04-09-2008, 08:41 AM
One argument used to suggest that the gospel of Luke was not written by anyone directly connected to the apostles of Jesus , is not historically accurate and must have been written well after the fact is that Luke 2:1-6 tells us Jesus was born around the time of a census conducted whilst Quirinius governed Syria. Augustus issued the said census.
It is documented that Augustus issued three census and that they were only of the Roman population One was in 6 CE when Quirinius was govenor of Syria.
The problem with this is that if this is the census Luke mentions this clearly places the birth of Jesus after the death of Herod. Herod died somewhere between 4 and 1 BCE. The exact date seems to up in the air to some point due to Josephus being the main indicator and probably problems with his records (but that is another issue).
Matthew's gospel however clearly places the birth of Jesus before the death of Herod.
Luke however, interestingly, does give another chronology for the birth of Jesus.
John the baptist went out baptising in the 15th year of Tiberius.
As the first year of the reign of Tiberius was 13CE the fifteenth year was 27CE.
Now Jesus was around 30 years old when he began his ministry.
So if Jesus was 30 years old in 27CE then he must have been born in 3BCE
So if Luke is not referring to the census of Roman citizens in 6CE.
Orosius, writing in the 5th century wrote..
See the reference here that it marked Caesar "the first of all men". Not seeming to be one of the 20 year census's but rather the oath taking in connection with Augustus receiving the title of Pater Patriae, on February 5, 2 B.C.E
Further...
From here, http://www.askelm.com/star/star014.htm
Now what does the peshitta have to do with all this?
The peshitta is the only version of the NT that distinguishes (albeit slightly) between the 20 year census and the census mentioned in Luke.
Here is the census in Luke 2:1-4. http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/AramaicNT...uqach2.pdf
And here is what is clearly one of the 20 year census's (referred to as a poll tax) in Acts 5:37 http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/AramaicNT...uqach2.pdf. This occured in 6CE, I believe.
Quote: 1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son
It is documented that Augustus issued three census and that they were only of the Roman population One was in 6 CE when Quirinius was govenor of Syria.
The problem with this is that if this is the census Luke mentions this clearly places the birth of Jesus after the death of Herod. Herod died somewhere between 4 and 1 BCE. The exact date seems to up in the air to some point due to Josephus being the main indicator and probably problems with his records (but that is another issue).
Matthew's gospel however clearly places the birth of Jesus before the death of Herod.
Luke however, interestingly, does give another chronology for the birth of Jesus.
John the baptist went out baptising in the 15th year of Tiberius.
Quote:Luke 3:1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar???when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene??? 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. 3He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
As the first year of the reign of Tiberius was 13CE the fifteenth year was 27CE.
Now Jesus was around 30 years old when he began his ministry.
Quote:Luke 3:23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.
So if Jesus was 30 years old in 27CE then he must have been born in 3BCE
So if Luke is not referring to the census of Roman citizens in 6CE.
Orosius, writing in the 5th century wrote..
Quote:???[Augustus] ordered that a census be taken of each province everywhere and that all men be enrolled. ... This is the earliest and most famous public acknowledgment which marked Caesar as the first of all men and the Romans as lords of the world, a published list of all men entered individually .... This first and greatest census was taken, since in this one name of Caesar all the peoples of the great nations took oath, and at the same time, through the participation in the census, were made apart of one society..Orosius, VI.22 and VII.2.
See the reference here that it marked Caesar "the first of all men". Not seeming to be one of the 20 year census's but rather the oath taking in connection with Augustus receiving the title of Pater Patriae, on February 5, 2 B.C.E
Further...
Quote:Remarkably, an inscription found in Paphlagonia (north central Asia Minor) that is clearly dated to 3 B.C. records an oath of obedience ???taken by the inhabitants of Paphlagonia and the Roman businessmen dwelling among them.??? The inscription states that Romans as well as non-citizens took the oath. And importantly, the whole of the population were required to swear it. ???The same oath was sworn also by all the people in the land [italics mine] at the altars of Augustus in the temples of Augustus in the various districts.??? Lewis and Reinhold, Roman Civilization, II.34???35.
From here, http://www.askelm.com/star/star014.htm
Now what does the peshitta have to do with all this?
The peshitta is the only version of the NT that distinguishes (albeit slightly) between the 20 year census and the census mentioned in Luke.
Here is the census in Luke 2:1-4. http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/AramaicNT...uqach2.pdf
And here is what is clearly one of the 20 year census's (referred to as a poll tax) in Acts 5:37 http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/AramaicNT...uqach2.pdf. This occured in 6CE, I believe.