Christmas Scriptures #3: Jesus’ birth foretold to Mary
By Elizabeth Prata
I like this version of the Annunciation, or announcement, to Mary by Gabriel. The painting hangs in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and they explain, “Tanner created an unconventional image of the moment when the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear the Son of God. Mary is shown as an adolescent dressed in rumpled Middle Eastern peasant clothing, without a halo or other holy attributes. Gabriel appears only as a shaft of light.”
JESUS’ BIRTH FORETOLD Luke 1:26-38, Legacy Standard Bible
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called 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 coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. 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 name Him Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of His kingdom.”
34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35
The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.
36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren.
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
38 And Mary said, “Behold, the slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
What an incredible conversation! Mary received so much good news. First, she was told that she was favored. This was from an angel messenger, so the compliment came from God!
She was told she was going to have a baby, and further, that it would be a son. In those days, having a baby was everything, and having a son was necessary for carrying on the lineage. So this was also good news.
Third, the baby she was prophesied to have would be called Son of the Most High! I don’t know of Mary put it all together right then, that the baby would be the sacrificial Lamb who would take away sin of the world, probably not, since she later pondered all these things in her heart, but it was amazing news on its surface. Something BIG was happening, and it was happening to her.
And her cousin Elizabeth was also experiencing a miracle, she who was called barren was pregnant in her old age!
Though she no doubt felt confusion (she asked ‘how this may be, since I am a virgin’) and perhaps fear (the angel said to fear not) Mary humbly capitulated to God’s message, saying,
“Behold, the slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary simply says of that verse,
Marvellous faith in such circumstances!
While not idolizing Mary, her humble submission is a lesson to us all. Hannah More, an English evangelist who lived 1745 – 1833, said
When we read of Christian martyrs — we imagine that we could be one. When we come to act — we cannot even bear a provoking word.
Mary’s acceptance of God’s will for her life was astonishing under the circumstances, which could have been dire. Having a baby out of wedlock as a betrothed wife was adultery, a stoning offense. Joseph even thought to divorce Mary (but was told not to by an angel in a dream). I too, wonder how I would act if God’s will for me was martyrdom, but if the temperature gets below my comfort level by one degree, I grouse about it. Some martyr I’d be! The Hannah More comment above applies to me for sure.
May we honor Mary for her faith and her submission, and may we all take a lesson from that pivotal Christmas moment that no matter how the circumstances look at the moment, that we trust God, our Master who cares for us.
