He continues to harangue the gathering mass. And don t begin to think to yourselves that you can hide behind your heritage or that anything about you gives you any exemption and relief from the winnowing that is to come. Now he s offended the folk with position and noble ancestry. All sorts of people have come to hear John, and engage him in spite of his vociferous diatribe. There s the ubiquitous crowds, who will appear throughout Luke s gospel.
Tax collectors come to see the show and are drawn in.
Even soldiers, Gentile symbols of oppression, come to hear and watch him fulminate. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire he continues. It s here, after the accusations and tirades, that John changes tactics. He switches from pointing fingers in anger and gives them an answer. With that, John begins an elaboration of doing, rather than being.