Although we often read this familiar passage at Christmas time, we can quickly move past the historical significance of the setting with the first Roman Emperor–Caesar Augustus–because we want to get to the birth story about Jesus. However, the given name of this initial Emperor of the Roman Empire was Octavian, and he was the nephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar. The Roman Republic came to an end in 31 BC, following Octavian’s total defeat of his challengers, Marc Antony, and Cleopatra of Egypt, at the great naval battle of Actium in the same year. The Senate in Rome voted to dissolve itself, and they installed Octavian as the sole Roman leader for life. He took the throne name, Caesar Augustus, and single-handedly established one of the greatest Empires in world history. By many modern historical accounts, this man may have been the greatest monarch who ever lived because of his military prowess, his benevolence, and his wisdom as a ruler. He decreed that a census be taken of all people living in the Roman empire. It was under this decree that the greatest person who ever lived was born, Jesus!
Historically, a young Jewish couple living in Nazareth, in the Roman Province of Judea, were confronted with a dilemma. Even though the young wife was expecting her first child at any moment, Caesar’s decree required them to travel to Bethlehem in southern Judea. Caesar Augustus’ pronouncement impacted people all around the Roman Empire, but none more uniquely than Mary and Joseph. Since Joseph’s ancestral home was Bethlehem, 7 miles southeast of Jerusalem, they were forced to leave Nazareth and travel to that small Judean village. This was all related to the census Augustus had ordered. Chuck Swindoll once said, “Caesar Augustus thought he was pretty hot stuff issuing that decree from his throne in Rome. In reality, he was nothing more than a wisp of lint on God’s prophetic calendar.” God was orchestrating all human history to perfectly fulfill His plan for redemption. Jesus needed to be born in Bethlehem!
As you contemplate the profoundness of the birth of Jesus, write your response to these questions for our devotion this week.
- Why did Caesar Augustus demand this census throughout the Roman Empire? What was his purpose?
- Consider the 80-mile trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem in the Biblical period. How did Mary and Joseph probably make that trip? Note any support you might discover.
- Why did Jesus have to be born in Bethlehem, instead of Nazareth?
Comments are closed