John Calvin Commentary Luke 2:1

"Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled." — Luke 2:1 (ASV)

Luke relates how it happened that Christ was born in the city of Bethlehem, as His mother was living at a distance from her home when she was approaching her confinement. First, he sets aside the idea of human contrivance,¹²³ stating that Joseph and Mary had left home and came to that place to be registered according to their family and tribe. If they had intentionally and on purpose¹²⁴ changed their residence so that Mary might give birth to her child in Bethlehem, we would have looked only at the human beings involved.

But as their only intention was to obey the edict of Augustus, we readily acknowledge that they were led like blind persons by the hand of God to the place where Christ was to be born. This may appear to be accidental, as everything else that does not proceed from direct human intention is ascribed by irreligious men to Fortune. However, we must not pay attention merely to the events themselves; we must also remember the prediction uttered by the prophet many centuries before.

A comparison will clearly show it was accomplished by the wonderful Providence of God that a registration was then enacted by Augustus Caesar, and that Joseph and Mary set out from home so as to arrive in Bethlehem at precisely that time.

Thus we see that the holy servants of God, even though they may stray from their own plan, unaware of where they are going, still keep to the right path because God directs their steps. Nor is God's Providence less wonderful in using a tyrant's mandate to draw Mary from her home, so that the prophecy might be fulfilled. God had marked out through His prophet—as we will see later—the place where He had determined His Son should be born.

If Mary had not been constrained to do otherwise, she would have chosen to give birth to her child at home. Augustus ordered a registration to take place in Judea, requiring each person to give his name, so that they might later pay an annual tax—a tax they were previously accustomed to paying to God. Thus, an ungodly man forcibly took possession of what God was accustomed to demand from His people.

This, in effect, reduced the Jews to complete subjection and forbade them from then on to be considered the people of God.

In this way, matters were brought to the utmost extremity, and the Jews appeared to be cut off and alienated forever from the covenant of God. At that very time, God suddenly, and contrary to universal expectation, provided a remedy. What is more, He used that wicked tyranny for the redemption of His people.

For the governor (or whoever was employed by Caesar for this purpose), while executing the commission entrusted to him, was, unknown to himself, God’s herald to call Mary to the place God had appointed. And certainly, Luke’s whole narrative may well lead believers to acknowledge that Christ was led by the hand of God from his mother’s belly, (Psalms 22:10).

Nor is it of small consequence¹²⁵ to the certainty of faith to know that Mary was drawn suddenly, and contrary to her own intention, to Bethlehem, so that out of it might come forth (Micah 5:2) the Redeemer, as He had been previously promised.

The whole world. This figure of speech¹²⁶ (by which the whole is taken for a part, or a part for the whole) was in constant use among Roman authors and should not be considered harsh. So that this registration might be more tolerable and less offensive, it was, I have no doubt, extended equally to all the provinces, though the rate of taxation may have been different.

I consider this first registration to mean that the Jews, being completely subdued, were then loaded with a new and unaccustomed yoke. Others read it that this registration was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria;¹²⁷ but there is no probability in that view. The tax was indeed annual, but the registration did not take place every year. The meaning is that the Jews were far more heavily oppressed than they had previously been.

There is some diversity regarding the name of the Proconsul. Some call him Cyrenius, (Κυρήνιος,) and others, Quirinus or Quirinius. But there is nothing strange in this, for we know that the Greeks, when they translate Latin names, almost always make some change in the pronunciation.

But a far greater difficulty springs up in another direction. Josephus says that while Archelaus was a prisoner at Vienna (Ant. 17.13.2), Quirinus came as Proconsul with instructions to annex Judea to the province of Syria (Ant. 18.1.1). Now, historians agree that Archelaus reigned nine years after the death of his father, Herod. It would therefore appear that there was an interval of about thirteen years between the birth of Christ and this registration, for almost all agree with the account given by Epiphanius that Christ was born in the thirty-third year of Herod, that is, four years before his death.

Another rather perplexing circumstance is that the same Josephus speaks of this registration as having happened in the thirty-seventh year after the victory at Actium¹²⁸ (Ant. 18.2.1). If this is true, Augustus lived, at most, not more than seven years after this event, which implies a deduction of eight or nine years from his age; for it is plain from the third chapter of Luke’s Gospel, that he was at that time only in his fifteenth year.

But, as the age of Christ is too well known to be questioned, it is highly probable that in this and many other passages of Josephus’s History, his memory had failed him. Historians agree that Quirinus was Consul nineteen years, or about that, before the victory over Antony, which gave Augustus the entire command of the empire; and so he must have been sent into the province at a very advanced age.

Besides, the same Josephus enumerates four governors of Judea within eight years, while he acknowledges that the fifth, Valerius Gratus, who was succeeded by Pontius Pilate, was governor for fifteen years.

Another solution may be offered. It might have been found impracticable to carry out the registration immediately after the edict had been issued, for Josephus relates that Coponius was sent with an army to reduce the Jews to subjection (Ant. 18.2.2). From this, it may easily be inferred that the registration was prevented for a time by popular tumult.

Luke’s words bear this sense: that about the time of our Lord’s birth, an edict was issued to have the people registered, but the registration could not take place until after a change in the kingdom, when Judea had been annexed to another province. This clause is accordingly added by way of correction: This first registration was made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. That is, it was then first carried into effect.¹²⁹

But the whole question is not yet answered. For while Herod was king of Judea, what purpose did it serve to register a people who paid no tribute to the Roman Empire?

I reply: there is no absurdity in supposing that Augustus, as a way of accustoming the Jews to the yoke (for their obstinacy was very well known), chose to have them registered, even under the reign of Herod.¹³⁰ Nor did Herod’s particular authority as king make it inconsistent that the Jews should pay the Roman Empire a stipulated sum for each man under the name of a tax, for we know that Herod, though he was called a king, held nothing more than a borrowed power and was little better than a slave.

On what authority Eusebius states that this registration took place by an order of the Roman Senate, I do not know.

¹²³ “Il monstre que cela ne s'est point fait par advis ou conseil humain.” —”He shows that this was not by human advice or plan.”.” —”He shows that this was not by human advice or plan.”

¹²⁴ “Data opera et consulto;” — “;” — “de propos delibere;” — “of deliberate purpose.”;” — “of deliberate purpose.”

¹²⁵ “Neque parum facit;” — “;” — “ce n'est pas un poinct de petite importance.”.”

¹²⁶ “Synecdoche.”

¹²⁷ The reader will observe that this is the rendering of the authorized English version. — Ed.

¹²⁸ “Victoriae Actiacae.” — “.” — “C'est une victoire qu'ent Auguste a la bataille sur mer contre Antoine et Cleopatra, aupres de la ville nommee Actium.” — “That is, a victory which Augustus had in the naval battle which he fought against Antony and Cleopatra, near the town called Actium.”.” — “That is, a victory which Augustus had in the naval battle which he fought against Antony and Cleopatra, near the town called Actium.”

¹²⁹ “Elle fut lors executee, et trouva-on facon d'en venir a bout.” — “It was then executed, and a way was found of succeeding in it.”.” — “It was then executed, and a way was found of succeeding in it.”

¹³⁰ “Sub Herode;” — “;” — “combien qu'ils fussent sujets d'Herode;” — “though they were subjects of Herod.”;” — “though they were subjects of Herod.”