Κυρήνιος
Quirinius
Definition
Κυρήνιος (Quirinius) is the name of Publius Sulpicius Quirinius, a Roman senator and military leader who served as governor of the Roman province of Syria. His primary biblical significance stems from Luke 2:2, which references a census or registration he administered: 'This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.' This census is connected to the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. While historical records of his governorship are complex and debated by scholars, the Gospel writer uses his name to anchor the nativity narrative within a specific historical and political context of Roman rule.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Luke 2:2. It is used in a historical, explanatory context to specify the time period of a major Roman census. The usage is purely referential, identifying a known Roman official to provide a chronological marker for the narrative of Jesus's birth.
Etymology
Κυρήνιος is a Greek proper noun, a Hellenized form of the Latin name 'Quirinius'. It is not derived from other Greek roots but is a direct transliteration/adaptation of the Roman name into Greek, which was common practice for recording the names of Roman officials in the New Testament era.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not theologically loaded, its inclusion is theologically significant. It demonstrates the Gospel writer's concern for historical accuracy, showing that God's salvation in Jesus Christ entered into real, documented human history under Roman authority. It highlights the fulfillment of prophecy (e.g., Micah 5:2) within the framework of a global empire, emphasizing that Jesus's birth was a public event in a specific time and place, not a mythological tale.
In the 1st-century cultural context, mentioning a Roman governor like Quirinius immediately signaled Roman imperial power and administration. The census he conducted (Luke 2:1-3) was a tangible expression of that power, involving taxation and military conscription. For Jewish readers, this underscored a context of foreign occupation and submission, making the birth of a promised Jewish Messiah within this system profoundly meaningful.
ἡγεμών (hēgemōn, G2232) — A broader Greek term for a leader, governor, or ruler; Quirinius is a specific ἡγεμών.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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