A brief historical background overview for Jesus' baptism (Luke 3:21-22)
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The setting of the baptism of Jesus bears the deep imprint of Israel's post-exilic political, cultural and social history, as well as the religious influences of sects within first-century AD Judaism. According to his genre conventions, Luke self-consciously places John's ministry and Jesus' baptism in the settings of leaders of his day (Luke 3.1-2)-but this connotes not merely date, but also the background and situation. Luke expects his first-century readers to understand the larger implications of this placement. This paper briefly explores the broader background, immediate circumstances, and desperation which combined to highlight John as a Messianic herald. For a desperate people, to "repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near" is the best news imaginable.
DOI: 10.17613/0ynx3-a9133
Author: Ruch, Kirk M.
Institution: Regent College
Language: English
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7092679938
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