and if they were as the holy Virgin was, they passed under their Husbands names; who ought to bee of the same Nation.

And thereupon wee must note, that the Ancients by originall tradition have written tha Davids line by Salomon failing in Ieconiah the branch of Zorobabel issued of David by Nathan, Matthew 1:12. succeeded in the governement of the people. And that out of Zorobabell of Abiud set down by S.

Matthew, and of Rhesa set downe by Saint Luke. And that is happened that Matthan the Grandfather of Ioseph, issued of Abiud, Matth, 1. 15. married a woman called Estha, and of her had Iacob: and that after the death of Matthan, Melchi descended of the branch of Rhesa, married this woman, and had by her this Heli who is named by Saint Luke. So that Iacob, and Heli, were brothers by the mother. And so Heli being married and dying without issue Iacob married the widdow according to the Law, Deuteronomy 25:5. and by her had Ioseph. So that in Saint Matthew Ioseph is the proper sonne of Iacob: But〈◊〉 Saint Luke he is reputed the surrogate sonne of Heli, in whose name hee was ingendred according to the Law. Then that all the branch of Rhesa being reduced only into the person of the blessed Virgin, Ioseph as being her neerest kinsman was betrothed 〈◊〉 to her according to the Law, Numbers 36:8.

So that Ioseph is inserted into the line of Rhesa by two titles as engendred to raise issue to Heli, brother by the mothers side to Iacob, and as Husband to M, heire to all that line. Whereupon the ancients doe say two notable things.

The first that this Hill was the Sonne of Melchi immediately, without coting Matthat or Levi, which Saint Luke puts in betweene Heli and Melchi. The second that there are but seventy two generations in our Saviours gelogie set downe by Saint Luke, and yet adding thereunto the foresaid Matthat, and Levi there would 〈◊〉 seventy foure. Whereupon may be inferred that〈…〉hat was the father of the Virgin Mary, and that 〈◊〉 was the Sonne of Levi, who was the brother of Hell, both issued from Melchi. So that these 〈◊〉 heads Matthat and Levi, were in the Register 〈…〉terally joyned to Hel, with whom in respect of Ioseph they were reputed but as one generation. Onely to shew that as Ioseph was come into this genealogi by surrogation in the name of Heli, so he had goen also a second right by pousing Mary who was the heire. And though Ioseph had no part in the generation of our Lord Iesus, yet the Evangelists 〈◊〉 beene pleased to set downe these genealogies as they found them in the Iewish records in which questionlesse Iesus was set downe 〈◊〉 the sonne of Ioseph and Mary, according to the common opinion, corrected by the relation of the hidden truth concerning his miraculous birth.

Luke 3:36

Of Aphaxd] in your common Tex Cinan is set down betweene Sala and Aphaxd but that being contrary to Moses his History, and being rejected by the best antiquity, as a Srivenes error, caused by some Copies of the Greekish translation, this Cainan hath bin here e out.

Luke 3:38

Of God] that is to say created by him.