A Global Census

Biblical Reference: Luke 2:1-2
Walking Distance: 1/2 mile
Key Questions:

• Who were the significant political players?
• Why would they have requested a census to be taken?

International Politics

While the localized events in the lives of Mary and Elizabeth were transpiring, international politics were about to set a chain of events into motion. Luke chapter two opens with "Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria." There is a lot of history packed into those two verses, not to mention some complicated names for young narrators in Christmas pageants.

Census workers use punch cards to record data entries.

Caesar Augustus inherited a fledgling empire that had just been formed through civil war. His ability as a statesman and political conservatism expanded the Roman empire into Africa and much of Europe. His system of delegated power allowed senators such as Quirinius and Herod to leverage local power and influence. PBS has a comprehensive write up on Augustus's life at https://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/augustus.html

After Augustus dealt with Marc Anthony and Cleopatra Herod changed loyalties appealing to Augustus' favor and was rewarded with a large kingship throughout Egypt and Palestine. King Herod is mentioned later in the chapter and this may be "Herod the Great," progenitor of a dynasty that ruled over Judea and Syria at the beginning of the Christian Era. For a detailed study of the various chronologies and records of this ruling family, check out Charles A Sullivan's blog post.

Another possibility is that the Herod present in Luke chapter two is Philip. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, Herod Archelaus was deposed by Augustus at the bequest of the Jews because of his dictatorial methods. This was the reason for sending Quirinius - to account for the deposed Herod's wealth and see to its proper distribution to a new heir. Of course and Emperor would understand that wealth includes the people and its gross national product and not just a collection of coins.

Geographic comparison between the Roman Empire
(outlined in blue) and the United States of America

This helps us understand why the Jewish people and especially the zealots disliked the census. Privacy and independence are called into question when a government seeks to make policy decisions based on the collective wealth of its inhabitants.

It was the opposition to the census that forced Rome to place Judea and Syria into provincial rule with greater restrictions and controls. 

This Roman involvement will later propel the events of Christ's death and resurrection and Paul's evangelical travels onto the global stage. So while we may quickly gloss past the first two verses of Luke 2, they are critical to placing the the gospel account into a global setting complete with political and economic intrigue.

References

• 40 Maps that Explain the Roman Empire
• Jewish Encyclopedia
• Charles A Sullivan's Chronology of the Herods
• PBS The Roman Empire