Caesar Augustus. He's overlooked in Nativity plays: he hardly appears to be a key figure, and there are so many other important characters that it's easy to forget his role. After all, what did he do except to issue a decree that all those in the known world should be registered?
But it was that very decree that forced Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem where Mary gave birth to Jesus, thus fulfilling one of the prophecies about his birth:
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting. Micah 5:2, NKJV.
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. Luke 2:1, NKJV
Despite this, I somehow don't think he's going to feature in any future plays.
But it was that very decree that forced Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem where Mary gave birth to Jesus, thus fulfilling one of the prophecies about his birth:
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting. Micah 5:2, NKJV.
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. Luke 2:1, NKJV
Despite this, I somehow don't think he's going to feature in any future plays.
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