Thoughts for the Day

Luke 1:34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

This is a pivotal question on which we will spend two days.  And there is something curious about it.

Gabriel tells Mary she will give birth to a son and name him Jesus (a good Jewish name).  There is nothing extraordinary about that.  Gabriel continues, “He will be great … called the Son of the Most High and given David’s throne”. Now that’s extraordinary.  “… and reign for ever, his kingdom will never end”.  And that’s beyond extraordinary; after this double emphasis on such a mind-stretching statement, it is not surprising that she interjects a question.  And it isn’t a doubting “How can it be?”  Instead, it is a believing but amazed “How will this be?”

But the curious thing is that Luke records this additional “since I am a virgin”.  This addition seems to reduce all the amazement of Mary’s “How will this be?” to a simple question of mechanics and timing. But surely Mary understands the mechanics of conception, and Gabriel has made no reference to timing.  What’s going on?  My guess is that Luke’s addition was either shorthand for “since I’m a virgin pledged to be married to Joseph” (which he has already stated) or to emphasise Mary’s virginity ahead of what is about to come … or (cleverly) both! Her question then may have been less about the mechanics and more about her lowly status to have such an exalted child.  She might instead have phrased it, “You do know Joseph is just a carpenter, don’t you?”

Yet as it turns out, the mechanics of conception are at the heart of it, and her question primes us for the bombshell answer.  “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you”.  This is not to be an ordinary pregnancy!  Gabriel refers to Elizabeth’s miracle pregnancy as an illustration that “Nothing is impossible with God”, but that’s almost certainly news to Mary too … something to be checked out shortly afterwards.  More immediately, as the awareness that this will not be Joseph’s child hits home, surely too must come a realisation of her vulnerability.  How will he, and others, react?  But instead of spiralling into some dangerous “What if?” thinking, she answers: “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled”.  That took some courage!