Sermon Tone Analysis

Session 4 The Angels’ Announcement

Augustus

Born Gaius Octavius in September of 63 bc, the Roman senate gave him the name “Augustus” in 27 bc to honor his defeat and annexation of Egypt.

Formerly one of three co-rulers, Augustus gained sole control of the empire and reigned from 27 bc to ad 14.

Although harsh and unrelenting, he was a master administrator who restored order to the empire after two decades of civil war.

He was responsible for ushering in Rome’s Golden Age—an era known as Pax Romana or Pax Augusta (meaning “Roman Peace” or “Augustus’ Peace”), which lasted for roughly 250 years.

Roman Emperors in Luke

Caesar Augustus

27 bc–ad 14

Jesus was born at least by 4 b.c.

How could Quirinius have been responsible for the census?

Also, Luke claims the entire world participated.

No other records show such an extensive Roman census.

Records do show Augustus sought to reorganize the financial policies and procedures of the empire.

The census was one means he used to gain financial resources.

Records also show Quirinius carried out an important census (referred to obliquely in Acts 5:37) but a decade after Jesus’ birth.

Without further records, we cannot solve this historical problem.

Such solving is not necessary, however, to maintain confidence in God’s Word.

It would answer human questions but would not provide new theological insights or new directions from God for life.

Luke 2:1-7

2:1 The fact that Jesus was born in Bethlehem rather than in Nazareth (cf.

1:26) was due to a decree, i.e., an imperial edict (cf.

), from Caesar Augustus (reigned 31 b.c.–a.d.

14).

In those days is an imprecise date (contrast ), suggesting that Luke did not know the exact year (cf.

3:23).

All the world (Gk.

oikoumenē) means all of the known, inhabited world that was subject to the civilization and governance of Rome.

People were registered for the purpose of taxation.

2:1–3.

Luke changes the scene quickly and radically.

We go from the isolated Jordan wilderness to the senate in Rome, from a young man waiting for his chance to perform to the Roman Emperor seeking taxes.

Luke shows his historical concerns by setting Jesus’ birth in a world history framework.

The problem lies in the ability of modern historians to recreate his historical framework.

We can list governors of Syria around the time of Jesus’ birth:

2:2 the first registration when Quirinius was governor.

According to Josephus, Quirinius was governor of Syria a.d.

6–7 and conducted a census in a.d.

6 (which Luke is aware of and mentions in Acts 5:37).

But this cannot be the census Luke is referencing here, since it occurred after the death of Herod the Great in 4 b.c., and it is known that Jesus was born during Herod’s reign (cf.

Matt.

2:1; Luke 1:5).

Various plausible solutions have been proposed.

Some interpreters believe that because “governor” (participle of Gk. hēgemoneuō) was a very general term for “ruler,” it may be that Quirinius was the administrator of the census, but not the governor proper.

Another solution is to translate the verse, “This was the registration before Quirinius was governor of Syria” (see ESV footnote), which is grammatically possible (taking Gk. prōtos as “before” rather than “first”; the Greek construction is somewhat unusual on any reading).

This would make sense because Luke would then be clarifying that this was before the well-known, troublesome census of a.d.

6 (Acts 5:37).

(One additional proposal is that Quirinius was governor for two separate terms, though this lacks confirming historical evidence.)

Though the year cannot be determined with complete certainty, there are several reasonable possibilities which correspond well to Luke’s carefully researched investigation (Luke 1:3–4) and to the historical and geographical accuracy evidenced throughout Luke and Acts.

The most reasonable date is late in the year of 6 b.c. or early 5. See further The Date of Jesus’ Crucifixion.

Jesus’ Birth and Flight to Egypt

As the time drew near for Jesus to be born, a mandatory Roman registration made it necessary for Joseph to return to his ancestral home of Bethlehem.

There Mary gave birth to Jesus, and later, wise men from the East came to worship him.

The wise men’s recognition of a new king, however, troubled King Herod and the ruling establishment in Jerusalem, and Herod the Great sought to kill Jesus.

Joseph and his family escaped to Egypt and stayed there until Herod died.

When they returned to Palestine, they settled in the remote district of Galilee, where Jesus grew up in the village of Nazareth, to avoid the attention of the rulers in Jerusalem.

2:2 Quirinius was a legate or emissary of Augustus Caesar.

He served in this capacity ad 6–9, and conducted a census in about ad 6 (see Acts 5:37).

However, he may have served on two separate occasions.

A possible term in 6–4 bc would align with a potential date for Jesus’ birth (compare Luke 2:1 and note).

Joseph must travel to his ancestral city for the census.

Since he is a descendant of King David (1:27; 3:31), he travels to David’s hometown of Bethlehem (1 Sam 16:1, 4; 17:12; compare Matt 2:5–6).

A Roman census normally did not require people to travel to their ancestral town.

Censuses served the purpose of registering people for military service or taxation, and it is possible that Joseph owned land in Bethlehem on which he paid taxes.

2:3–4 Although Joseph was at this time living in Nazareth (vv.

4, 39), his ancestral home (own town) was Bethlehem.

They went up … to Judea, since Bethlehem (in Judea) lies on a mountain 2,654 feet (809 m) high.

The references to David (1:27, 32–33; 2:11; cf. 1 Sam.

16:4, 13) explain why Jesus was born in Bethlehem (cf.

Mic.

5:2).

2:4 The traditional site for Jesus’ birth, a cave/grotto in Bethlehem, was made into a pagan shrine to Adonis in the second century a.d.

(under Hadrian).

The Constantinian basilica-style Church of the Nativity replaced this shrine in the fourth century, with an octagonal room providing views of the grotto.

The fourth-century church, however, was destroyed and rebuilt as the present-day structure in the sixth century.

2:4–7.

Joseph, barely introduced in 1:27, enters center stage.

Taxation followed his lineage, so he obediently traveled the ninety miles to Bethlehem, David’s home, where the Scriptures said Messiah would be born (Mic.

5:2).

Finally, we see Joseph, too, can trace his family tree to David.

Joseph did not make the trip alone.

Mary, still only engaged, not married but pregnant, joined him.

Perhaps, she, too, like Syrian women over age 12, had to register for the census and pay taxes.

Luke surprises us with his next statement, just as the event must have surprised Mary and Joseph.

Jesus’ appearance time had come.

Simply, Luke reports, she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.

Following the practice of her day, Mary wrapped the baby in strips of cloth to keep his arms and legs straight.

Jesus’ first crib had usually served as a dining table for animals.

Where they had eaten, he now slept.

Why?

Because all normal lodging places were full.

Or perhaps because Joseph found a small one-room house with just enough room for him and his wife.

The only available space for the child was in the animal trough attached to the wall that their room shared with the animals’ quarters.

The promised king came to his people but did not have enough power to secure a resting place for his birth.

The descendants of David descended to a stable to find a place to lay the head of the King of kings.

This is how God used earth’s lowest to bring salvation from heaven’s highest.

2:5 betrothed.

See note on 1:27.

2:6 the time came.

See 1:57.

On the surface, political reasons determine where Jesus is born, but the ultimate cause is the God who controls history and who guarantees that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, in accordance with OT prophecy (cf.

Mic.

5:2; Matt.

2:1–6).

2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son.

The greatest miracle in the history of the world, the eternal Son of God being born as a man, happens quietly in a stable in an obscure village in Judea.

Luke’s description is restrained, giving only a very few details.