What does Luke 3:3 mean?

John the Baptist was born under miraculous circumstances (Luke 1:13). There was no question that his role would be to herald the arrival of the Messiah (Luke 1:16–17). To prepare for that mission, John seems to have spent most of his life living remotely, in the desert (Luke 1:80). While the rest of the world went about business as usual, and men were put in positions of power (Luke 3:1–2), God's message was given to this obscure person living in an obscure place, eating odd food, and wearing odd clothes (Matthew 3:4).

John was very careful to clarify that he was not the Promised One (John 1:20). Luke will explain how John the Baptist was a prophesied herald, mentioned in Old Testament books such as Isaiah (Luke 3:4–6). The core of John's preaching message was repentance. His role was to prepare the people of Israel for Christ, by reminding them of their sin and the need to turn from it. Those who responded to his call for repentance declared it publicly through baptism. When the time came, John would point people to Jesus and then John's ministry would begin to subside (John 1:26–34; 3:28–30).