“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod

being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias

tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son

of Zacharias in the wilderness.” (Luke 3:1-2)

We find six historical facts in the book of Luke that help us to identify when

John and Jesus began his ministry.

1. The 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. He was

designated Roman Emperor on September 18, 14. The Jews

counted the years of reigns from autumn. Therefore, the

first year of the reign of Tiberius began around autumn 14.

The 15th year began around autumn 27.

2. Governor of Judea: Pontius Pilate. Between 26 and 36 AD.

3. Tetrarch of Galilee: Herod. From 4 BC to 39 AD.

4. Tetrarch of Iturea: Philip. From 4 BC to 34 AD.

5. Tetrarch of Abilene: Lysanias. According to the inscription

on an Abilinian temple, he reigned from 14 to 29 AD.

6. High Priests: Annas and Caiaphas. Caiaphas was High Priest

from 18 until 36 AD. Annas had already been dismissed but

the people still considered him a High Priest.

“And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of

repentance for the remission of sins.” (Luke 3:3)

John’s baptism by immersion went

through two phases:

1. Going down into the water.

A public sign of

repentance.

2. Coming out of the water.

Being born again. An inner

change that is revealed by

doing justice

(Luke 3:10-14)

As they came out of the water, He urged them to “bear fruits worthy of

repentance.” He said that a greater baptism was about to come: “but

One mightier than I is coming… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit

and fire.”

“And He said to them, ‘Why did you seek

Me? Did you not know that I must be about

My Father’s business?’” (Luke 2:49)

“For the first time the child Jesus looked upon the

temple… He beheld the bleeding victim upon the altar

of sacrifice… Day by day He saw their meaning more

clearly… The mystery of His mission was opening to the

Saviour.” E.G.W. (The Desire of Ages, cp. 8, pg. 57)

About 20 years later, Jesus

went to the Jordan river to

be baptized by John. Jesus

was sinless, but He wanted

to be an example for us.

There were three solemn

declarations in that

moment:

He was the “Lamb of

God”, Saviour of the world

(John 1:29).

He was the Christ,

anointed by the Holy

Spirit (Luke 3:22).

He was the Son of God

in whom the Father had

delight (Luke 3:22).

“And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him,

and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son;

in You I am well pleased.’” (Luke 3:22)

“Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the

Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate

nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.” (Luke 4:1-2)

The Father just told Jesus: “You are

My beloved Son.” (Lk. 3:22). The devil

introduced doubt: “If You are the Son

of God…” (Lk. 4:3). Nevertheless,

Jesus didn’t doubt but held on to the

Word of His Father.

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize

with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we

are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

God told Adam and Eve: “for in the day that you

eat of it you shall surely die.” (Gn. 2:17). The

devil told them: “You will not surely die.” (Gn.

3:4). They doubted God and believed the devil.

“Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of

the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, ‘All this authority I will

give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to

whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.’” (Luke

4:5-7)

Jesus used the Word to repel

temptation again. We shouldn’t

trust our own strength or

wisdom to overcome

temptation. We must trust the

everlasting Word of God like

Jesus did.

Let’s follow Jesus’ example. God

must be the center and the

everything of our worship.

Satan wanted to be worshipped as god since the beginning of his rebellion (Isaiah

14:13-14). He was willing to renounce his “sovereignty” over this world if his Lord

surrendered to him.

But Jesus was not fooled by his apparent generosity. Jesus was loyal to God only.

He is the only One who must be worshipped.

“Now when the devil had ended every temptation,

he departed from Him until an opportune time.”(Luke 4:13)

In the last temptation in Luke 4, Jesus

visits the temple of Jerusalem for the

second time in His life.

Jesus is then tempted by the devil again.

This time, the devil used the Word of

God. He asked Jesus to prove He was

actually the Son of God (Luke 4:9-12).

If Jesus had done so, He would have

accepted He doubted His own divinity

and mission. But Jesus had no

misgivings at all. He trusted His Father,

and He felt no need to prove He was the

Son of God in that moment.

Jesus overcame “every temptation.”

Let’s review four

main teachings from

the temptations:

1. Nobody is free from temptation.

2. When God allows the devil to tempt us, He also gives

us grace and power to overcome temptation.

3. No two temptations are alike.

4. We won’t be tempted beyond our abilities.

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man;

but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what

you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of

escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

“Every one of us will be sorely tempted; our faith

will be tried to the uttermost. We must have a

living connection with God; we must be partakers

of the divine nature; then we shall not be deceived

by the devices of the enemy, and shall escape the

corruption that is in the world through lust.

We need to be anchored in Christ, rooted and

grounded in the faith.” E.G.W. (Selected Messages, book 2, cp. 5, pg. 50)