Luke 3:12
Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's striking here is that the tax collectors, a group deeply despised and considered sinners by many Jews, address John as "Teacher" (or "Master"). This title shows a profound respect for his authority and teaching, suggesting their desire for genuine transformation goes beyond mere compliance. Their direct question, "What shall we do?", reveals a deep yearning for practical guidance on how to live differently, moving them to seek repentance and obedience from someone they clearly recognize as having divine insight.
John the Baptist is confronting crowds with a stark call to repentance, even harshly rebuking religious leaders who show up. When ordinary people and then tax collectors ask what they should do, John gives them practical instructions on how to live justly and generously as proof of their changed hearts.
Imagine being so despised that your very name became a synonym for sin. That was the reality for tax collectors in Jesus' day.
Tax collectors, or 'publicans,' were universally loathed by the Jewish people. Why? They worked for the Roman occupiers, collecting taxes that felt like oppression. To make matters worse, they often took more than was legally due, enriching themselves at the expense of their own people.
This meant that for a Jewish person to become a tax collector was seen as a profound betrayal of their identity and faith. It was a profession steeped in greed and extortion, making them outcasts.
When these despised individuals came to John’s baptism, it was a radical statement. Their presence highlighted the breadth of John’s message: repentance was for everyone, even those considered the worst of sinners.
When people truly grasp the weight of their actions, their first instinct isn't to defend themselves, but to ask: 'What now?'
The question posed by the tax collectors – 'Teacher, what shall we do?' – is the heart of genuine repentance. It’s not just about feeling sorry for past mistakes; it’s about a desire for active change.
John’s response to them, and to others like the soldiers and the crowds, was always practical. To the tax collectors, he said, 'Collect no more than you are told to collect.' This wasn't a vague spiritual platitude; it was a direct command to stop their sinful practices.
This reveals a crucial aspect of biblical repentance: it must manifest in our actions. It's a turning away from sin and a turning towards God, demonstrated by concrete changes in behavior that align with God's will.
Understand the original words
telōnai · Greek Noun
A public official, often a Jew, appointed by the Roman government or their agents to collect various taxes; they were frequently despised by their fellow Jews as collaborators with the Roman occupation and often known for extortion and corruption.
baptisthēnai · Greek Verb
The outward sign of repentance and identification with the message of a prophet or the gospel; it signifies a washing away of old ways and a commitment to a new life of righteousness.
didaskale · Greek Noun
A term of respect used for one who instructs; in the Gospels, it is frequently applied to Jesus, acknowledging his authority as a master or teacher of divine truth and law.
c. 27 BC
Roman Tax Farming Established
The Roman Empire establishes a system of tax farming, leasing tax collection rights to private individuals or companies (publicani). These collectors often hired local agents, who were frequently despised.
Early 1st century AD
Intensified Roman Taxation
Following Roman expansion and administrative needs, tax burdens on occupied territories, including Judea, often increased, leading to greater public resentment towards tax collectors.
c. AD 28-29
John the Baptist Begins Ministry
John the Baptist starts his public ministry in the wilderness of Judea, calling people to repentance and baptizing them.
c. AD 28-29— this verse
Tax Collectors Seek John's Baptism
Tax collectors, known for their dishonesty and unpopularity, come to John the Baptist, seeking baptism and asking how they should live in light of his message.
c. AD 29
John's Instructions to Tax Collectors
This passage shows John the Baptist's stern rebuke of the Pharisees and Sadducees, paralleling his direct address to the crowds and highlighting the seriousness of true repentance, not just outward show.
Acts 2:37The question from the crowd, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' echoes the tax collectors' question, showing a consistent response of seeking practical guidance when confronted with God's truth.
Luke 19:8This passage about Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, shows a dramatic transformation resulting from repentance, including restitution for ill-gotten gains, which is the expected fruit of their inquiry.
Matthew 21:32Jesus points to John's baptism as a righteous act, and notes that tax collectors and prostitutes believed him, illustrating that those often considered outcasts were receptive to repentance.
barnesLuke 3:12: "Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?"
The publicans - See the notes at Matthew 5:47 . There is reason to think that the "publicans" or "tax-gatherers" were especially oppressive and hard in their dealings with the people; and that, as they had every opportunity of exacting more than they ought, so they often did it, and thus enriched themselves. The evidence of repentance in them would be to break off their sins in this respect, and t…
cambridgeLuke 3:12: "Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?"
12 . the publicans ] Rather, tax-gatherers (without the article). The word is a corruption of the Latin publicani ‘farmers of the taxes.’ The Roman government did not collect its own taxes, but leased them out to speculators of the equestrian order, who were called publicani , and who made their own profit out of the transaction. These knights appointed subordinates, who from the unpleasant charac…
What's striking here is that the tax collectors, a group deeply despised and considered sinners by many Jews, address John as "Teacher" (or "Master"). This title shows a profound respect for his authority and teaching, suggesting their desire for genuine transformation goes beyond mere compliance. Their direct question, "What shall we do?", reveals a deep yearning for practical guidance on how to live differently, moving them to seek repentance and obedience from someone they clearly recognize as having divine insight.
John the Baptist is confronting crowds with a stark call to repentance, even harshly rebuking religious leaders who show up. When ordinary people and then tax collectors ask what they should do, John gives them practical instructions on how to live justly and generously as proof of their changed hearts.
John the Baptist is confronting crowds with a stark call to repentance, even harshly rebuking religious leaders who show up. When ordinary people and then tax collectors ask what they should do, John gives them practical instructions on how to live justly and generously as proof of their changed hearts.
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John instructs the tax collectors not to extort more than they are appointed to collect, highlighting a call to honest and ethical practice.
"Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”" — What's striking here is that the tax collectors, a group deeply despised and considered sinners by many Jews, address John as "Teacher" (or "Master"). This title shows a profound respect for his auth…
