Is a problem to chronology only if you forget Luke was written in
Greek not Latin. Syria in classical Greek writings often refers to more
then just the Roman province given that name, same as Asia, Africa and
Libya did. It often included modern Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and parts
of Modern Turkey like Commenge and Cilicia specifically.
The word
translated Governor here (Hegemoneuo Strongs#2230) is first NOT
whatever his actual Roman title was, but a Greek word, and 2nd it’s not
even a Noun hence not even a title, it’s a Verb which means “to rule,
command”. A more accurate translation could conceivably be “Was
Governing in Syria”. The word is used in Luke and Acts for Pilate (Who
was Prefect, never a title Quirinus held) and other latter Roman
Procurators.
Josephus mentioned that actually there were “governors” (plural) in Syria during the rule of Saturninus. (Josephus,
Antiquities
XVI.280, 285, 357, 361.) While during the governorships of
Titius and Quintilius Varus, Josephus spoke of a “governor” (singular),
(Josephus,
Antiquities XVII.89.) but during the administration of Saturninus why does he mention the plural “governors”?
From
about 5-3 BC or 12-1 BC Quirinus was leading a military campaign in Galatia
and Cilicia against the Homonadenses, we’re not certain what title he
held while doing this, but either way he would have
qualified as a “Governing in Syria” at this time. Quirinus was rector or
adviser to Gaius Caesar when holding Armenia (Tacitus, Ann. 3:48). The
nearness of Syria to Armenia was probably a reason for choosing
Qurinus, Syria’s governor, to be the young prince’s adviser.
Based on what Josephus says of the History surrounding Herod’s death,
the Legate of Syria at the time I date the Nativity was Saturninus
(Agreeing with Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews, ch.8.) And Varus at
the time The Magi came to Jerusalem. Quirinius’ war against the
Homonadenses, for which Tacitus singled him out for praise, has been
called a “special command.” ( Hugh Last, quoted by Rice Holmes in
“Architect of the Roman Empire,” II.89, note 1.) This status is also
reflected in an inscription which mentions Quirinius “as holding an
honorary municipal office at Antioch-by-Pisidia.” (Sherwin-White, Roman
Society and Roman Law in the New Testament, 165.) And it was certainly a
special command for Quirinius when he became rector of the young Gaius
Caesar when Gaius acquired residential authority at Antioch over the
eastern provinces in A.D. 1. (Tacitus, Annals, III.48.) Gaius was
probably not strictly called the governor of Syria at the time (C.E. 1
to 4) and it may well be that Quirinius was responsible for running the
everyday affairs of government.
Tacitus said that Quirinius was one
having “considerable talents for business.” This could account for his
selection as being “guardian” of Gaius who was the heir to the Empire. Quirinius already had
experience in Syria by administering the censuses Tertullian talked
about in 3/2 B.C. which took place during the time when Saturninus was
governor. All these references indicate special commands for Quirinius
throughout his entire governmental career. There are other historical
records about Quirinius which show his special assignments.
Luke
mentions Herod at this time just like Matthew does, if Luke had the 6 AD
Census in mind he’d have also mentioned Coponius who was appointed at
that same time and was far more relevant to Judea directly.
Census
is another example of a term often used more loosely by some then
others, none of the normal Roman Censuses happen in 3 or 2 BC when I
date the Nativity, but isn’t the context Luke implies itself Abnormal?
Luke implies an Empire wide event, the 6 AD Census was Local only.
2
BC marked the 750th Anniversary of Rome’s founding according to Roman
Tradition, as well as the 25th Anniversary of Octavian being proclaimed
Augustus. On February 5, 2BC, the Senate and the people of Rome awarded
him the highest of all decorations:
Pater Patriae (Father of
the Country). In preparation for this the previous year an “Oath of
Obedience” to Augustus was carried out. Such an Oath could have by some
fit the basic definition of a Census.
Josephus mentioned that an oath of allegiance was demanded by
Augustus about twelve or fifteen months before the death of Herod
[Antiquities, XVII, 41-45 “There was moreover a certain sect of Jews who
valued themselves highly for their exact knowledge of the law; and
talking much of their contact with God, were greatly in favor with the
women {of Herod’s court}. They are called Pharisees. They are men who
had it in their power to control kings; extremely subtle, and ready to
attempt anything against those whom they did not like. When therefore
the whole Jewish nation took an OATH to be faithful to Caesar, and [to]
the interests of the king, these men, to the number of above six
thousand, refused to swear. The king laid a fine upon them. Pheroras’
wife {Herod’s sister-in-law} paid the money for them. They, in requital
for her kindness {for they were supposed, by their great intimacy with
God, to have attained to the gift of prophecy}, prophesied that God
having decreed to put an end to the government of Herod and his race,
the kingdom would be transferred to her and Pheroras and their children.
Salome {Herod’s sister}, who was aware of all that was being said, came
and told the king of them. She also told him that many of the court {of
Herod} were corrupted by them. Then the king put to death the most
guilty of the Pharisees, and Bagoas the eunuch, and one Carus, the most
beautiful young man about the court, and the great instrument in the
king’s unlawful pleasures. He {Herod} likewise slew everyone in his own
family, who adhered to those things which were said by the Pharisee. But
Bagoas had been elevated by them and was told that he should someday be
called father and benefactor of the {new} king, who was to be appointed
according to their prediction, for this king would have all things in
his power, and that he {the king} would give him {Bogoas} the capacity
of marriage, and of having children of his own”].
Herod's Death is often miss-dated, I’m not go into that in detail
here, but he died in January of 1 BC, not in 4 BC. 4 B.C. is the year
his killed his Eldest son and his remaining Sons where appointed their
various Tetrachies, causing the confusion since their reigns are dated
from then.
15 months before gives us October of 3 BC, since
people would have been given advance warning, it’s easy to see this
putting Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem on September 11th 3 BC, the 1st of
Tishri that year and thus the day I believe Jesus was born. And on
that day Jupiter was in Conjunction in Regulus the brightest Star of the
Constellation Leo The Lion, a very rare Astronomical event, that
Astrologers would easily have interpreted as making the Birth of a King,
since both that Planet and that Constellation are affiliated with
Kingship, and in Hebrew terms The Lion is Judah.
*A breviarium of the empire was ordered by Augustus (Tacitus, Annals 1:11), giving a return of its population and resources.
*An inscription
with such an oath of obedience has been found in Paphlagonia, and is
clearly dated to 3BC [Lewis & Reinhold, Roman Civilization, vol. II,
pps. 34 and 35, Harper Torchbooks Edition has these words, “taken by
the inhabitants of Paphlagonia and the Roman businessmen dwelling among
them”, and importantly, the whole of the population were required to
swear it: “The same oath was sworn by all the people in the land at the
altars of Augustus in the temples of Augustus in the various
districts”].
*Augustus received his most prestigious title, the
Pater Patriae,
on February 5, 2BC, and wrote of it in his Res Gestae: “While I was
administering my thirteenth consulship the senate and the equestrian
order and the entire Roman people gave me the title Father of my
Country” [VI, 35].
*Official censuses involving taxation took place every 20 years
(in 28BC and 8BC), but the next official census was in 14AD, which was
21 years after 8BC and not 20 as one would expect. Could it be that 2BC
was dropped out of the yearly taxation in celebration of Augustus’
Silver Jubilee?
*The year 2BC, however, was reckoned so glorious a
new beginning for Augustus and Rome that the imperial taxation and
evaluation ceased during that year if people would give their oath of
allegiance to Augustus as their Pater Patriae and universal lord. This
could well be the case and explain the 1-year discrepancy (by the way,
every five years there was a registration which updated individual Roman
citizenship, and these archives were kept in their own native cities or
other important “Roman centers” throughout the Empire [see
Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament, pps.
147ff]).
*
Orosius, in the fifth century, also said that Roman records of his time
revealed that a census was indeed held when Augustus was made "the first
of men"--an apt description of his award "Father of the Country"--at a
time when all the great nations gave an oath of obedience to Augustus
(6:22, 7:2). Orosius
dated the census to 3 BC.
*The Armenian historian, Moses of Khorene, said
that the native sources he had available showed that in the second year
of
Abgar, king of Osroene (3BC), the census brought Roman agents “to
Armenia, bringing the image of Augustus Caesar, which they set up in
every temple” [History of the Armenians, trans. R.W. Thomson, Book II,
26].
