Cyrenius: The Grecized form of Quirinus. His full name was Publius Sulpicius
Quirinus. Recent historical investigation has proved that Quirinus
was governor of Cilicia, which was annexed to Syria at the time of
our Lord's birth. Cilicia, which he ruled, being a province of Syria,
he is called the governor, which he was de jure, of Syria. Some ten
years afterwards he was appointed governor of Syria for the second
time. During his tenure of office, at the time of our Lord's birth
(Luke 2:2) a "taxing" (R.V., "enrolment;" i.e., a registration) of the
people was "first made;" i.e., was made for the first time under his
government.
