SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:12
Y vinieron tambin publicanos para ser bautizados, y le dijeron: Maestro, ¿qu haremos?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 3:12
Verse 12. Then came also publicans] He next instructs the tax-gatherers in the proper discharge of their duty: though it was an office detested by the Jews at large, yet the Baptist does not condemn it. It is only the abuse of it that he speaks against. If taxes be necessary for the support of a state, there must be collectors of them; and the collector, if he properly discharge his duty, is not only a useful, but also a respectable officer. But it seems the Jewish tax- gatherers exacted much more from the people than government authorized them to do, ver. 13, and the surplus they pocketed. See the conduct of many of our surveyors and assessors. They are oppressors of the people, and enrich themselves by unjust surcharges. This, I am inclined to think, is too common an evil; and the executive government is often the people's scape-goat, to bear the crimes of its officers, crimes in which it has no concern. For an account of the publicans, see the note on Matt. v. 46.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. Then came also publicans to be baptized , etc.] Being convinced under John's ministry of the evils of their past life, and desirous of being admitted to baptism, to which they understood repentance, and fruits meet for the same, were pre-requisite: these came nearer to John, and said unto him, master, what shall we do ? we have been very wicked persons, what shall we do to escape divine vengeance? or what are the particular duties we are to perform? or the fruits meet for repentance, we are to bring forth; that so we may be admitted to the ordinance of baptism, which requires, as previous to it, a true and hearty repentance? of these men, (See Gill on Matthew 5:46) (See Gill on Matthew 9:9-11) Ver. 13. And he said unto them , etc.] Not by advising them to quit their employments, as if it was a thing unlawful to impose pay, and collect taxes, but by directing them to perform their office aright: exact no more than that which is appointed you ; by the government: there were two sorts of publicans; there were some that exacted more than what they were ordered, and settled the tax at their own pleasure, and collected what they would themselves; and these were very odious to the people, and were reckoned with the worst of sinners, as thieves and robbers; but there were others, who behaved according to the orders of the government, and these were submitted to, as appears from the Jewish canons: says Samuel, the judgment a kingdom, is judgment (i.e. the orders of a government ought to be regarded); R. Chanina bar Cahana says, that Samuel says it of a publican, hbxyq wl ya who has nothing appointed for him: the house of R. Jannai say, of a publican that stands of himself.
The gloss is, the judgment of a kingdom is judgment; this is he that receives from a king, a tax (to gather) in a thing, bwxq , that is fixed, so and so for the year, and he is no robber: who has nothing appointed for him, but takes according to his whole will and pleasure.
Maimonides expresses this in plainer language f187 in what things is it said that a publican is as thieves? when a Gentile publican, or a Gentile that stands of himself, or a publican that stands for the king, and hath nothing fixed for him, but he takes what he pleases, and leaves what he pleases: but a publican with whom the king agrees, and orders that he should take a third or a fourth, or, bwxq rbd any thing that is appointed; and he constitutes an Israelitish publican to collect that part for the king, and it is known that the man is faithful, and does not add any thing to what the king has decreed; he is not in the class of robbers, for the judgment of a king is judgment. And so a king that lays a tax upon citizens, or upon every man and man, a thing fixed; or decrees, that whoever transgresses this thing, they shall take all his goods into the king's house; or that whatever shall be found in the field in the time of the barn (i.e. when it should be there) should pay tribute for it, whether he is the owner of the field or not: and so with respect to any thing else of this kind, it is not a robbery; and an Israelite that collects them for the king, is not in the number of robbers; for lo! he is right, and he does not add nor alter, nor take any thing to himself.
Now such publicans as these, were received and submitted to, but others were rejected; so Moses Kotsensis says f188 , that publicans that take, hl bwxqh rbdm rtwy more than what is appointed for them, are rejected.
From all which we may learn what publicans these were that came to John's baptism, and put the above question to him; that they were Jewish publicans, and not Gentiles; and therefore John says nothing to them, but what concerned their employment, which he doubtless would have done, if they had been ignorant Gentiles: and also we see the reason of his expressing himself in this manner, since publicans were very apt to go beyond their orders, and require more than was fixed for them to collect; and likewise that John, in this advice, spoke the sense of the Jews themselves; who did not refuse to pay tribute, excepting some few, provided no more was exacted, than the government appointed; and as temptations to such evils were very great, and it lay in the power of these men to impose on the people, and extort from them, to abstain from such practices was an argument of the fear of God, of the truth of grace, and of the sincerity of repentance.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-14 - The scope and design of John's ministry were, to bring the people from their sins, and to their Saviour. He came preaching, not a sect, or party, but a profession; the sign or ceremony was washing with water By the words here used John preached the necessity of repentance, i order to the remission of sins, and that the baptism of water was a outward sign of that inward cleansing and renewal of heart, whic attend, or are the effects of true repentance, as well as a professio of it. Here is the fulfilling of the Scriptures, Isa 40:3, in the ministry of John. When way is made for the gospel into the heart, by taking down high thoughts, and bringing them into obedience to Christ by levelling the soul, and removing all that hinders us in the way of Christ and his grace, then preparation is made to welcome the salvatio of God. Here are general warnings and exhortations which John gave. The guilty, corrupted race of mankind is become a generation of vipers hateful to God, and hating one another. There is no way of fleeing from the wrath to come, but by repentance; and by the change of our way the change of our mind must be shown. If we are not really holy, both i heart and life, our profession of religion and relation to God and his church, will stand us in no stead at all; the sorer will ou destruction be, if we do not bring forth fruits meet for repentance John the Baptist gave instructions to several sorts of persons. Thos that profess and promise repentance, must show it by reformation according to their places and conditions. The gospel requires mercy not sacrifice; and its design is, to engage us to do all the good we can, and to be just to all men. And the same principle which leads me to forego unjust gain, leads to restore that which is gained by wrong John tells the soldiers their duty. Men should be cautioned against the temptations of their employments. These answers declared the presen duty of the inquirers, and at once formed a test of their sincerity. A none can or will accept Christ's salvation without true repentance, s the evidence and effects of this repentance are here marked out.
Greek Textus Receptus
ηλθον 2064 5627 V-2AAI-3P δε 1161 CONJ και 2532 CONJ τελωναι 5057 N-NPM βαπτισθηναι 907 5683 V-APN και 2532 CONJ ειπον 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3P προς 4314 PREP αυτον 846 P-ASM διδασκαλε 1320 N-VSM τι 5101 I-ASN ποιησομεν 4160 5692 V-FAI-1P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
12. Publicans (telwnai). From telov, a tax, and wjneomai, to buy. The collectors of Roman imposts. The Romans farmed out the direct taxes and customs duties to capitalists, on their payment of a certain sum in publicum, into the public treasury, whence they were called publicani, publicans. Sometimes this sum, being greater than any one person could pay, was paid by a company. Under these were the submagistri, living in the provinces; and under these again the portitores, or actual custom house officers, who are referred to by the term telwnai in the New Testament. They were often chosen from the dregs of the people, and wee so notorious for their extortions that they were habitually included in the same category with harlots and sinners. "If a Jew could scarcely persuade himself that it was right to pay taxes, how much more heinous a crime must it have been in his eyes to become the questionably honest instrument for collecting them. If a publican was hated, how still more intense must have been the disgust entertained against a publican who was also a Jew" (Farrar, "Life of Christ"). The word "publican," as a popular term of reproach, was used even by our Lord (Matt. xviii. 17). Even the Gentiles despised them. Farrar cites a Greek saying, "All publicans are robbers."
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:12 {Also publicans} (kai telwnai). We have had the word already in Matthew (#Mt 5:46; 9:10; 11:19; 18:17; 21:31f.) and Mark (#Mr 11:15f.). It is sometimes coupled with harlots and other sinners, the outcasts of society. The word is made up from telos, tax, and wneomai, to buy, and is an old one. The renter or collector of taxes was not popular anywhere, but least of all when a Jew collected taxes for the Romans and did it by terrible graft and extortions. {Extort} (prassete). The verb means only to do or practice, but early the tax-collectors learned how to "do" the public as regular "blood-suckers." Lucian links them with crows and sycophants.
