Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem to be what?

Answer 1

In Luke's Gospel, Nazareth in Galilee was the home town of Mary and Joseph. Augustus Caesar called a census of the entire empire for tax purposes. This occurred during the time Quirinius was governor of Syria and, according to Luke, Joseph had to go with Mary to Bethlehem, the town of his ancestor, David.

Scholars have found numerous problems with this explanation. There was never a census of the entire empire undertaken during the time of Augustus Caesar. Quirinius was governor of Syria on only one occasion, from the year 6 CE, yet Luke also says that Jesus was born during the reign of King Herod, who died ten years earlier. It would make no sense for Joseph to go to Bethlehem if he was going to be taxed in Galilee. It would make no sense for a census to involve either Galilee or Judea, since they formed part of the autonomous kingdom ruled by King Herod, and he was responsible for collecting his own taxes on any basis he chose - Rome would not have interfered. Raymond E. Brown (An Introduction to the New Testament) says that the best explanation is that, although Luke likes to set his Christian drama in the context of well-known events from antiquity, sometimes he does so inaccurately.

On the other hand Matthew's Gospel tells us that Bethlehem was already the home town of Mary and Joseph, and there is no mention of them travelling from Nazareth to Bethlehem. However, they did flee to Egypt until the death of Herod. On their return were warned in a dream of further dangers in Bethlehem, so turned aside and travelled to Nazareth instead.

Considering the scholarly concerns and the evidence of Matthew's Gospel, it is unlikely that Mary and Joseph did go to Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus.

Answer 2

Taxed or registered, as was required by the authorities.