tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818703174963694504.post6059668285770890029..comments2024-03-09T04:00:18.309-06:00Comments on Know Thyself: Census of Quirinius II: QuestionsKeith Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10679244684706964812noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818703174963694504.post-72851479705229707942018-09-17T12:26:32.962-05:002018-09-17T12:26:32.962-05:00Could it have been that Joseph was from Bethlehem ...Could it have been that Joseph was from Bethlehem while Mary was from Galilee, but Joseph was working and living in Galilee as a temporary worker? Hence when the census took place, Joseph would have to return home to be counted, but he took Mary with him. Mary also seems to have had family in Judea (Zachariah and Elizabeth), so moving to Judea would not have been out of the question for them. From Matthew, it seems that they lived several years in Bethlehem before departing to Egypt and then returning to Galilee.Robert Ferronoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818703174963694504.post-4202144281056300252015-10-31T20:07:26.054-05:002015-10-31T20:07:26.054-05:00Hi Keith,
I want to more clearly state that the Ro...Hi Keith,<br />I want to more clearly state that the Roman census on 8 BCE is historically known to have been only for Roman citizens, but Luke nonetheless referred to it in his Gospel. For example, I said that it "would not have moved Joseph and Mary."<br /><br />Per my suspicion of interpolation, the only thing I know for sure is that the verse is parenthetical and if I correctly recall it is the only parenthetical verse in Luke. That by itself is not clear evidence of interpolation, but that puts it on my candidate list.James Goetzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02412501436355228925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818703174963694504.post-16182091532398812582015-10-30T08:01:56.149-05:002015-10-30T08:01:56.149-05:00James,
Thanks for the comment. In general, I don...James, <br />Thanks for the comment. In general, I don't buy in to proposals of interpolations without significant evidence. In this case I find no positive evidence for an interpolation, and see no reason why someone would want to add such a sentence which has caused so many problems for biblical interpreters. <br /><br />I also find an argument about a Roman census imposed during the reign of Herod the Great highly problematic given the fact that there is also no positive evidence for such a census imposed on this Roman client king in any other sources. <br />Keith Reichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10679244684706964812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818703174963694504.post-41304650359542106642015-10-28T19:15:24.479-05:002015-10-28T19:15:24.479-05:00Hi Keith, I suspect that Luke 2:2 is an interpolat...Hi Keith, I suspect that Luke 2:2 is an interpolation. It seems out of place to me. And many people tend to skip it while reading Luke's Christmas story because it is awkward. That said, I think Luke referred to the Roman census of 8 BCE that would not have moved Joseph and Mary, but he decided to use that anyway for reasons I am still considering. Peace, JimJames Goetzhttp://theoperspectives.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com