3:1

the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius: Caesar Augustus died on August 17, 14 C.E. (Gregorian calendar). On September 15, Tiberius allowed the Roman Senate to proclaim him emperor. If the years were counted from the death of Augustus, the 15th year of Tiberius’ reign ran from August 28 C.E. to August 29 C.E. If counted from when he was formally proclaimed emperor, the 15th year ran from September 28 C.E. to September 29 C.E. John evidently began his ministry in the spring (in the northern hemisphere) of 29 C.E., which is within the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius. In Tiberius’ 15th year, John would have been about 30 years old, which was the age when the Levite priests began their service at the temple. (Nu 4:2, 3) Similarly, when Jesus was baptized by John and “began his work,” according to Lu 3:21-23, “he was about 30 years old.” Jesus’ death took place in the spring month of Nisan, so his three-and-a-half-year ministry evidently began in the fall, about the month of Ethanim (September/October). John was likely six months older than Jesus and evidently began his ministry six months before Jesus did. (Lu, chap. 1) Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that John began his ministry in the spring of 29 C.E.​—See study notes on Lu 3:23; Joh 2:13.

Herod: That is, Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great.​—See Glossary.

was district ruler: Lit., “was tetrarch,” that is, a minor district ruler or territorial prince ruling only with the approval of the Roman authorities.​—See study notes on Mt 14:1; Mr 6:14.

Philip his brother: That is, a half brother of Herod Antipas. Philip was a son of Herod the Great by his wife Cleopatra of Jerusalem. He is sometimes referred to as Philip the tetrarch to distinguish him from his half brother also named Philip (sometimes called Herod Philip), mentioned at Mt 14:3 and Mr 6:17.​—See also study note on Mt 16:13.

Ituraea: A small territory of varying and undefined boundaries located NE of the Sea of Galilee, evidently in the vicinity of the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges.​—See App. B10.

Trachonitis: The name comes from a Greek root meaning “rough,” probably a reference to the roughness of the terrain in that area. Trachonitis was part of the territory previously known as Bashan (De 3:3-14) located E of Ituraea, and it measured only about 900 sq km (350 sq mi) in area. The northern limits of this territory reached to some 40 km (25 mi) SE of Damascus.

Lysanias: According to Luke’s account, Lysanias “was district ruler [lit., “was tetrarch”]” of the Roman district of Abilene at the time when John the Baptist began his ministry. An inscription found at Abila, the capital of Abilene, near Damascus of Syria (see App. B10), confirms that a tetrarch named Lysanias ruled at the same time as the Roman Emperor Tiberius. This finding refuted the claim made by some critics who had insisted that Luke confused this Lysanias with a king named Lysanias, who ruled in nearby Chalcis and was put to death about 34 B.C.E., decades earlier than the time Luke mentions.

Abilene: A Roman district, or tetrarchy, named after its capital Abila and located in the region of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains N of Mount Hermon.​—See Glossary, “Lebanon Mountain range.”