The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 47

EXPOSITION. OHAPTER II. recies of Bl Luke, It may be obeerved: (1) Stra.ngelyenough,1101M ·ofthe early opponents Vera. 1-20.-The Redeemer', birth. of Christianity, 11Uch ns Celsus or Porphyry, Ver. 1.-There went out 11, deoree trom impugn the accnrBOy of our evangelist here. :J111sar Augustus, that all the world ahould be Surely, if there had been BO marked an error tued; more accure.tcly, that there shauld on the threshold of his Gospel, these distin- be a regi,tration, eto.; tho.t is, with e. view guished adveTSaries of our faith, living com- to the assessment of a tax. On the historical paratively soon after the events in question, note of St. Luke In this pEl88age mnch dis- would have been the first to bit so con- cussion has arisen, not, however, of much spicuous a blot in the story they hated BO real practice.I interest to the ordinary devout well. Aud (2) nothing is more improboble reoder. We will gin.nee vel'y briefly at the than that St. Luke, a man of education, oud maiu criticism of this o.nd the following writing, too, evidently for people of thought verse. Respecting this genera.I registration and culture, would h,wa ventured on e. it is alleged (1) no historian of the time definite historical statement of this kind, mentions such e. decree of Augustus. (2) which would, if wrong, have been so easily Supposing Augustus had issued such an exposed, had ha not previously thoroughly edict, Herod, in his kingdom of Judrea, satisfied himself as to its complete accnrncy. would not have been included in it, for Generally, the above concln:,ions are now J udma was not formally annexed to the adopted, lately, amongst others, by Codet, Roman province of Syria before the death of Farre.r, Plumptre, and Bishop Ellicott (in Archelaus, Herocl's son; for some yea.re his Hulsean Lectures). Godet has an espe- after this time Herod oocupied the position cially long and exhe.nstive note on this of e. rex socius. In answer to (1 ),we possrBB subject. The conclusions are mainly drawn sce.rcaly any minute records of this particular from the researches of such scholars as Zumpt time; and there are besides distinct traces and Mommsen. Cyre:ains; Latin, Quirin us. in contempor11ry histories of such a genera.I He is mentioned by the hi.;itoria.ns Ta.citus registration. In answer to (2), in the event and Suetonius. Ha appears to have been of such an imperial registration being-made, originally of humble birth, and, like so ma11y it we.a most unlikely that Herod would he.ve of the soldiers of fortune of the empire, rose claimed exemption for his only nominally through hie own merits to his great position. independent states. It must be remembered He was a gallant and true soldier, but withal that Herod was e.n attached dependent of self-seeking and harsh. For his Cilicia.n the emperor, and in such a matter would victories the senate decreed him a triumph. never have oppoeed the imperial will of his He received the distinguished honour of a. great patron. public funeral, A.D. 21 (Tac., ' Ann..' ii 30 ; Ver. 2.-(And this taxing was first me.de iii 22, 48; Suet, 'Tib.,' 49). when Cyrenins was governor of Syria..) Hos- Ver. 4.-The city of David, whioh ill oal!ed tile criticism makes a still more direct o.t!ack :Bethlehem. After ell the hmg o.ges which upon the historical statement made by St. had passed, still the chief ti t\0 to honour of Luke here. Quirinius, it is well known, was the little upland village was that there the governor (legatus or prreses) of Syria ten grea lly loved king had been born. Bethlehem years 1.ater, and during his office e. census or (" house of bread") we.a built on the site of registration-with a view to taxation-which the old Ephre.th-the Ephrath where Raebel led to a popular disturbanoe, we.a made in died. Of the house and lineage of David. his province. These critics suy the.t St. The position in life of Joseph the royally Luke mentions, as taking place before the descended, simply a village cs.rpenter, the birth of Jesus, e.n event whioh really ho.p- equally humblti state of Mary, also one of pened ten years after. Much historicol in- the great king's posterity, need excite no vestigation ho.a been made with a view to surprise when the vicissitudes of tbe.t royal explain this difficulty. It he.s been now house, and of the people over whom they satisfactorily demonstrated that, strangely ruled, are remembered. The old kin~<lom enough, this Quirinius-who ten yenrs later of David had been dismembered, conquered, was certo.inly governor (lego.tns) of Sy1·ie.- and devOBtated. The people had been led at the time of the birt]J. of the Saviour held away into e. Je.ptivity from which few, com- high office in Syria, either as prlllBes (gover- paratively speaking, ever returned. All that nor) or qumstor (imperial commissioner). the house of David had preserve,1 were it.a The Greek word rendered by the English bare family records. Hillal, the fa.moue "governor" would have been used for either scribe, who was once a hired porter, claimed of these important offices. On the whole to belong to the old princely house. quoetion of theso alleged hfotorico.l inacou- Ver. 5.-With Mary his Hpoused wife  88 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. [en. n. 1-62,