The Birth of Jesus Foretold, Luke 1:26-38
Luke 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel1 was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth2, 27 to a virgin3 [a]engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the [b]descendants4 of David; and the virgin’s name was [c]Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, [d]favored one! The Lord [e]is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed5 at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid6, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus7. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High8; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David9; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever10, and His kingdom11 will have no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How [f]can this be, since I [g]am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit12 will come upon you, and the power of the Most High8 will overshadow you; and for that reason the [h]holy Child13 shall be called the Son of God14. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and [i]she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For [j]nothing will be impossible15 with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the [k]bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Footnotes (Luke):
- Luke 1:27 Or betrothed; i.e. the first stage of marriage in Jewish culture, usually lasting for a year before the wedding night. More legal than engagement
- Luke 1:27 Lit house
- Luke 1:27 Gr Mariam; i.e. Heb Miriam; so throughout Luke
- Luke 1:28 Or woman richly blessed
- Luke 1:28 Or be
- Luke 1:34 Lit will
- Luke 1:34 Lit know no man
- Luke 1:35 Lit the holy thing begotten
- Luke 1:36 Lit this is the sixth month to her who
- Luke 1:37 Lit not any word
- Luke 1:38 I.e. female slave
Commentary
Luke begins this portion of his story in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, and highlights immediately that Mary was a virgin. This is a critical point because it fulfills prophecy in Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 7:14, and Jeremiah 31:22. Also, as we reviewed in the genealogy, there was a curse on the line of Jeconiah, of which Joseph was a descendant, and the whole of mankind was known to be born with a sin nature, from which Jesus was exempt because He was fathered by the Holy Spirit. Finally, the union of two people creates a new person, whereas Jesus, already a being, was incarnated, rather than created, at the time of conception. Verses 32 and 33 are also a fulfillment of prophecy in 2 Samuel 7:13-16 and Isaiah 9:6-7, where God promises to establish David’s throne forever (Nelson’s KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1265-1266).
I was wondering about Mary’s question to the angel in verse 34, since I just finished reading about Zechariah questioning the birth of John and being rendered mute because of his disbelief. Nelson’s KJV Bible Commentary contends that, when taken in context with verse 38, we can infer that Mary was asking a legitimate logistical question while willingly submitting to the will of God. Submission in verse 38 would have been no easy concession, either, because getting pregnant would have meant that, at approximately 12-15 years old, she would be ostracized by family and friends, divorced by Joseph, and shamed for the rest of her life (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1764). I also personally think that her query in verse 34 could have been inspired by the Holy Spirit because it opens the door for Gabriel to explain the work of the Holy Spirit creating a “holy thing” inside her, free from even her sin nature. This is an important inclusion in the inspired Word of God, and it helps Bible readers understand more about the Trinity through this story.
Luke 1:35 also got me thinking about the phrase “for that reason”, sometimes translated “therefore”. Reflecting back on the creation story and other preincarnate appearances of Jesus, He did not seem have the role of son, just an equal being in the trinity of God. Knowing that men were always referred to by their lineage on Earth (the same way we now have last names that refer to our fathers) and because man needed to be able to attribute a father to every person, Gabriel tells Mary that Jesus will be called the Son of God, since he has no earthly father. That’s THE reason the incarnate Christ Jesus is called the Son of God. This, in my opinion, is how he came to be thought of as “God with us”, since those on earth called him God’s Son. But even though he was given the title of Son on the earth, He is equally God and always has been.
See the next post here https://onthepath.online/2018/12/22/mary-visits-elizabeth/
Scriptural References
Ge 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
Ge 18:14 Is anything too difficult15 for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
2 Sa 7:12 When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant9 after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne9 of his kingdom11 forever. 14 I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom11 shall endure before Me forever; your throne9 shall be established forever.”’”
Ps 89:36 “His descendants shall endure forever11 And his throne as the sun before Me. 37 “It shall be established foreve11r like the moon, And the witness in the sky is faithful.” Selah
Is 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin3 will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Is 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David9 and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
Jer 31:22 “How long will you go here and there, O faithless daughter? For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth— A woman will encompass a man.”
Jer 32:17 ‘Ah Lord [a]God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult15 for You,
Da 2:44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever11.
Da 7:14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed11.
Da 7:18 But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever11, for all ages to come.’
Da 7:27 Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom11, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’
10Mt 1:1 The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Mt 1:16 Jacob was the father of Joseph4 the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together3 she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit12.
Mt 1:25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus7.
Mt 2:23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene2.”
Mt 4:3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God14, command that these stones become bread.”
Mt 12:46 While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother3 and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him.
Mt 14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid6.”
Mt 19:26 And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible15, but with God all things are possible.”
Mt 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority11 has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Mk 1:24 saying, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One13 of God!”
Mk 5:7 and shouting with a loud voice, he *said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High8 God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!”
Lk 1:12 Zacharias was troubled5 when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid6, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.
Lk 1:19 The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel1, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
Lk 1:76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High8; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways;
Lk 2:4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David4,
Lk 2:21 And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus7, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
Lk 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High8; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
Jn 1:34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God14.”
Jn 1:49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God14; You are the King of Israel.”
Jn 20:31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God14; and that believing you may have life in His name.
Ac 7:48 However, the Most High8 does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:
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