The quick despatch he made of affairs of importance, rendered him a very fit man for such an affair as this census in Syria and Judea.

Moreover there is nothing in the history that we have of Cyrenius, which is any way inconsistent with his coming into Judea about this time; but divers particulars, which render it very probable he might be employed in this work.

Cyrenius was consul of Rome, A. Ú. 742. He might therefore very well be sent upon the expedition against the Homonadenses in the year U. C. 747, or possibly, in 746. It was a piece of prudent advice, which Maecenas gave▾ Augustus, never to bestow a provincial government upon the senators, or other great men, till some time after they laid down their city magistracy: which advice Augustus followed, and appointed the space of five years' interval between their serving any public office in the city, and receiving another in the provinces."

X

As Cyrenius's expedition against the fore-mentioned people was his first action after his consulship, he might very probably be employed in it, A. U. 747. Archbishop Usher thinks he was then proconsul of Cilicia. Cardinal Noris thinks it more likely, that he was not then the ordinary governor of Cilicia, but that he was sent upon this expedition with extraordinary power. However, the learned men that embrace this solution suppose, that having finished this war, he might be sent into Syria and Judea to perform the census there, in the latter end of the year of Rome 747; or, as others, in 748, or 749. About which time the census or enrolment, which St. Luke speaks of, must have been made; for Herod died in the year 750, or 751.

Cyrenius was not appointed governor to Caius Cæsar till the year U. C. 755. Cardinal Noris infers this from the words of Tacitus above cited; datus rector Caio Cæsari Armeniam obtinenti. It is evidently a mistake of those Nihil ad veterem et patriciam Sulpiciorum familiam Quirinius pertinuit, ortus apud municipium Lanuvium: sed impiger militiæ, et acribus ministeriis consulatum sub Divo Augusto; mox, expugnatis per Ciliciam Homonadensium castellis, insignia triumphi adeptus; datusque rector Caio Cæsari Armeniam obtinenti, Tiberium quoque Rhodi agentem coluerat. Tacit. Ann. 1. iii. c. 48. Quirinio-destinata quondam uxor L. Cæsari, ac Divo Augusto nurus, dederetur. Id. ibid. c. 23. De hac re vid. etiam Sueton. Tib. c. 49. et de victoriâ in Homonadenses partà, Strabon. 1. xii. p. 854. Dio, lib. 52. p. 479. fin.

W

Μηδένα προ πεντε ετών

μETA TO EV TY Toλεi apžαi kλŋprolaι Id. 1. liii. p. 505. C. Auctor et aliarum rerum fuit. In queis-ne magistratus deposito mitterentur. Sueton. Aug. c. 36. Chr.

› Cenotaph. Pis.

honore statim in provincias * Vid. Ann. A. 5. ante ær. Diss. ii. p. 319.

learned men who have thought, that Cyrenius was governor to Caius, when he first went into the east. It is certain, that M. Lollius was then his governor. And Cyrenius was not put into that post, till after the death of Lollius," which seems to have happened some time in the year of Rome 755. Besides, it is certain from Josephus, that Caius was at Rome after the death of Herod, and therefore was not yet set out for the east; for he was one of those whom Augustus called to the council he held after Herod's death about confirming his last will.a

Cyrenius therefore seems to have been at leisure for this work; and from the whole of his story and character, so far as it is come down to us from the Greek and Roman authors, no man appears more likely to have been employed

in it.

This solution has one advantage above most of those above mentioned, in that it is here allowed, that this survey was performed by Cyrenius, in which all the ancient christian writers agree, except Tertullian; who in one place (but the only place in which he has named the chief officer concerned in it) ascribes it to Saturninus. And we are much obliged to these learned men, for tracing the history of Cyrenius, and thereby removing, in part at least, the objections against this supposition, which has been the current opinion of christians.

;

There is, however, one difficulty attending this solution I mean the sense in which these learned men understand Cyrenius's government or presidentship. I do not at all contest the validity of their argument, that the title of yeμwv may be given to one who is not properly president. But since Cyrenius certainly was afterwards the ordinary governor of Syria, it is not easy to understand this title in St. Luke in a loose and general way and I can never persuade myself, that St. Luke intended no more than the power and authority of making a census in Syria. If Cyrenius had never been president of Syria, perhaps their instances had been to the point; but now I think they are not. Besides, according to the way in which these learned men generally interpret St. Luke, yeμovevovтos, &c. is here the genitive case absolute, or governed by en understood: either of which does as fully express Cyrenius's being president of Syria, as any form of expression can do.

Joseph Scaliger seems to have interpreted these words somewhat differently from other learned men, who embrace

* Velleius, 1. ii. c. 102. Suet. Tib. c. 13. Noris. ubi supra, p. 317.

b

6

this solution. He takes them thus: This description was the first under Cyrenius, president of Syria.' I put his words in the margin, that the reader may judge whether I misunderstand him. But still this interpretation is liable to the objection last mentioned; for it is implied in it, that Cyrenius was president of Syria, at the time of both these

surveys.

66

V. There is yet another interpretation, which these words are capable of, and which has for some time appeared to me the genuine meaning of them. "This was the first assessment of Cyrenius, governor of Syria." The natural order of the words is this: Αυτη εγενετο ἡ πρώτη απογραφη ήν το σο There are innumerable instances of a construction parallel with this here, of Αυτη η απογραφη πρωτη Matt. xxii. 38. Αυτή εστι πρώτη και μεγαλη εντολη “ This is the first and great commandment," Mark xii. 30. Avтη пρwτη evtoàn Numb. ii. 32. Αυτη επίσκεψις των υίων Ισραηλ· "These are those which were numbered of the children of Israel." I put an instance or two more into the margin. It is easy for the reader to observe, these instances are parallel with the words before us ; the particle ή or ai follows αύτη or αὗται, aud precedes the substantive.

Εγενετο is not here facta est, I presume I need not give any common meaning of this verb.

αυτή.

was made,' but fuit,' was.' proofs that this is a very

The distant situation of εγενετο in St. Luke from αύτη, need not create any scruple. In some examples the verb substantive is quite wanting, as in Mark xii. 30, Numb. i. 44. Sometimes EOT is expressed, and follows immediately after avrn. But it is found in all kinds of positions in passages parallel with this of St. Luke. I give one instance, which answers the construction of this verse in every respect, Rev. xix. 9, οὗτοι οἱ λογοι αληθινοι εισι τε Θερ "These are the true sayings of God." And another instance fromd Plato of eyeveTo itself, in a situation exactly parallel with this in St. Luke. Ἡ δε ἡ τελευτη, ω Εχεκρατες, το ἑταιρε ημιν εγενετο, ανδρος, ὡς ἡμεῖς φαιμεν αν, των τοτε ών επειράθημεν αριστε, και αλλως φρονιμωτατε και δικαιοτατα. This, O Eche

• Ideo S. Lucas non contentus est dicere, Αυτη απογραφη εγενετο ἡγεμονευοντος της Συρίας Κυρηνιs. Sed quum duas απογραφας sciret fuisse, addidit, πρωτη αυτή ἡ απογραφη εγενετο πρωτη. Certe, si est pwrn, ergo quædam fuit devrepa; et sane Tng devrepas meminit, idem, Act. v. 37. Atque ita distinguendum esse nemo dubitare potest. Scaliger. Animadv. in Chron. Euseb. ad A. 2016. • Numb. i. 44. Αυτη ή επισκεψις ήν επεσκέψατο Μωϋσης. cap. iii. 1. Και αυται αἱ γενέσεις Ααρων, ν. 2. και ταύτα τα ονόματα των υίων Aapwv vid. c. iv. 31, 37. Deut. vi. 1. et alibi. d Phædo. fin.

'crates, was the end of our friend; and, as we say, the best, 'wisest, and justest man that ever we knew.'

If it be objected, that it must be this census, or this first census was made, and not this was the first census; because there is no noun substantive preceding avτn, by which it can be governed: I answer, that, as I interpret the words, avτŋ is governed by the απογραφη that follows, or by an απογραφή understood. And this is the case of many other passages, which yet must be construed, as I do St. Luke.

Let us proceed. When St. Luke calls Cyrenius“ governor of Syria," I understand the words in the strict and proper sense. Ἡγεμονεύοντος της Συρίας is not the genitive case absolute, or governed by E understood, and to be construed, "Cyrenius being governor of Syria,” or “ when Cyrenius was governor of Syria;" but it is governed by aToypaon. They do not express any time at all: but this is Cyrenius's title, the title by which he was well known in that part of the world: as we say, Antony the triumvir, or Cato the censor, to distinguish them from others of the same names. 'HYEμOVEVOVTOS, &c. is with me the same thing, as if St. Luke had said, ἡγεμονος της Συρίας, Κυρηνιε.

It is certain, that Greek authors delight very much in the use of participles; and I think more especially when they speak of titles and dignities. Thus Cicero, in Dio, says: We expect that our prætors and consuls should follow the 'laws of reason and justice.' The same historian says: The three brothers, the Antonies, had all of them some 'office in the city at one and the same time; Marcus was 'consul, Lucius tribune, and Caius prætor.'

These participles seem to me to be sometimes substantives, or at least, to be used substantively. I believe all are sensible that apxwv is so used. Some of those other titles of offices or dignities expressed by participles, seem to me to be very near, or altogether parallel with it.

But let yeμoveVOVTOS be a mere participle; only then it will be said, if it be governed by anoypaon, it ought to have been ἡγεμονεύσαντος. - Το this I answer, that undoubtedly

• Ezek. xlviii. v. 1, Και ταύτα τα ονόματα των φύλων. ν. 29, 30, Αυτη ἡ γη, ήν βαλειτε εν κληρῳ ταις φυλαις τε Ισραηλ· και οὗτοι οἱ διαμερισμοι αυτ των- Και αυται αἱ διεκβολαι της πόλεως.

f

Τες μεν ςρατηγεντος της θ' ὑπατεύοντας παντα απ' ορθης της διανοιας Tolεiv užiwooμev Lib. xliii. p. 250. D.

8 Τρεις γαρ οἱ αδελφοι οἱ Αντωνιοι ουτοι οντες αρχας άμα παντες εσχον. Ὁ μεν γαρ Μαρκος ὑπατεύων ὁ δε Λεκιος δημαρχων· ὁ δε Γαΐος σρατηγών. Lib. xlv. p. 274. C. Δεκιανος Κατὸς ὁ της νησε επιτροπευων Dio, 1 Κετιῳ Γαλλῳ τῳ της Συρίας ήγεμονευοντι. Joseph. p. 907 υπο τε της χώρας ἡγεμονεύοντος δεθεις. Id p. 945. ν. 35.

lxii. p. 791. Α.
v. 12. Αυτος δε

k

Yeμоvevσavтos would have been very proper, but so is also YEμOVEVOVτos. It is no uncommon thing, for Greek authors to use the present tense for the first aorist. I give an instance or two that may fully justify my interpretation. Josephus says, And it is certain that Varus was of a royal family, since he was a descendant of Soemus, who was te'trarch of a country near mount Libanus.' Και ην όμοι λογεμένως ο Ουερος βασιλικό γενες εγγονος Σοεμε τε περι Λιβανον TETρарXTOS. Dionysius says, that the Latins were so called from Latinus, a king of that country. If any should say, it is improper to understand this participle as I do, because Cyrenius was not governor of Syria till after the time in which St. Luke's survey was made, I add one example more, which must fully obviate this exception. Herodian says, That to Marcus the emperor were born several daughters' and two sons.” Τῳ βασιλεύοντι Μαρκῳ θυγατέρες μεν εγενοντο πλειες αῤῥενες δε δυο, Yet several of those children were born to him before he was emperor. This instance shows plainly, that these participles do not always import only the time when men are in office.

hope this is sufficient to show, that yeμovevoVTOS is the same as ἡγεμονος, at least that it is governed by απογραφή. The supposing EμOVEVOVTOS, T. σ. K. to be the genitive absolute, or governed by e, as it has given occasion for the objection we are now upon, so it seems to have carried most learned men off from the right way of solving it.

I apprehend I have now justified my interpretation of every part of this verse: "This was the first assessment (or survey) of Cyrenius, the governor of Syria, or of Cyrenius, who was governor of Syria.'

But if any choose rather to take Scaliger's method as to the first part of the verse, I shall not contend about that, provided my sense of the latter part be admitted. Then the interpretation will stand thus: this survey was the first [survey] of Cyrenius the governor of Syria.

Nor can I see any reason why all those who follow Beza, and suppose that this survey was made by Cyrenius, as well as that made after Archelaus's removal, should not receive this interpretation. When they come to show, why this is called by St. Luke the first survey, though indeed they have not translated the place as I do," they unavoid

¡ P. 909. v. 20. k Ονομα δε κοινον οἱ συμπαντες ουτοι Λατινοι εκλήθησαν επ' ανδρος δυναστεύοντος των τοπων Λατινέ. Antiq. R. lib. ii. p. 76. v. 24. Lib. i. init.

m

Denique dicitur hæc descriptio Towrn, ut distinguatur ab aliâ, de quâ Act. v. 37. quam Josephus et Eusebius literis consignârunt, et sub Cyrenio