Divine Timing: Τιβέριος (Strong’s G5086: Tiberios) Marks Messiah’s Arrival

Strong’s G5086: A proper noun naming the Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar. Used by Luke to precisely date John the Baptist’s ministry and Jesus’ public appearance, demonstrating God’s sovereign timing in sending the Messiah during specific historical circumstances.

U- Unveiling the Word

Τιβέριος carries profound historical and theological significance in the New Testament. This name appears in Luke’s careful chronological statement marking the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry and, by extension, Jesus’ public ministry. The reference to Tiberius demonstrates Luke’s attention to historical detail and places the Gospel narrative firmly within world history. The early church recognized this precise dating as evidence of God’s sovereign timing in sending the Messiah during a specific historical moment. Today, it continues to remind believers that God works His purposes through concrete historical circumstances.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: Τιβέριος, Tiberios, /ti-BE-ree-os/
• Detailed pronunciation: tih-BEH-ree-ohs (emphasis on BE)
• Part of Speech: Proper Noun

Etymology:

• Latin name Tiberius
• Hellenized form with Greek ending -ος (-os)
• Originally connected to the Tiber River

D – Defining Meanings

• Tiberius Caesar
• Emperor Tiberius
• Caesar Augustus’ successor

For compound words:
Not a compound word, but a Hellenized form of a Latin name

Translation Options:

• “Tiberius” – Direct transliteration
• “Tiberius Caesar” – Full imperial title
• “Emperor Tiberius” – Clarifying role

E – Exploring Similar Words

• Καῖσαρ (Kaisar) /KAI-sar/ – Caesar, imperial title. See G2541
• Αὔγουστος (Augoustos) /ow-GOOS-tos/ – Augustus, previous emperor. See G828
• Σεβαστός (Sebastos) /se-bas-TOS/ – Augustus (as title). See G4575

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features as a Proper Noun:

• Case: Nominative/Genitive/Dative/Accusative
• Number: Singular
• Gender: Masculine
• Declension: Second

Case forms:

• Nominative: Τιβέριος
• Genitive: Τιβερίου
• Dative: Τιβερίῳ
• Accusative: Τιβέριον

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes Τιβέριος’s importance in establishing the historical context of Jesus’ ministry. Thayer’s notes the precision of Luke’s chronological reference. LSJ documents the name’s use in official documents and inscriptions. Vine’s highlights its significance in dating New Testament events. Strong’s connects it to Roman imperial history. Moulton and Milligan provide evidence of its use in administrative and legal texts. The synthesis reveals how this name serves as a precise historical marker, anchoring Gospel events in world history while demonstrating God’s sovereignty over human rulers.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of [Tiberius] [Τιβέριος] Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,” Luke 3:1

Additional References:
This is the only occurrence in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Τιβέριος appears at a crucial moment in Luke’s Gospel, marking the precise historical context of John’s ministry and Jesus’ public appearance. This reference proclaims the good news that King Jesus entered human history at God’s appointed time, demonstrating divine sovereignty over earthly rulers. It reminds us that God works His eternal purposes through temporal circumstances, using even pagan emperors to accomplish His plan of salvation.

D – Did You Know?

1. Tiberius was emperor during Jesus’ entire adult life and ministry.
2. The name’s appearance helps date Jesus’ ministry to around 28-29 AD.
3. Early Christian writers used this reference to defend Christianity’s historical foundations.

Strong’s G5086: A proper noun naming the Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar. Used by Luke to precisely date John the Baptist’s ministry and Jesus’ public appearance, demonstrating God’s sovereign timing in sending the Messiah during specific historical circumstances.

Part of speech: Proper Noun

Tags: history, emperor, Roman Empire, chronology, dating, Luke, government, authority, rulers, timing, sovereignty, historical context​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​