The Announcement of Christ’s Impending Birth to Mary

Luke 1:26-38

I John 5:6 stresses that the best proofs that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and Savior of the world are seen in his physical birth and his death, proving that he is God in the flesh, and that he is human. “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.” I John 5:8 declares that three things, the physical birth, the physical death, and the actions of the Holy Spirit are the earthly testimony of who he is. “And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”

One evidence that He is the Messiah is given in Isaiah 7;14. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Many today translate the Greek word parthenos as a young woman, but as Mary herself states, in her case, it meant more than that. The word used in Isaiah means specifically a woman or girl who has had no sexual experience. If Mary were not in fact a virgin, then Jesus could not fulfill the prophecy, and could not be the Messiah. To be born of just a young woman would be meaningless as a sign, as babies are born to young women every second of the day. To be born of a virgin, however, would be miraculous. Even modern science requires a complex surgical procedure to approximate it.

Numerous times it was prophesied that Christ would be of the house of David and sit on his throne. Isaiah 9:6-7 is one such reference. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

Jeremiah 23:5 makes a very similar statement. “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” To Qualify as Messiah, Jesus had to meet this requirement. Because Joseph was descended from David, he would be recognized by the people as being qualified, even though joseph were not his father.

“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.” (Luke 1:26-29)

Gabriel’s greeting to Mary was unusual, and left her wondering what was going on, but it definitely caught her attention. Even more surprising was his prophecy of her pregnancy and of the son she would bear, that he would be a king and that he would be called the son of God.

“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” (Luke 1:30-33)

Knowing that there was no way she could be pregnant since she was still a virgin, Mary did not question what the angel said, but she did ask how it was going to happen. As the angel explained it, the Holy spirit would implant the sperm, Making the child truly the son of God. He then referred to the pregnancy of Elizabeth at her age as evidence that God could do what he said.

“Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:34-37)

Unlike Zacharias, Mary accepted the angel’s prophecy, believing and yielding to God’s will in her life. She demanded no special sign to convince her of the angel’s message.

“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:38)