Census of Quirinius

Part of a series on

Jesus in Christianity Christ Christology Names and titles Life of Jesus Gospels Gospel harmony Places Virgin birth Nativity Baptism Ministry Miracles Parables Humiliation Execution Burial Resurrection Ascension Obedience Heavenly Session Intercession Second Coming Relics

Jesus in Islam Gospel Mary Disciples Death Mahdi End times

Background Background to the New Testament Language spoken by Jesus Jesus' race / genealogy

Jesus in history Chronology Historical Jesus Historicity (Gospels) Mythology Christ myth theory Criticism Unknown years

Perspectives on Jesus Biblical Christian (Lutheran) Jewish Talmud Islamic (Ahmadi) Scientology Josephus Tacitus Bar-Serapion

Jesus in culture Life in art Depiction Jesuism

Christianity portal Islam portal  Book:Jesus

The Census of Quirinius was a census of Judaea taken by Publius Sulpicius Quirinius, Roman governor of Syria, upon the imposition of direct Roman rule in 6 CE.^[1]

The census

In 6 CE Publius Sulpicius Quirinius (51 BCE-21 CE), a distinguished soldier and former Consul, was appointed Imperial Legate (governor) of the province of Roman Syria. In the same year Judea was declared a Roman province, and Quirinius was tasked to carry out a census of the new territory for tax purposes. The census sparked a rebellion, and while the majority of Judeans were eventually persuaded by the High Priest to participate, those who still resisted formed the nucleus of the Zealot movement.^[2][3]

The new territory was one of the three portions into which the kingdom of Herod the Great was divided on his death in 4 BCE. His son Archelaus was given Judea but complaints of misrule prompted his removal and Judea and Samaria, the core of Herod's former kingdom, were now administered directly by Rome under the general supervision of the governor of Syria. Galilee and other areas remained autonomous.^[4]

Luke's Gospel and the date of the birth of Jesus

Mary and Joseph register for the census before Governor Quirinius. Byzantine mosaic c. 1315.

The Gospel of Luke dates the birth of Jesus by the reign of Herod (73 BCE-4BCE) - "In the days of King Herod of Judea..." (Luke 1:5) and by the census of Quirinius:

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. (Luke 2:1–7)

See also

• Biblical inerrancy
• Luke 2
• Nativity of Jesus

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Allert, Craig D. (2007). A High View of Scripture?. Baker Books. 
• Blomberg, C.E. (1995). "Quirinius". In Bromiley, Geoffrey W. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 4. Eerdmans. 
• Bond, Helen (2012). The Historical Jesus: A Guide for the Perplexed. Bloomsbury. 
• Brown, R.E. (1978). An Adult Christ at Christmas: Essays on the Three Biblical Christmas Stories. Liturgical Press. 
• Burkett, Delbert (2002). An introduction to the New Testament and the origins of Christianity. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-00720-7. 
• Charlesworth, James H. (2008). The Historical Jesus: An Essential Guide. Abingdon Press. 
• Freeman, Charles (2009). A New History of Early Christianity. Yale University Press. 
• Green, Joel (1997). The Gospel of Luke. Eerdmans. 
• Gruen, Erich S. (1996). "The Expansion of the Empire Under Augustus". In Bowman, Alan K.; Champlin, Edward; Lintott, Andrew. The Cambridge Ancient History 10. Cambridge University Press. 
• Maisch, Ingrid; Vogle, Anton (1975). "Jesus Christ". In Rahner, Karl. Encyclopedia of Theology. A&C Black. 
• Merz, Annette (2015). "The Quest for the Historical Jesus". In Van Kooten, George H.; Barthel, Peter. The Star of Bethlehem and the Magi: Interdisciplinary Perspectives from Experts on the Ancient Near East, the Greco-Roman World, and Modern Astronomy. BRILL. 
• Millar, Fergus (1993). The Roman Near East, 31 B.C.-A.D. 337. Harvard University Press. 
• Novak, Ralph Martin (2001). Christianity and the Roman Empire: background texts. Continuum International. 
• Perkins, Pheme (2009). Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels. Eerdmans. 
• Sanders, E.P. (1995). The Historical Figure of Jesus. Penguin UK. 
• Theissen, Gerd; Merz, Annette (1998). The historical Jesus: a comprehensive guide. Eerdmans. 
• Vermes, Geza (2010). Jesus: Nativity - Passion - Resurrection. Penguin UK.