In Context is a weekly radio show broadcast each Monday evening and now brought to you as a podcast.
My name is Patrick, I’m one of life’s strugglers but I’ve come to find strength and hope in the person and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. He’s my teacher, and I’m learning to follow him throughout life’s journey.
I’ve been reading and Learning and studying and thinking about the Scriptures for more years than I can remember. And I've been greatly blessed with opportunities to teach others over the years, in all sorts of places and in all different kinds of circumstances.
This show has evolved over the months, and will likely continue to do so as I try to work out what works best – so I welcome all feedback from my listener! I've tried to see things in their historical and literary contexts, along with considering something of the missional matters to be drawn out of the text.
So come with me on a journey through the Scriptures, beginning with the writings of Luke.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In Context is a weekly radio show broadcast each Monday evening and now brought to you as a podcast.
My name is Patrick, I’m one of life’s strugglers but I’ve come to find strength and hope in the person and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. He’s my teacher, and I’m learning to follow him throughout life’s journey.
I’ve been reading and Learning and studying and thinking about the Scriptures for more years than I can remember. And I've been greatly blessed with opportunities to teach others over the years, in all sorts of places and in all different kinds of circumstances.
This show has evolved over the months, and will likely continue to do so as I try to work out what works best – so I welcome all feedback from my listener! I've tried to see things in their historical and literary contexts, along with considering something of the missional matters to be drawn out of the text.
So come with me on a journey through the Scriptures, beginning with the writings of Luke.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke 3:1–22. Having begun this account with a record of the announcement and birth of the prophet, John, it only makes sense that Luke should begin the main section of this book with a record of his work. But before he does this, he sets the main story within the context of world history.
I think it can be difficult for us to see John as anything other than the forerunner of the Messiah, as he was, but for the Jews of his day he was initially something altogether revolutionary – to many he was a breath of fresh air – or more like a whirlwind!
In general, the Jews were familiar with ceremonial washing, and so it would not have appeared to them to be particularly unusual for John to be dunking people in the water – except that here it is directly associated with ‘repentance’ and with the forgiveness of sins. It is a significant feature of the message of John in announcing the coming of the King.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.