LUKE 1:26-29. REJOICE, YOU HIGHLY FAVORED ONE!
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.
"Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth"(v. 26). "In the sixth month" ties Mary's story to that of Elizabeth, for whom "this is the sixth month" of pregnancy with the baby who will be known as John the Baptist (v. 36). John will be born six months before Jesus, and will be the forerunner of Jesus-the one who prepares the way for Jesus by calling Israel to repentance and baptism (3:1-18). The angel Gabriel is the same angel who announced the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah, Elizabeth's husband (1:19)-another connection between the two stories.
The story of the annunciation (announcement) by the angel to Zechariah (1:5-25) immediately precedes this story of the annunciation by the angel to Mary. The Zechariah story is like the annunciation to Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 18:1-15) in that both couples were old, beyond childbearing age, and both Zechariah and Sarah doubted. The Zechariah story is like the annunciation to Mary in that neither Elizabeth (Zechariah's wife) nor Mary is a likely candidate for motherhood. Elizabeth is too old, so John's birth will require a miracle. Mary is a virgin, so Jesus' birth will require an even greater miracle.
The angel's appearance to Mary in Nazareth contrasts starkly with the same angel's earlier appearance to Zechariah. The appearance to Zechariah took place in the Jerusalem temple, where Zechariah was serving as a priest-i.e., to a holy man in a holy place. The appearance to Mary takes place in Nazareth, an inconsequential town far removed from the Jerusalem and the temple. It involves Mary, a young woman of no standing or apparent consequence.
"to a virgin (parthenos-maiden, unmarried daughter, virgin) pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David" (v. 27a). This brief mention is all the billing that Joseph receives here-remarkable given that Jesus will trace his lineage to David through Joseph. However, in this Gospel, Mary has the lead and Joseph is only a supporting actor-much different than the Gospel of Matthew, which begins with a lengthy genealogy of Joseph (1:1-16) and recounts Joseph's intent to dismiss Mary quietly for her pregnancy, a decision that he reverses at the angel's behest (1:18-25).
The Greek word parthenos clearly means virgin or maiden-an unmarried chaste woman.
"The virgin's name was Mary" (v. 27b). It is remarkable that, in this patriarchal society, Mary is front-and-center in this story. Girls are often betrothed at a very young age, so it is almost certain that Mary is in her teens-possibly in her early teens. Young women are expected to be seen, but not heard. It is a man's world, and Mary is neither a man nor married to a man (although her betrothal to Joseph is binding and can be dissolved only by divorce). She is still quite young and living with her parents, but expecting to be married within the year.
"Rejoice, you highly favored one!" (v. 28a). In the original Greek, the words are, "Chaire kecharitomene!" Note the alliteration-Chaire kecharitomene (pronounced CAR-eh Ke-CAR-i-toe-MEN-eh). Say it aloud a few times and experience the lovely sound, a grace note that no translation can convey.
"The Lord is with you" (v. 28b). While Luke does not cite scripture, as Matthew does, the angel's promise reminds us of God's words to Moses at the burning bush, "I will be with you" (Exodus 3:12)-and the angel who said to Gideon, "Yahweh is with you" (Judges 6:12)-and the Lord's assurance to Jeremiah, "Don't be afraid because of them; for I am with you to deliver you" (Jeremiah 1:8),
"But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be" (v. 29). Mary must be perplexed as much by the appearance of the angel/messenger as by his words. In her not-very-large town, she would not often see a strange man, much less have him appear unexpectedly and address her directly. Does Gabriel look like a man or an angel? What does an angel look like?
Mary is further perplexed by Gabriel's words-chaire kecharitomene-"Rejoice, you highly favored one!" Keep in mind that Mary is a female in a world that prizes males-an almost-child in a world that reveres age and wisdom-a nobody in a nowhere town. God has not prepared her for the appearance of the angel, but instead sends the angel to prepare her for an even greater surprise. "Chaire kecharitomene!" "Rejoice, you highly favored one!" Mary must wonder whom the angel is addressing. Luke says that she ponders what sort of greeting this might be (v. 29). No doubt! We can see the wheels turning! What in the world is happening!
LUKE 1:30-33. BEHOLD, YOU WILL BRING FORTH A SON
30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
"Don't be afraid, Mary" (v. 30). Zechariah was afraid of his angel (1:12), and these words suggest that Mary is afraid too. Shortly, we will see terrified shepherds in the presence of their angel (2:9-10). Fear is appropriate in God's presence, but God is merciful to those who fear him, as Mary will remind us in her Magnificat (1:50).
"for you have found favor with God" (v. 30). In the preceding story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Luke tells of that couple's religious virtue (1:6-7, 13), but we have none of that here. Nothing is said of Mary's faith or character-nothing that helps us to understand why God chose her. But, as we have seen with Abram, Isaac, and especially Jacob and David, God chooses whom God chooses. God told Moses "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion" (Romans 9:15; Exodus 33:19b). God is free to choose. God is free to act.
Mary is not chosen because she deserves favor, but is favored because she has been chosen. As Mary will say in response to the angel's announcement, God brings down the powerful from their throne, and lifts up the lowly (1:52). As Jesus will later say, in God's realm the last will be first and the first will be last (13:30).
"Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and give birth to a son, and will call his name Jesus"(Iesous) (v. 31). Iesous means savior and is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Joshua which means "The Lord saves" or "Salvation comes from the Lord."
"He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High" (v. 32a). Luke several times uses the phrase, Most High, to refer to God (1:76; Acts 7:48; 16:17), so Son of the Most High equates to Son of God, a name that that Luke also uses several times for Jesus (1:35; 22:70; Acts 9:20). The devil will use the name, Son of God, in his attempt to tempt Jesus (4:3, 9).
"The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom" (vv. 32b-33). The phrase, "house of Jacob," refers to the nation Israel (Exodus 19:3; Isaiah 2:5-6; 8:17; 10:20; 14:1; 48:1)
This is a fulfillment of the promise that God made to David, who wanted to build a temple for God. God forbade him to build the temple, but said, "Yahweh will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever" (2 Samuel 7:11-13). Knowing that David's son, Solomon, built a temple, we might assume that the promised offspring who "shall build a house" refers to Solomon. However, the full promise was not to be found in Solomon but in Jesus. Solomon built a temple that stood for a few years, but the Christ will build "a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1).
God could have chosen the temple in Jerusalem as the site for this announcement, but did not. Nazareth is a smaller and more ordinary town located far from the temple, and is tainted by the pagan religions that surround it. God chooses a lowly person in a lowly place to contrast with the glory of the Son of the Most High, who will "reign over the house of Jacob forever" (v. 33).
All this is Good News, of course. God is making provision for the salvation of his people. The Good News is that God has a place and plan for every person-even the ordinary person-especially the ordinary person. God calls Mary to be mother of the Lord, but calls every mother to raise her child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
In most cases, we are acutely aware of the ordinariness of our lives. In many cases, our work for God seems less-than-ordinary-handing out church bulletins, driving for a youth group retreat, preparing for a potluck dinner. In some cases, our calling seems higher-teaching a Sunday school class or singing in the choir-but the kids are unruly or someone sings off key and we wonder why we bother. The reality is that each task, low or high, fits into God's scheme-of-things in ways that we cannot yet understand. It matters less that we execute our tasks with expertise than that we approach them with devotion. God desires, not the skill of our hands, but the love of our hearts. The person who has only the ability to love God and neighbor is all-important in God's economy.
But we must also acknowledge that favor with God is a two-edged sword. God offers mercy but no life of ease. For Mary, God's favor didn't bring prosperity or comfort. Instead, she conceived a child before she was married, fled to Egypt to escape Herod's murderous plan (Matthew 2:13ff), and saw her son die on a cross.
LUKE 1:34-35. THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL OVERSHADOW YOU
34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" 35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy-the Son of God.
"How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?" (andra ou ginosko) (v. 34). The word used in verse 27 isparthenos, which means maiden or virgin. Now Mary says that she has not known a man. The verb, "know" is often used in the Bible to refer to sexual relations (Genesis 4:1). Mary is saying that she has not had sexual relations with a man.
Mary's question is natural, very much like Zechariah's "How can I be sure of this?" (1:18). However, the angel struck Zechariah mute, but answers Mary's question. The difference seems to be twofold. First, Zechariah expressed doubt while Mary expresses only confusion. Second, Zechariah asked for a sign-tangible proof that the angel was telling the truth-while Mary simply asks for an explanation.
"The Holy Spirit will come on (eperchomai epi) you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow(Greek: episkiazo) you" (v. 35). This raises the issue of the virgin birth, which has generated a great deal of controversy:
LUKE 1:36-37. EVERYTHING SPOKEN BY GOD IS POSSIBLE
36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God."
"Behold, Elizabeth, your relative (sungenis), also has conceived a son in her old age" (v. 36). The old woman, Elizabeth (1:7), is a relative of the young woman, Mary. We do not know the exact nature of the relationship. The Greek word sungenis is a combination of sun or syn (with) and genos (offspring, family). The KJV uses the word "cousin" in this verse, but that is far more specific than sungenis would suggest. Given the difference in ages between elderly Elizabeth and young Mary, aunt and niece would be more likely.
The irony is that Zechariah, who asked for a sign, was punished (1:20), while Mary, who does not ask for a sign, gets one. If she wants to know whether God can make it possible for her to bear a son, she need only to look to her kinswoman Elizabeth's swelling belly for confirmation. If God can spark new life in old woman, God can surely do the same in a young virgin.
"For everything spoken by God is possible" (v. 37) (hoti ouk adynatesei para tou theou pan rhema-literally, "For nothing will be impossible with the word spoken by God.").
Again, Luke adopts Old Testament language. When the Lord announced the impending birth of Isaac, Sarah laughed. The Lord responded by saying, "Is anything too wonderful for Yahweh?" (Genesis 18:14-see also Jesus' comment at Luke 18:27). This is truly Gospel-Good News for those of us who find ourselves in impossible situations. We talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place. We know how it feels to be in an untenable situation with no exit-trapped. However, as we walk with the Lord, no situation is beyond redemption.
LUKE 1:38. BE IT TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD
38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
"Behold, the handmaid of the Lord" (Idou he kyriou doule-"I am the Lord's servant") (v. 38). Mary does not require confirmation, but instead steps out in faith. Raymond Brown says that Mary's response qualifies her as Jesus' first disciple (Brown, 254).
The NRSV says, "Here am I," but I don't find that phrase in the Greek of this verse.
"be it to me according to your word" (v. 38). "This... sentence may contain a wordplay. 1:37 said that no thing-literally 'word' (rhema)-was impossible for God. Now Mary says, 'May it be according to your word' (rhema)" (Strawn, 290).
Mary's Magnificat (1:46-55) expresses her humility and her sense of joy at being chosen by God for a significant role in salvation history. The New Testament provides only fleeting glances at Mary as the story progresses. Hers won't be a comfortable journey. On one occasion she and her other sons will find themselves standing on the outside seeking to see Jesus, and he seems to refuse their overture (Luke 8:19-21). She will witness Jesus' death on a cross (John 19:25-27). But never is there a hint of complaint from her lips. Never will she try to escape her calling. She models the kind of faithfulness that all of us will do well to emulate.
"The angel departed from her" (v. 38). Just imagine the jumble of thoughts that must be going through Mary's head when her dramatic encounter with the angel ends as suddenly as it began. Her head must be spinning as she tries to grasp all that has happened to her in the last minute or two.
Bible.org Luke 1:26-38 Commentary - Kraft
We're going to study today the woman who is called "blessed among women,"--Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was just a young teenager in an unimportant town called Nazareth, in the hills of Galilee. She came from a poor but honorable family. Her family were descendants of Israel's greatest king, David. She'd been carefully trained in the Scriptures and knew great portions of them by heart. She knew that God had promised to send the Messiah, One who would rescue her people Israel and be their king. For four hundred years, God had been silent. No new Scripture was written; no prophets had spoken.
Every Jewish girl prayed to be the mother of this Messiah. Mary loved God and wanted to serve him with all of her heart. But she was just a poor girl in an insignificant town, from a humble family, with no great expectations that her life was going to be any different from her mother's or from that of the other women in her town. In her day a girl was betrothed when she reached puberty and it usually was a year before she was married. Mary was betrothed to Joseph. They would be married within a year and she was spending this last year in her home learning how to be a good Jewish wife and mother. Joseph was a carpenter, hard-working and responsible. He was a kind man, and the more Mary knew him the more she appreciated his sensitivity and his gentleness toward her. Life would be good with Joseph. She was so glad that her parents had made such a good match for her.
One day as Mary was just going around doing her tasks, she was surprised by an unusual visitor. I want you, as we do it, to try to put yourself in her place. This is hard to do, but just think of what was happening to her and how you would have felt. I'm going to start at v. 26 of Luke 1 (through v. 33, NIV).
vv. 26-28: In the sixth month [that means in Elizabeth's sixth month of pregnancy], God sent the angel Gabriel [There are only two angels named in Scripture: Gabriel and Michael. He sent the angel Gabriel] to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
vv. 29-33: Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
There are a couple of things. The words, "Greetings, you who are highly favored," in the Latin, is "Ave Maria." That's where you get the song. "Gratia plena" means "full of grace." That is not what it says here. It says, "You who are highly favored." The word "favor" is the word "grace," and what we are being taught here is that she was a recipient of grace, not a source of grace. This is very important. The distinction is very important.
When the angel began to speak, she was terrified, as we all would have been. He quickly calmed her fears, and in a few short sentences revealed her future. She, Mary, was to be the mother of the Messiah! He would be the Son of God, the Son of David, ruling an eternal kingdom from David's throne. All of the promises of the Old Testament concerning this coming one were mentioned in the angel's words. His name would be "Jesus."
v. 34: Her purity and her innocence are clearly revealed in her next words. Notice what she said (v. 34): "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" I think this is one of the strongest evidences for Mary's virginity, because I think if she weren't a virgin, she would be terrified to lie to an angel, don't you think? Imagine saying to an angel, "I'm a virgin," when she knew she really wasn't. And this, from her own mouth comes the evidence, "I'm a virgin. I'm not married! I've not had any sexual relationship! How can this be?" She wasn't doubting it, like Zechariah did earlier. What she was asking for was the method: how?
The angel's answer had to stretch her faith, because it was certainly something she could not have understood. Look what he says in v. 35-37:
vv. 35-37: The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
v. 38: It didn't matter if she could understand it. She believed that God was able to do what he said he would do, and that was enough. We get great insight into Mary's heart and character from her response to this revelation. Look at v. 38. If you ever want to know exactly what Mary, the mother of Jesus, was, this verse will tell you. "'I am the Lord's servant.... May it be to me as you have said.'"
Now, the word "servant": there are several in the Bible. This one is the lowest form of servanthood. This is a bondslave-a "doule." She says, "I am the Lord's slave. Let it be to me as you have said." What do we see here about her attitude? Humility? Total submission to the will of God! Now listen: this didn't just happen at this moment. All of a sudden the angel comes and tells her this and she says, "Oh yeah, well, I'm the Lord's ...." No, no, no! This was the pattern of her life. This was a young teenager, probably twelve or thirteen, and she could have this kind of relationship with God! What a remarkable young girl--she was willing to serve God at any cost, and cost there would be! She wondered how she could explain anything so strange to her mother; to Joseph. Would they believe her?
