Count the numbers
- Thread starter Lanolin
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as i understand it:
Josephus's histories record the time of a census that appears to conflict with the timing of Luke's account on the surface, because the time of Quirinus's governorship is documented. but there were multiple censuses and at least five rulers named Herod -- and the word Luke uses to describe Quirinus's position at the time of the particular census doesn't actually mean 'governor' ((that would be 'legatus')) but could be any kind of authority ((Luke calls him 'hegemon'))
it's plausible that Quirinus was only in charge of the census at the time, not yet made governor of Syria, which would make Luke's account have no conflict with Josephus's history. Josephus would be talking about a census ~ 7AD, when Quirinius was governor, while Luke is speaking of a census that started ~ 7BC, when Quirinius was in a position of authority over the census but not the governor yet.
Josephus's histories record the time of a census that appears to conflict with the timing of Luke's account on the surface, because the time of Quirinus's governorship is documented. but there were multiple censuses and at least five rulers named Herod -- and the word Luke uses to describe Quirinus's position at the time of the particular census doesn't actually mean 'governor' ((that would be 'legatus')) but could be any kind of authority ((Luke calls him 'hegemon'))
it's plausible that Quirinus was only in charge of the census at the time, not yet made governor of Syria, which would make Luke's account have no conflict with Josephus's history. Josephus would be talking about a census ~ 7AD, when Quirinius was governor, while Luke is speaking of a census that started ~ 7BC, when Quirinius was in a position of authority over the census but not the governor yet.