<p>2:2 <i>This census first took place when Quirinius was governor of Syria</i>- Maybe Mary grasped the relevance of Ps. 87:6 LXX to the fact she gave birth to Messiah during a census: &ldquo;In the census of the peoples, this one Messiah will be born there&rdquo;. The relevance of this verse to the Lord&rsquo;s birth may explain why Luke says that the census of Quirinius was part of a census of the whole world, which wasn&rsquo;t strictly true. But as all historians do, he presents the facts within the framework of his wider intentions and themes.</p>