“And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.”
My Notes
What Does Luke 3:14 Mean?
"The soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do?" Soldiers — Roman military personnel or Herod's troops — ask John the Baptist for practical instruction. John's answer is specific and economic: don't extort people through violence or false accusation, and be satisfied with your pay. Three commands for soldiers: no violence for profit, no framing the innocent, no greed.
John doesn't tell the soldiers to quit the military. He tells them to do their jobs ethically. The prophetic demand isn't withdrawal from worldly systems — it's righteous behavior within them. You can be a soldier and be just. But justice requires restraining the power your position gives you.
The three prohibitions address the most common abuses of military authority: using force to extract money (extortion), fabricating charges to harm the innocent (false accusation), and being dissatisfied with legitimate compensation (discontent leading to corruption). Each prohibition targets a specific temptation of armed authority.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What are the specific ethical temptations of your profession or position?
- 2.Why doesn't John tell the soldiers to quit — and what does that teach about working within systems?
- 3.Which of the three prohibitions (extortion, false accusation, wage-discontent) is most relevant to your situation?
- 4.How do you use power ethically rather than abusively in your daily work?
Devotional
What should soldiers do? John doesn't say "quit." He says: stop using your power to extort people. Stop framing innocent people. And be satisfied with your wages.
John's answer to the soldiers is remarkably practical. He doesn't give them a theological lecture. He gives them workplace ethics: three specific behaviors to stop. The application is immediate, actionable, and connected to exactly how soldiers misused their position.
The absence of a command to leave the military is significant. John doesn't demand withdrawal from the system. He demands righteousness within it. You can carry a sword and be just. You can wear a uniform and be ethical. The prophet's demand isn't that you abandon your role — it's that you stop abusing it.
Each prohibition targets a specific power-abuse: violence for profit (using your sword to make people pay you), false accusation (using your authority to frame the innocent), and wage-discontent (being so dissatisfied with legitimate pay that you supplement it through corruption). These three cover most of what makes corrupt authority dangerous.
What are the specific ethical demands of your profession? Not general morality — the specific temptations that come with your particular power? John doesn't give soldiers generic advice. He gives soldier-specific instruction. Your profession has its own version of extortion, false accusation, and discontent. What are they?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him,.... Or "asked him": why our translators have rendered it, "demanded of him",…
The soldiers likewise - It seems that “they,” also came to his baptism. Whether these were Jews or Romans cannot be…
The soldiers likewise demanded of him - He, thirdly, instructs those among the military. They were either Roman…
John's baptism introducing a new dispensation, it was requisite that we should have a particular account of it. Glorious…
the soldiers Rather, soldiers on the march. On what expedition these soldiers were engaged it is impossible to say. They…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture