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WHEN WAS JESUS BORN?: M. M. NINAN<br />
indications pointing him as a co-ruler with the governor of Syria)<br />
alongside of Quintilius Varus who <strong>was</strong> not really trusted by the<br />
Emperor). His first reign began in 12 B.C. as co-legate (not as a<br />
full Governor), and, indeed, he ordered a census in 9 B.C. It is<br />
quite likely that Quirinius <strong>was</strong> placed in charge of the sensitive<br />
census in Judea during the time of Herod. Res Gestae<br />
Inscription and the Aemilius Secundus Inscription is said to<br />
confirm both the early census and the earlier co-reign of<br />
Quirinius.<br />
Tertullian, in his Adv. Marcionem, IV, 7, he says, "There is<br />
historical proof that at this very time censuses had been taken in<br />
Judaea by Sentius Saturninus respecting the family and descent<br />
of Christ." And he dated the census taken at the time of Christ's<br />
birth as 3/2BC.<br />
Josephus wrote:<br />
"Quirinius, a Roman senator who had gone through other<br />
magistracies, and had passed through them all until he had<br />
become consul, <strong>was</strong> appointed governor of Syria by Caesar and<br />
<strong>was</strong> given the task of assessing property there and in Judea."<br />
A linguistic interpretation of Luke 2.1 is that the verse should be<br />
translated 'BEFORE: the census of Quirinius' instead of the<br />
customary 'FIRST census of Quirinius' (see Nigel Turner,<br />
13