Background and Historical Context:

Publius Sulpicius Quirinius was a Roman aristocrat and military leader who played a significant role in the governance of the Roman provinces during the early first century AD. He is most notably recognized in the biblical context for his association with the census mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. Quirinius served as the governor of the Roman province of Syria, a position that included administrative oversight of Judea.

Biblical Reference:

Quirinius is mentioned in the Gospel of Luke in connection with the census that brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. The relevant passage is found in Luke 2:1-2 : "Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria."

Historical and Theological Significance:

The mention of Quirinius in the Gospel of Luke has been a focal point for discussions regarding the historical timeline of Jesus' birth. The census under Quirinius is historically documented to have occurred around AD 6, which has led to debates about the chronology of events described in the Gospel. However, from a conservative Christian perspective, the biblical account is considered accurate and divinely inspired, with various explanations proposed to reconcile historical records with the Gospel narrative.

One explanation suggests that there may have been an earlier census or registration process during Quirinius' administrative influence in the region, possibly as a legate or in another official capacity before his well-documented governorship. Another possibility is that the term "governor" (Greek: ἡγεμονεύοντος) could refer to a broader administrative role that Quirinius held prior to his official governorship.

Role in the Nativity Story:

Quirinius' role in the nativity account underscores the fulfillment of prophecy and the divine orchestration of events leading to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The decree for a census, requiring Joseph and Mary to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, aligns with the prophecy in Micah 5:2, which foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. This connection highlights the sovereignty of God in using historical events and political figures to accomplish His purposes.

Quirinius in Historical Records:

Outside of the biblical text, Quirinius is known from Roman historical sources, including the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus. He is noted for his military achievements and administrative roles, including his involvement in the annexation of the region of Judea as a Roman province. His governance was marked by efforts to establish Roman authority and implement taxation systems, which were often met with resistance from the local Jewish population.

Conclusion:

While the historical details surrounding Quirinius and the census continue to be a topic of scholarly discussion, his mention in the Gospel of Luke serves as a testament to the historical grounding of the biblical narrative. For believers, Quirinius' role in the nativity account is a reminder of God's providence and the fulfillment of His promises through the birth of Jesus Christ.QUIRINIUS

kwi-rin'-i-us.

See CHRONOLOGY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, sec. I, 1, (2); LUKE, THE GOSPEL OF, sec. 5.

2958. Kurenios -- Quirinius, a governor of Syria
... Quirinius, a governor of Syria. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
Kurenios Phonetic Spelling: (koo-ray'-nee-os) Short Definition: Quirinius ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2958.htm - 6k

The Inscription of Quirinius
... THE INSCRIPTION OF QUIRINIUS. (LAPIS TIBURTINUS) GEM ?� QVA ?� REDACTA ?�
INPOI AVGVSTI ?� POPVLIQVE ?� ROMANI ?� SENATV SVPPLICATIONES ...
/.../ramsay/was christ born in bethlehem/the inscription of quirinius.htm

Quirinius the Governor of Syria
... CHAPTER 11 QUIRINIUS THE GOVERNOR OF SYRIA. WE come ... He says that it occurred
while Quirinius was administering Syria. The famous ...
/.../ramsay/was christ born in bethlehem/chapter 11 quirinius the governor.htm

The Birth of Jesus.
... [Publius Sulpicius Quirinius was governor of Syria, ad6-11, and made a census
of his province at that time, as Luke well knew (Acts 5:37). ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/x the birth of jesus.htm

The Time of his Appearance among Men.
... Luke 2:2 Quirinius is the original Latin form of the name of which Luke gives the
Greek form kurenios or Cyrenius (which is the form given also by Eusebius). ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/pamphilius/church history/chapter v the time of his.htm

Some Associated Questions
... things, he tells that "the sons of Judas the Galilean were slain, viz., that Judas
who caused the people to revolt from the Romans when Quirinius was making ...
/.../ramsay/was christ born in bethlehem/chapter 12 some associated questions.htm

The Chronology
... of age at his baptism (Luke 3:23); he was born during a census conducted in Judea
in accordance with the decree of Augustus at a time when Quirinius was in ...
/.../rhees/the life of jesus of nazareth/iv the chronology.htm

The Question at Issue
... Palestine, the first and the only one which the Romans held in that country; and
that Luke has transferred this census, with the officer, Quirinius, who made it ...
/.../ramsay/was christ born in bethlehem/chapter 5 the question at.htm

The Syrian Enrollment in 8 Bc
... or sporadically, to number the population Such enumerations can be traced back to
the reign of Augustus and to the government of Syria by Quirinius. ...
/.../ramsay/was christ born in bethlehem/chapter 8 the syrian enrollment.htm

In the House of his Heavenly, and in the Home of his Earthly ...
... One of the first measures of the new Legate of Syria, P. Sulpicius Quirinius, [1192]
after confiscating the ill-gotten wealth of Archelaus, was to order a ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter x in the house.htm

The Birth of Jesus. Ch. 2:1-20
... those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should
be enrolled.2 This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/e the birth of jesus.htm

Quirinius (1 Occurrence)
... Standard Bible Encyclopedia QUIRINIUS. kwi-rin'-i-us. ...Quirinius (1 Occurrence). Luke
2:2 This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ...
/q/quirinius.htm - 6k

Chronology
... I. CHRONOLOGY OF THE LIFE OF JESUS 1. Birth of Jesus (1) Death of Herod (2) Census
of Quirinius (3) Star of the Magi (4) Course of Abijah (5) Day and Month (6 ...
/c/chronology.htm - 74k

Quirin'i-us (1 Occurrence)
Quirin'i-us. Quirinius, Quirin'i-us. Quit . ... Luke 2:2 This was the first numbering,
which was made when Quirinius was ruler of Syria. (See RSV). ...
/q/quirin'i-us.htm - 6k

Numbering (35 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Luke 2:2 This was the first numbering, which was made when Quirinius was
ruler of Syria. (BBE). John 6:10 "Make the people sit down," said Jesus. ...
/n/numbering.htm - 19k

Enrolment (2 Occurrences)
... ENROLMENT. en-rol'-ment. See QUIRINIUS; TAX. ... Enrolment (2 Occurrences). Luke 2:2
This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. (ASV). ...
/e/enrolment.htm - 7k

New (1850 Occurrences)
... I. CHRONOLOGY OF THE LIFE OF JESUS 1. Birth of Jesus (1) Death of Herod (2) Census
of Quirinius (3) Star of the Magi (4) Course of Abijah (5) Day and Month (6 ...
/n/new.htm - 101k

Quintus

/q/quintus.htm - 7k

Zealot (4 Occurrences)
... who "in the days of the enrollment" (compare Acts 5:37 Luke 2:1, 2) bitterly opposed
the threatened increase of taxation at the census of Quirinius, and would ...
/z/zealot.htm - 12k

Governorship (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Governorship (1 Occurrence). Luke 2:2 It was the first
registration made during the governorship of Quirinius in Syria; (WEY). ...
/g/governorship.htm - 6k

Does Luke's claim that Jesus was born in Bethlehem at the time of Quirinius' census match the historical record? | GotQuestions.org

What year was Jesus Christ born? When was Jesus born? | GotQuestions.org

Questions about Luke | GotQuestions.org

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