Bible Word of the Day
Caesar (Roman Emperors Julius Caesar through Nero)
Meaning
The word Caesar refers not only to a specific Roman Emperor, but also to the position of Emperor as well. When people speak of Caesar they picture Julius Caesar, who lived from 100 BC to 44 BC. However the name Caesar also applied to the succession of Roman Emperors from the family of Julius Caesar. This would be all those emperors who were related to Julius Caesar, but took power after his death. Nero was the last emperor from the actual family line of Julius Caesar, however, some emperors continued to take the name Caesar after Nero’s death, since it became synonymous with the title of Emperor.
There are four Roman Emperors in the line of Julius Caesar alluded to in the New Testament, they include Octavian who was Caesar Augustus. He was the emperor who called for the census which brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. There was Tiberius Caesar who ruled during the time of Jesus ministry and was the Caesar, Jesus referred to when asked about paying taxes. Then there was Claudius Caesar who ruled during the time of Priscilla and Aquila, early in the Apostle Paul’s ministry. Then the final Caesar was Nero, whom Paul appealed to during his first imprisonment when the local procurator tried to send Paul back to Jerusalem where there was an ambush waiting to kill him.
“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.” (Gospel of Luke 2:1-5)
“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” (Gospel of Luke 3:1-3)
“And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.” (Acts 11:27-30)
“But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, ‘Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?’ So Paul said, ‘I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.’ Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go.” (Acts 25:9-12)