Subject: A possible translation error? (Lk 2:2) |
Bible Note: ________________________ from Smith's dictionary Cyrenius Cyre'nius. ***warrior***. The Greek form of the Roman name of Quirinus. The full name is Publius Sulpicius Quirinus. He was consul, B.C. 12, and was made governor of Syria, after the banishment of Archelaus, in A.D. 6. He probably was twice governor of Syria; his first governorship extended from B.C. 4 ***the year of Christ's birth*** to B.C. 1. It was during this time that he was sent to make the enrollment which caused Joseph and Mary to visit Bethlehem. Luk_2:2. The second enrollment is mentioned in Act_5:37. __________________________ from Gill's commenatry Luk 2:2 - And this taxing was first made,.... Or "this was the first enrolment, or taxing" in the Jewish nation; for there was another afterwards, when Judas the Galilean arose, and drew many after him, Act_5:38. When Cyrenius was governor of Syria; or "of Cyrenius" "governor of Syria"; that is, it was the first that he was, concerned in; who not now, but afterwards was governor of Syria; and because he had been so before Luke wrote this history, and this being a title of honour, and what might distinguish him from others of that name, it is given him; for as Tertullian says ***c***, Sentius Saturninus was now governor of Syria, when Cyrenius was sent into Judea, to make this register, or taxing; and which is manifestly distinguished from that, which was made during his being governor of Syria, when Archelaus was banished from Judea, ten or eleven years after Herod's death; which Josephus ***d*** gives an account of, and Luke refers to, in Act_5:37. Moreover, the words will bear to be rendered thus, "and this tax, or enrolment, was made before Cyrenius was governor of Syria"; ðñùôç, being used for ðñïôåñá, as in Joh_1:15. This Cyrenius is the same whom the Romans call Quirinius, and Quirinus; a governor of Syria had great power in Judea, to which it was annexed, when Cyrenius was governor there. It is reported of R. Gamaliel, that he went to take a licence, "from a governor of Syria" ***e***; i.e. to intercalate the year: and Syria was in many things like to the land of Judea, particularly as to tithes, and the keeping of the seventh year ***f***, ***c*** Contr. Marcion, l. 4. c. 19. ***d*** Antiqu. l. 18. c. 1. ***e*** Misn. Ediot. c. 7. sect. 7. ***f*** T. Bab. Gittin. fol. 8. 1. __________________________ from JFB commentary Luk 2:2 - first . . . when Cyrenius, and c.--a very perplexing verse, inasmuch as Cyrenius, or Quirinus, appears not to have been governor of Syria for about ten years after the birth of Christ, and the "taxing" under his administration was what led to the insurrection mentioned in Act_5:37. That there was a taxing, however, of the whole Roman Empire under Augustus, is now admitted by all; and candid critics, even of skeptical tendency, are ready to allow that there is not likely to be any real inaccuracy in the statement of our Evangelist. Many superior scholars would render the words thus, "This registration was previous to Cyrenius being governor of Syria"--as the word "first" is rendered in Joh_1:15; Joh_15:18. In this case, of course, the difficulty vanishes. But it is perhaps better to suppose, with others, that the registration may have been ordered with a view to the taxation, about the time of our Lord's birth, though the taxing itself--an obnoxious measure in Palestine--was not carried out till the time of Quirinus. ___________________________ |