Exact No More than Appointed - Luke 3:13

Luke the physician wrote how John said, “to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answered and said unto them, He that has two coats, let him impart to him that has none; and he that has meat, let him do likewise. Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?”, and in chapter three and verse thirteen of his book Luke shared how John told the publicans, “exact no more than that which is appointed you” where we read:

And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

The verse reads, “And he said unto them, ...” Luke began with the words, “and he said” or “and John uttered, declared and proclaimed” “unto them” which means “to the publicans”. Luke shared how John began to respond to the “publicans'” question concerning what they should do.

The verse continues, “... Exact no more than that which is appointed you.” Luke added the words, “Exact no more” which means “perpetrate and require no additional taxes” “than that which is appointed you” or “than the amount that is arranged, appointed, ordained and prescribed to the publicans”. Luke shared how John instructed the “tax collectors” not to require any additional monies from people other than the amount allotted for them.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn the “instruction” given by John to the “tax collectors” who desired to know what they should do. Tax collectors or “publicans” were used to collecting more than the amounts required by the Roman government because they could keep the extra funds extracted. This directive by John would be directly against their normal way of operating, and it would cost the “publicans” additional revenue if they complied. Jesus desires people to have a personal relationship with Him, and He said, “count the cost” for yielding to Him. Those who submit their lives to Jesus will “do” things differently, and as they align with God's way, they will pay a price for complying with Him and inherit His everlasting blessings for doing so.

Next time Luke shares how, “the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, and what shall we do?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".