ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις : the days of Herod (Luke 1:5), and of the events related in the previous chapter: the birth of John, etc. δόγμα (δοκέω) = δεδογμένον, an opinion as of philosophers; here a decree, as in Acts 17:7. ἀπογράφεσθαι (here and in Hebrews 12:23): the decree concerned enrolment or registration of the population (the verb might be either middle or passive enrol itself, or be enrolled; the latter the more probable). For what purpose taxation, or general statistical objects not indicated, and not to be taken for granted as in the rendering “taxed” in A. V [20], but the former most probably intended. The hypothesis that the registration had reference to statistics meets objections 1 and 2, because Augustus did make or complete a descriptio orbis of that sort, and such a census would give no offence to the Jews or their king. Vide Hahn, ad loc. The Greek word for taxing is ἀποτίμησις. πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην : the whole habitable world, orbis terrarum = the Roman empire, not merely the provinces (Italy excluded), or Palestine, as has been suggested in an apologetic interest to get rid of the difficulties connected with a universal census. The usual meaning of the phrase, and the reference to Augustus as the source of the order, favour the larger sense. Augustus reigned from 30 B.C. to 14 A.D.

[20] Authorised Version.

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Old Testament