Luke 2 2

Luke 2:2 kjv

(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

Luke 2:2 nkjv

This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.

Luke 2:2 niv

(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

Luke 2:2 esv

This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Luke 2:2 nlt

(This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

Luke 2 verses

Luke 2 2 Meaning

Luke 2:2 specifies that the census leading to Jesus' birth in Bethlehem was the first registration of its kind, occurring when Publius Sulpicius Quirinius was serving as governor of Syria. This verse serves as a precise historical anchor, connecting the miraculous event of the Messiah's birth to known historical figures and administrative decrees of the Roman Empire, establishing the timing within human history.

Luke 2 2 Context

Luke 2:2 immediately follows Luke 2:1, which introduces Caesar Augustus' decree for a registration "of all the world" (referring to the Roman Empire). This wider historical context establishes the Roman administration's practical reason for the journey of Joseph and Mary. The broader narrative of Luke chapter 2 focuses on the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2) and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan through seemingly mundane administrative events.

Historically, this verse presents a significant point of discussion. Jesus' birth is widely placed around 6-4 BC (during the reign of King Herod, Lk 1:5, Mt 2:1), whereas Publius Sulpicius Quirinius is definitively known to have conducted a large tax census in Judea in AD 6 (Acts 5:37). Scholars have proposed various resolutions for this apparent chronological discrepancy:

1. Multiple Governorships: Quirinius may have served an earlier period of significant military or administrative authority in Syria prior to his formal legateship in AD 6, perhaps around the time of Jesus' birth. Historical and epigraphic evidence hints at his earlier presence or influence in the region.
2. Meaning of "First": The Greek word prōtē (πρώτη) can be interpreted as "first before" or "first of its kind." It might mean "This enrollment occurred before the enrollment that Quirinius oversaw when he was formally governor [in AD 6]." Alternatively, it indicates it was the first "general enrollment" or "universal census" unlike others.
3. Different Types of Censuses: The apographē (ἀπογραφὴ) referred to in Luke could have been an initial registration or enrollment not necessarily tied to immediate taxation, distinguishing it from the later, well-documented tax census of AD 6.Luke, a careful historian, aims to situate the sacred story within verifiable world history, ensuring its credibility.

Luke 2 2 Word analysis

• This census: The Greek word is apographē (ἀπογραφή). It refers to a registration, enrollment, or census. It is a general term for inscription into a register, not necessarily implying taxation. This emphasizes a process of official record-keeping rather than just a counting of people. Luke's use indicates a specific type of enrollment decreed by Augustus.
• first: The Greek word is prōtē (πρώτη), meaning "first." This is a crucial interpretive point. It can signify "first in time" or "prior to" something else. In this context, it distinguishes this enrollment from another known one. Scholarly understanding often points to it as "this was the census that took place before the more widely known tax census of AD 6, which also involved Quirinius." This allows for two different administrative actions under his influence or directorship.
• took place: The Greek verb is egeneto (ἐγένετο), from ginomai, meaning "to become, to happen, to take place." It signifies that the event genuinely occurred and was brought into being. It reinforces the historical reality of the census.
• while Quirinius was governor: The Greek phrase is hēgemoneuontos tēs Surias Kyrēniou (ἡγεμονεύοντος τῆς Συρίας Κυρηνίου).
  • Quirinius (Κυρηνίου): Publius Sulpicius Quirinius, a well-known Roman senator and military commander. His administrative roles in Syria are historically documented, particularly his governorship in AD 6, when a major tax census occurred, which sparked the revolt mentioned in Acts 5:37.
  • governor: The Greek participle is hēgemoneuontos (ἡγεμονεύοντος), from hēgemoneuō, meaning "to lead, to be governor, to rule." The term hēgemōn (ἡγεμών) could refer to a legate (a specific type of Roman provincial governor) but could also broadly apply to anyone holding significant administrative authority or leadership in the province, even in a temporary or special capacity, such as a proconsul or legate during a special assignment (e.g., overseeing a specific military campaign or an administrative task like a census), even if another legate was officially present. This allows for the possibility of his administrative oversight in Syria during the earlier period of Jesus' birth.
  • of Syria: Syria was a large and strategically important Roman province that bordered Judea. Judea, though at times an independent client kingdom under Herod, eventually became a Roman province directly governed through Syria. The census thus extended its reach to Judea because of its administrative ties to Syria. This demonstrates Roman imperial reach.

Luke 2 2 Bonus section

The census described in Luke 2:2 was not simply a mundane administrative event; it was an act of divine providence. This imperial decree, issued by Caesar Augustus, had unintended but divinely ordained consequences. Without it, Joseph and Mary might not have traveled from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. This demonstrates God's sovereignty over the affairs of nations and emperors, using human decisions to fulfill His eternal purposes. Luke, uniquely among the Gospel writers, emphasizes the universal scope of the Roman decree ("all the world"), implicitly hinting at the universal salvation that Jesus, born from this event, would bring. This specific dating links the sacred narrative of salvation to the concrete timeline of Roman imperial history, providing assurance of the event's authenticity.

Luke 2 2 Commentary

Luke 2:2 is a profound historical statement that grounds the central event of the Christian faith—the incarnation of God—in verifiable secular history. Far from being a mere backdrop, the census serves as God's providential means to bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, the prophesied birthplace of the Messiah (Mic 5:2). The verse's reference to Quirinius as governor of Syria highlights Luke's meticulous attention to historical detail. While scholars have long debated the exact chronology due to Quirinius's well-documented AD 6 census, this does not diminish Luke's historical reliability. Various solutions, including the possibility of an earlier administrative role for Quirinius or the "first before" interpretation of prōtē, underscore Luke's precise language and commitment to factual accuracy. The narrative indicates God's sovereign control over even the decrees of powerful earthly rulers, orchestrating a global registration to perfectly align with His specific prophecy. This shows that divine plans are not subject to human whims but weave through and utilize human institutions.