In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
Comment: For years skeptics said that this census was a fake because there was no historical evidence of Quirinius. This is not true. Quirinius was real. There is still argument about this census with people arguing that Luke, claiming to be historically correct has got things a bit mixed up. I fancy that Luke was much closer time-wise to the situation than many skeptics of today are (including some theologians) living 2000 years later are. A Jewish historian, sympathetic to Christians, but not as I understand the records a Christian, wrote about this event as true. I believe that it is true and that history might eventually sort out a few dates which aren’t mentioned in the scripture narrative. It is pretty certain historically that it was Herod the Great who had the babies murdered. It is historically correct that Quirinius was alive and involved in Judean political affairs about this time. An alternative translation of this event mentioned in the ESV is that ‘This was the registration before Quirinius was Governor.’ It is certainly true that Quirinius was a ‘Governor’ in Syria and there is a serious but not proven suggestion that Quirinius had been sent by Rome earlier and had ordered a census for tax reasons!
Joseph and the now large with child Mary lived in Nazareth of Galilee and the prophetic word of the Old Testament in Micah stated that he would be born in insignificant little Bethlehem! King David had been born in the Bethlehem area and for some reason (not known to me) the census required the people of Judea to return to the area of the their family name! Thus they set out and as we will see soon arrived on time for the delivery. But the lady readers and the fathers who have had their wives suffer through the later weeks of pregnancy will remember the abdominal discomfort, backaches, and baby kicking that were endured by pregnant persons! I’m sure that Mary’s ride to Bethlehem would not these days be considered ‘first class’, but she arrived safely and on time to enter the delivery suite of the Bethlehem Hospital!
Genesis 3: 16 – To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children.
Prayer: We don’t know why Adam and Eve chose to refused to walk in Your Way. But we do know that in spite of all that You do for us we have much for which we need to repent and to look to Your gracious forgiveness.
As I read it! 