In the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius Caesar - Luke 3:1

Luke the physician wrote how Jesus, “went down with” His parents, “and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man”, and in chapter three and verse one of his book Luke shared about, “the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar” where we read:

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

The verse reads, “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, ...” Luke began with the words, “Now in the fifteenth year” or “moreover and during the fifteenth year” “of the reign of Tiberius Caesar” which means “pertaining to the rule, command or sovereignty of Tiberius which means from the Tiber which was the god-river, and Tiberius who was the second Roman emperor or Caesar. (Caesar means severed and was the surname of Julius Caesar which was adopted by Octavius Augustus and his successors and afterward became a title which was appropriated by the Roman emperors as part of their title), “Pontius” which means “of the seas” and was “the sixth Roman procurator of Judah who crucified Christ” Pilate” or “the sixth Roman procurator of Judah and Samaria who ordered Christ to be crucified and means armed with a spear” “being governor of Judaea” or “who was the leader, ruler, commander, proconsul and procurator of the southern portion of Palestine lying on this side of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Peraea and Idumaea which means he shall be praised”, “and Herod” whose name means “heroic” “being tetrarch of Galilee” or “was the governor of the tetrarchy of Galilee which means circuit and referred to the name of a region of northern Palestine, bounded on the north by Syria, on the west by Sidon, Tyre, Ptolemais and their territories and the promontory of Carmel, on the south by Samaria and on the east by the Jordan”. Luke referred to people who “ruled” at the beginning of John the Baptist's ministry which included the rule of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate and Herod who was the “tetrarch” or “ruler of a fourth part” in the area of “Galilee”.

The verse goes on to say, “... and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,” Luke continues with the words, “and his brother Philip” which means “and Herod's brother Philip which means lover of horses” “tetrarch of Ituraea” or “ruler of the fourth part in the area of Ituraea which means “past the limits” or “he will arrange” and was a mountainous region lying northeast of Palestine and west of Damascus” “and of the region of Trachonitis” which means “and pertaining to the space lying between two places or limits such as a rural region surrounding a city or village named Trachonitis which means “rugged region” and was a rough region that was inhabited by robbers and situated between Antilibanus on the west and on the east by the mountains of Batanaea and on the north by the territory of Damascus”, “and Lysanias” which means “that drives away sorrow” “the tetrarch of Abilene” which means “was the ruler of the fourth part which was Abilene whose name means grassy meadow (i.e. the district around Abila) and was a region of Syria between Lebanon and Hermon towards Phoenicia, 18 miles (29 km) from Damascus and 37 miles (60 km) from Heliopolis. Luke shared about “Philip and Lysanias” who ruled in the thirteenth year of Tiberias (A.D. 29), at the time when Herod Antipas was tetrarch of Galilee and when Herod's brother Philip was tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis”.

When think through Luke's words in this verse, we see how Luke wanted people to be certain about the timing of the next events which occurred in the story of Jesus. These five of six rulers mentioned in this verse, “Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Philip and Lysanius” were ruling during “A.D. 29) when John the Baptist began his ministry. The other leader or leaders will be mentioned in the next verse, but suffice it for now for us to know God desired for the readers of Luke's words to be certain about the timing of this next event. God's desire is to have people read His word, understand His plan of redemption and salvation from their sins and to believe and trust in His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Those who are diligent and look into the details of Jesus' coming will find more than enough information to yield their lives to Him and receive forgiveness for their sins so they may have a personal relationship with God.

Next time Luke shares how, “the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".