Posted on by wrote in Church History, General, History, Q & A.

Question:

Tertullian says that Sentius Saturninus was the governor of Judea at the birth of Jesus.  Is Tertullian correct, or is he wrong here?

Answer:

I believe that Tertullian is wrong here.  Saturninus ruled over Syria (and indirectly over Judea) from 9-7 BC, which is almost certainly too early for the birth of Jesus, which, more likely, happened in 4 BC.  But, considering that his statement came two hundred years later, Tertullian was not all that far off!

John Oakes

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