Luke Chapter 2 (2 of 24)
Series: Luke
Harley Howard
Luke 2:1-52
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
The word world refers to the whole land; more specifically, the land of Palestine, not the planet. In the days of Caius Caesar Octavianus Augustus, (who was proclaimed emperor of Rome in the 29th year before our Lord, and died A.D. 14), the entire land of Palestine was under a census. This was not a tributary taxation as we know it today but a census of the people, even though the tribute followed the census. It meant to “enroll,” or take a “list” of the citizens, with their employments, the amount of their property, etc., equivalent to what was meant by census. Judea was at that time tributary to Rome. It paid taxes to the Roman emperor; and, though Herod was “king,” yet he held his appointment under the Roman emperor, and was subject in most matters to him.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
Cyrenius was not the governor of Syria at the time of the birth of Christ, but Quintilius Varus. Cyrenius was governor 10-12 years after Jesus’ birth. So then, how do we attempt to solve this issue? There are 2 ways to look at this verse.
First, Dr. Lardner stated in his work that “the passage, thus translated, does not say that this assessment was made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria, which would not have been the truth, but that this was the first assessment which Cyrenius, who was (i.e. afterwards) governor of Syria, made; for after he became governor, he made a second.”
Second, the second way of solving this difficulty is by translating the words thus: This enrolment was made before (first) Cyrenius was governor of Syria; or, before that of Cyrenius. This seems to me to be the clearest position.
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the ...
Series: Luke
Harley Howard
Luke 2:1-52
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
The word world refers to the whole land; more specifically, the land of Palestine, not the planet. In the days of Caius Caesar Octavianus Augustus, (who was proclaimed emperor of Rome in the 29th year before our Lord, and died A.D. 14), the entire land of Palestine was under a census. This was not a tributary taxation as we know it today but a census of the people, even though the tribute followed the census. It meant to “enroll,” or take a “list” of the citizens, with their employments, the amount of their property, etc., equivalent to what was meant by census. Judea was at that time tributary to Rome. It paid taxes to the Roman emperor; and, though Herod was “king,” yet he held his appointment under the Roman emperor, and was subject in most matters to him.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
Cyrenius was not the governor of Syria at the time of the birth of Christ, but Quintilius Varus. Cyrenius was governor 10-12 years after Jesus’ birth. So then, how do we attempt to solve this issue? There are 2 ways to look at this verse.
First, Dr. Lardner stated in his work that “the passage, thus translated, does not say that this assessment was made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria, which would not have been the truth, but that this was the first assessment which Cyrenius, who was (i.e. afterwards) governor of Syria, made; for after he became governor, he made a second.”
Second, the second way of solving this difficulty is by translating the words thus: This enrolment was made before (first) Cyrenius was governor of Syria; or, before that of Cyrenius. This seems to me to be the clearest position.
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the ...
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