[b-greek] Re: Rendering PRWTH as "earlier" in Luke 2:2

From: Kevin W. Woodruff (cierpke@prodigy.net)
Date: Wed Dec 13 2000 - 10:11:51 EST


The Tivoli inscription is not the best evidence that could be given to
support Luke's accuracy (and I happen to believe that Luke is accurate)

According to the Anchor Bible (p.403), the beginning of the Tivoli
inscription (Dessau, ILS sect. 918) is lost, and therefore the name of the
person honored are lost. There is no evidence it refers to Quirinius, and it
has often been ascribed to others.

The Tivoli inscription has nevertheless been cited to support the view that
a second legateship for Quirinius would have been possible. This is actually
a mistranslation; properly, it should say that the person, being a legate of
Augustus for the second time, "he received Syria and Phoenicia." That is,
the person performed public service twice, and the last time, he was legate
to Syria
(Anchor Bible, p. 403).

It is unheard of that a proconsul would become a legate of the emperor twice
in the same province (see J. G. C. Anderson, Cambridge Ancient History 10
[1934] 878; R. Syme, "Titulus Tiburtinus," 590).

Some journal articles that may be of help on this subject:

 Lawrence, John M
         Publius Sulpicius Quirinius and the Syrian census
        Restoration Quarterly 34 no 4:193-205 1992
       
Schwartz, Daniel R
        On Quirinius, John the Baptist, the Benedictus, Melchizedek,
        Qumran and Ephesus [history of Gospel infancy narratives]
        Revue de Qumran 13:635-646 O 1988

Brindle, Wayne A
        The census and Quirinius: Luke 2:2
        Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 27:43-52 Mr 1984
                                                                   
 The article shows that the statement in Luke 2:2 concerning the
 census of Quirinius, governor of Syria, can be harmonized with
 available historical and grammatical data. Various proposed
 solutions are listed, Quirinius' career is described, and two
 crucial questions are discussed: 1) when was Quirinius governor
 of Syria, and 2) when did the census of Luke 2:1-2 take place?
 the article concludes that, although Quirinius may have governed
 Syria as early as 8-6 BC, a better solution is to translate
 prote in Luke 2:2 as "first" or "before." luke was thus
 referring to a census taken before that of Quirinius in AD 6.

Smith, Robert Harry
        Caesar's decree (Luke 2:1-2): puzzle or key?
        Currents in Theology and Mission 7:343-351 D 1980

                                                                   
 The historical accuracy of assertions in Lk 2:1-2 (imperial
 decree demanding one colossal census, Quirinius as governor of
 Syria while Herod ruled, a census requiring Joseph to travel
 with Mary to Bethlehem) is arguable. Elements in the passage
 cohere with clues elsewhere to show that Luke's interests were
 apologetic and not just historical. He wrote partly to dispel
 suspicions that the church was politically and morally
 subversive and to portray Christians as law-abiding and upright.
  The birth narrative pictures Joseph as obedient to Caesar's
 decree (2:1; Acts 17:7) in the time of the census associated
 with widespread rebellion (Acts 5:34-39). Good citizen Joseph
 paid his taxes (cf. Lk 23:2,5; Acts 17:6-7), and Jesus, present
 embryonically, was obedient with Mary and Joseph, modelling for
 later Christians the proper stance toward civil authorities.
 The hard verse is a clue to Luke's situation and to his
 response.
                                                                            
                 
 Ogg, George
         Quirinius question to-day
        Expository Times 79:231-236 My 1968

Kevin



At 07:58 PM 12/12/2000 -0600, you wrote:
>At 10:31 PM +0000 12/12/00, Mark Wilson wrote:
>>This quote may be of interest:
>>
>>A fragment stone discovered at Tivoli (near Rome) in A.D. 1764 contains
>>an inscription in honor of a Roman official who, it states, was twice
>>a Governor of Syria and Phoenicia during the reign of Augustus. The name
>>of the official is not on the fragment, but more than likely, based on the
>>accomplishments listed, is Quirinius. (paraphrased, John MacArthur)
Kevin W. Woodruff, M. Div.
Library Director/Reference Librarian
Professor of New Testament Greek
Cierpke Memorial Library
Tennessee Temple University/Temple Baptist Seminary
1815 Union Ave.
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37404
United States of America
423/493-4252 (office)
423/698-9447 (home)
423/493-4497 (FAX)
Cierpke@prodigy.net (preferred)
kwoodruf@utkux.utcc.utk.edu (alternate)
http://pages.prodigy.net/cierpke/woodruff.htm


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