At this chapter and verse (while the Zachariah and Elizabeth story continued) step number two in the beginning of the Gospel story takes place. The Angel Gabriel appears to a young woman named Mary at her home in Nazareth. He has come to announce to her the part that she will play in God’s plan.
Luke 1:
26) And in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to Nazareth, a city of Galilee,
27) to a virgin espoused to a man named Joseph, he was descended from the house of King David; her name was Mary.
28) The angel appeared to her, and announced, ‘Hello, Highly Favored One! The Lord is with you, and among all other women – you are blessed.’
29) When she saw him and heard what he said it troubled her. It made her wonder if she were losing her mind.
30) Gabriel said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Mary: you have found favor with God.
31) Listen –you are going to conceive and bear a son – you will call him JESUS.
32) He shall be great, and be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God will present Him with the throne of his forefather, King David:
33) And He will reign as Royalty over the House of Jacob forever -His rule and His Kingdom will never end.’
Mary’s response was not one of complete faith and acceptance – but of total unbelief. Luke 1:34.
“How can this be true (supernatural, angelic appearances aside)? I have never been with a man!”
So . . . step number two in the beginning of the Gospel story . . . and again Gabriel is met by someone who (at least at the outset) was without faith.
A rocky beginning – Gabriel is 0 for 2.
Mother Mary.
What a wonderful person, and I believe she was the very first Christian. The first person among the human race to believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Yet her first step on the Gospel Road was without faith.
No problem.
Luke (a physician, remember) was very deliberate in his description of Mary as a virgin.
Liberal theologians and outright pagans have proposed that possible meanings of the word parthenos (Luke’s word for virgin) are young woman or maiden.
Yes, these are other possible meanings, or possible translations of that word.
But coupled with Mary’s statement: “I have never intimately known a man!” little doubt is left about what the scriptures are conveying. Mary was a virgin. She had never had sexual relations with a man.
Mary was young, but her mother had taught her the facts of life. A woman required the contribution of a man in order to create a pregnancy. What Gabriel was saying must be incorrect, because a part of the equation was definitely missing.
What Gabriel was suggesting was something about which Mary had never heard.
So it was very sensible and logical (a girl . . . who would have thought?) for her to respond without faith.
Did this cause a hitch in God’s plan?
Not in the slightest.
And . . . Gabriel did not choose to chasten young Mary with muteness, or leprosy, or a plague . . .
As a matter of fact he set up a date for her to meet with her pregnant Aunt – Elizabeth.
Elizabeth. “You know, Mary . . . your older, childless Aunt? Yes, that one.
She is going to have a baby, too.
Does that help, Mary?”
Read the rest of Luke 1.
Mary goes to visit Elizabeth and when they meet (though her Aunt had no knowledge that her young Niece was expecting) the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaps for joy.
“Mary, when you entered the room my unborn son leapt for joy at your presence. You are blessedly carrying the Savior of the World!”
Mary’s faith was growing . . . her first step was without faith . . . but she would soon be filled with all of the faith that was required for the first Christmas.
