10 And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” 11 He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13 He answered them, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And what is it that we should do?” He told them, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.”

The basic question is asked three times: what should we do? The questions come from the crowd, tax collectors and soldiers – and later in Luke’s writings by a lawyer (10:25), a ruler (18:18), a Jerusalem audience in Acts 2:37, a jailer (Acts 16:30), and a zealous Jew, Saul (Acts 22:10). The fundamental response will be “What behavior is appropriate to those who claim to have repented?”

In general, to the crowds, the response is to share with those who lack the basic necessities of life – something that is expected of all righteous people. This is not something new, but is the consistent message of Scripture. Green [178] notes that “Isaiah had insisted that participation in ritual acts like the sacrificial cult or fasting would be worthless apart from seeking justice, sharing bread with the hungry, covering the naked, and the like (Isa 1:10–20; 58:6–7). Ezekiel remarks that the characteristic behavior of the righteous includes giving bread to the hungry and clothing the naked (18:5–9), and Tobit refers to these same behaviors as the loving acts of the pious (1:16–17; 4:16).”

The spotlight then turns to the tax collectors: “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” The general opinion about tax collectors is that they were dishonest persons who exploit the system of taxation for their own financial gain and at the expense of their fellow Jews. The system of taxation was rife with abuses of this sort. There were two forms of taxes: direct taxes (the land tax and head tax) were collected by Jewish councils. Collection of indirect taxes (tolls, customs, duties) was handled by private entrepreneurs who bid for this task. The highest bidder won the contract to collect tolls, advanced to the state the amount bid, then set up a machinery for recouping his investment and subsequent costs, and making a profit. This gives a special insight to Luke’s comment: “Even Roman toll collectors came.” Even the most despised element of Jewish society was present. John’s reply stops well short of demanding that they find new work. Instead, he challenges them to work out the substance of repentance within the day-to-day activities of their duties as toll collectors.

As with the crowds, John’s answer is stated directly and concretely. The penitent is committed to fairness to neighbors, sensitivity and responsiveness to others’ needs, and willingness to accept a “no-frills” standard of living (cf. 1 Tim 6:8). The tax collector is to perform his job faithfully and compassionately. How we treat others is a litmus test for how we are responding to God. As Jesus says later, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36).

Alongside toll collectors, soldiers are included among those present. Assuming that “the region around the Jordan” refers to Perea, these soldiers could have been Jews in the military service of Herod. Then again, they could be Gentiles. As with the tax collectors, the question provoked by John’s preaching concerns the nature of one’s response: What would it mean to bear fruits worthy of repentance? The soldier is not to take advantage of his authority; he is not to oppress the citizens with threats or violence. In ancient times a soldier was paid only enough to maintain a basic standard of living. Service to an institution does not mean one has the right to rob or take advantage of others’ powerlessness. John’s reply borrows language appropriate to those involved in military occupations and calls for the cessation of characteristic behaviors by which soldiers manipulate the local populace to their own advantage.

Image credit: John the Baptist Preaching | Pietre Lastman | 1219 | Chicago Museum of Art | PD-US