Luke 2:2 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And this taxing, &c.— Dr. Lardner translates this verse, This was the first enrolment of Cyrenius, governor of Syria; which is also favoured by the Vulgate. Dr. Lardner supposes, that Cyrenius came, in the latter end of Herod's reign, to tax Judea by order of Augustus; and that it is called Cyrenius's first enrolment to distinguish it from that which he made after Archelaus was banished; and on the supposition of two enrolments made by Cyrenius, the distinction was proper, the latter being the most remarkable, as it gave rise to the sedition of Judas the Galilean. Dr. Lardner supposes further, that St. Luke gives Cyrenius the title of an office which he did not bear till afterwards—the governor of Syria; as we say Cato the censor, to distinguish him from others of the same name,—even in a period of his life before he obtained that office. The interpretation which Valerius, Prideaux, Bishop Chandler, and others have espoused, deserves likewise to be mentioned. It is as follows: Now this enrolment was first performed, or took effect, when Cyrenius was governor of Syria: so the word εγενετο is used in various passages. See ch. Luke 1:20. Matthew 5:18. The enrolment was made in Herod's time, but the taxation according to the enrolment not till Cyrenius was governor of Syria. Perizonius, Bos, Heylin, and others render the passage. This taxation was made before Cyrenius was governor of Syria. They suppose that πρωτη is used by St. Paul for προτερα; which sense it has sometimes. See ch. Luke 17:25.John 1:15; John 15:18. Some one or other of these interpretations must be espoused; the first appears to be most natural and judicious; for, as St. Luke affirms that Jesus was conceived in the days of Herod king of Judea, ch. Luke 1:5; Luke 1:26 by consequence, according to St. Luke himself, the enrolment under which he was born must have happened in Herod's reign, or soon after; whereas the taxation under Cyrenius did not happen till after Archelaus was banished: but Archelaus, according to Josephus, reigned ten years; it is evident therefore that St. Luke cannot be supposed to connect Cyrenius's government of Syria with the birth of Jesus, which he has fixed to the end of Herod's reign.