Luke 2:5

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An Exegetical Inquiry into the Verbal Aspect of ἀπογράφεσθαι in Luke 2:1

This exegetical study of An Exegetical Inquiry into the Verbal Aspect of ἀπογράφεσθαι in Luke 2:1 is based on a b-greek discussion, echoing frequent queries regarding verbal morphology. The initial query concerned the grammatical appropriateness of the form ἀπογραφασθαι (aorist middle infinitive) in a particular context, with an expectation for ἀπογραφεσθαι (present middle infinitive).

The main exegetical issue at hand revolves around the choice between the aorist and present tenses for the middle infinitive of the verb ἀπογράφω (to register, enroll) in New Testament Greek, particularly as exemplified in Luke 2:1. This distinction is crucial for understanding the nuanced aspect of the action being described. The aorist aspect typically presents an action as a simple, undivided event, often viewed as completed, while the present aspect portrays an action as ongoing, in progress, or iterative. Furthermore, the middle voice indicates that the subject is either performing the action upon itself or for its own benefit, which carries significant implications for the understanding of agency and responsibility in the registration process.

Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐξῆλθεν δόγμα παρὰ Καίσαρος Αὐγούστου ἀπογράφεσθαι πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην. (Nestle 1904)

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• For Luke 2:1, the SBLGNT (2010) reads Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐξῆλθεν δόγμα παρὰ Καίσαρος Αὐγούστου ἀπογράφεσθαι πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην. There are no substantive differences in the verbal form ἀπογράφεσθαι between Nestle 1904 and SBLGNT 2010 for this particular verse, indicating strong textual agreement on the present middle infinitive.

Textual Criticism (NA28) and Lexical Notes (KITTEL, BDAG)

The textual tradition for Luke 2:1 is remarkably stable regarding the verb ἀπογράφεσθαι. The critical apparatus of the NA28, which represents the current scholarly consensus, shows no significant variants for this specific verbal form. This strong agreement across ancient manuscripts confirms the presence of the present middle infinitive, ἀπογράφεσθαι, as the original reading.

Lexically, the verb ἀπογράφω (apographō) carries the primary meaning of “to enroll, register, or list.” The middle voice, ἀπογράφεσθαι, specifically means “to have oneself enrolled/registered” or “to register for oneself.”

• BDAG (Bauer, Danker, Arndt, Gingrich): Defines ἀπογράφω as “to enter in a register, enroll, register.” In the middle voice, as in Luke 2:1, it signifies “to have oneself registered, register for oneself, be enrolled.” It notes the administrative context of a census or taxation, which aligns perfectly with the Roman decree mentioned in Luke 2:1. The present infinitive here highlights the process of registration rather than a single, instantaneous act.
• KITTEL (TDNT – Theological Dictionary of the New Testament): The article on γράφω and its compounds, including ἀπογράφω, emphasizes its use in official records, lists, and especially Roman censuses. It underscores the governmental authority behind such decrees and the societal impact of mandatory registration. The choice of the middle voice in Luke 2:1 (“all the inhabited earth to register themselves“) points to the active participation (even if coerced) of the populace in this imperial mandate. The ongoing aspect of the present infinitive would suggest that the registration was an administrative process that would unfold over a period, rather than a single command for a completed action.

Translation Variants with Grammatical & Rhetorical Analysis

The distinction between the present infinitive ἀπογράφεσθαι and an aorist infinitive ἀπογράψασθαι (which the original query anticipated) is critical for interpreting the aspect of the command. The chosen present infinitive ἀπογράφεσθαι (Luke 2:1) conveys an ongoing, durative, or process-oriented action. Caesar Augustus’s decree was not for a single, instantaneous registration, but for a process of enrollment to take place throughout the empire.

• Grammatical Aspect: The present infinitive denotes imperfective aspect, focusing on the action in its progress or as a continuous state, without reference to its beginning or end. It implies that the “registration” was a policy or an event that would unfold over time, requiring people to participate in the process. Had an aorist infinitive (ἀπογράψασθαι) been used, it would have presented the act of registration as a simple, punctiliar event, a singular act of completion, which might not accurately reflect the logistical reality of a Roman census.
• Voice (Middle): The middle voice ἀπογράφεσθαι is crucial. It means “to have oneself registered” or “to register for oneself.” The people were not passively “being registered” (passive voice) but were actively, though perhaps obligatorily, participating in their own enrollment. This reflects the administrative reality where individuals would present themselves for registration.
• Rhetorical Impact: The combination of the present aspect and the middle voice emphasizes the scope and impact of the decree: it was a pervasive process that directly involved the populace throughout the entire “inhabited world.” It establishes the historical context of Jesus’s birth within a major imperial administrative event.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

The consistent textual evidence for ἀπογράφεσθαι in Luke 2:1, combined with its grammatical implications of a present middle infinitive, indicates a command for an ongoing process of self-registration. The nuance is not merely about an event happening, but about people actively engaging in the act of being enrolled over a period of time, under the authority of Caesar Augustus. The question posed in the original post highlights a valid grammatical distinction, but for Luke 2:1, the present infinitive is demonstrably correct and semantically appropriate.

1. “It happened in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus for all the inhabited world to be registered.”
   This translation emphasizes the ongoing nature of the registration as a general command or state, fitting the present infinitive and highlighting the imperial decree.
2. “It came about in those days that a decree was issued by Caesar Augustus, requiring the entire inhabited earth to enroll themselves.”
   This option stresses the active, self-participatory aspect of the middle voice, while maintaining the sense of an unfolding process inherent in the present infinitive.
3. “In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that the whole world should undergo a process of enrollment.”
   This rendering explicitly highlights the process-oriented nature of the present infinitive, providing a more interpretive but accurate reflection of the verbal aspect.

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