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The skeptic's confusion:
Before 4 BCE.
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king.” Matthew 2:1
“There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his
wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.” Luke 1:5
Herod the Great died in 4 BCE.
Wikipedia: Herod the Great
After 6 CE.
“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)” Luke 2:1
Quirinius became governer of Syria in 6 CE, ten years after king Herod's death.
Wikipedia: Quirinius
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Explanation:
First and foremost, Wikipedia is not a reliable source for information(it can be edited by anyone). If the skeptic can come
up with a dependable source, then I will proceed with the query.
Nevertheless, Castulo Martinez has provided an answer:
"Cyrenius (whose full name was Publius Sulpicius Quirinus) is
mentioned in Luke 2:2 as being Governor of Syria when the census was conducted that sent Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem,
at which time Jesus was born. However, historical records indicate that Cyrenius was made Governor in Syria in the year A.D. 6 and it was therefore claimed that
Luke had a mistake in the statement contained in Luke 2:2, or else some corruption had entered the text. The Governor of Syria
at the birth of Christ was said to have been Sentius Saturnius. Further investigation, however, has indicated that Luke was
correct, and that Cyrenius was probably twice Governor of Syria, and 'by very striking and satisfactory arguments', the date
of his first appointment is given as from B.C. 4 to A.D. 1. (See Unger's Bible Dictionary)"
'For further reading, you can consult Werner Keller's "The Bible as History", 1975, p. 330.'
Cástulo Martínez
a Bible believer and a translator.
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