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Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what must we do?"
Verse Takeaways
1
Despised Sinners Seek God
Commentators explain that "publicans" were Jewish tax collectors working for the Roman Empire. They were widely despised as traitors, extortioners, and ritually unclean outcasts, often grouped with "sinners." Their presence at John's baptism, asking what they must do, shows the powerful and inclusive reach of the call to repentance—no one was considered too sinful to seek a new path.
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Luke
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8
18th Century
Presbyterian
The publicans.
See Barnes on Matthew 5:47.
There is reason to think that the publicans or tax-gatherers we…
Also publicans (κα τελωνα). We have had the word already in Matthew (Matthew 5:46; Matthew 9:10; [Referenc…
19th Century
Anglican
Then came also publicans.—The other Gospels do not mention the presence of this class in their narratives of the Baptist’…
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Baptist
They were accustomed to gather the taxes unfairly, and to increase the rates by oppressing the people, getting, perhaps, twice or even ten times mo…
The “tax collectors” (v.12) were part of a despised system (cf. 5:27; 15:1). Of the three groups mentioned, they would have been considered most in…
16th Century
Protestant
And the publicans277also came. The publicans are not only exhorted, in general terms, to repent, but the duties peculi…
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17th Century
Reformed Baptist
Then came also publicans to be baptized Being convinced under John's ministry of the evils of their past life, and d…
The scope and design of John's ministry were to bring the people from their sins and to their Savior. He came preaching, not a sect or party, but a…
