What does Luke 3:15 mean?
Many came from around the region of Judea to hear John the Baptist preach (Matthew 3:5–6). His message was a call for repentance. He proclaimed the need to turn from sin and live consistently with that repentance (Luke 3:3, 8–9). To those who asked, John gave practical examples of how to "bear fruit in keeping with repentance." Those were aligned with temptations common to various groups in his era (Luke 3:10–14).John's powerful message and unusual lifestyle (Luke 1:80; Matthew 3:4) certainly made an impression. This led to speculation that he was "the Christ." The word Christos in Greek presents the same idea as the Hebrew term Mashiyach, from which we get the English term Messiah. The people wonder if John is the One promised by Old Testament prophets (Isaiah 9:6–7).
The New Testament records several instances where John refuses to take on this title (Luke 3:16–17; John 1:19–20). John is not the Savior; he is a herald of the Savior (Isaiah 40:3–5; Malachi 3:1; 4:5–6). His purpose is to point others toward Jesus (John 3:28–30).
