By Jim Barnette, Ph.D.
Samford University and Brookwood Baptist Church, Mountain Brook
Mary’s Trust
Luke 1:26–38
God in His initiative of divine grace chooses a young unmarried woman from an obscure village to be the mother of the Son of God. Mary’s response is that of a model believer. Phillips Brooks’ hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem” declares that “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” This is even more true of Mary, mother of our Lord. Our hopes and fears are all reflected in her trusting response to God’s mighty gift.
Rely on the presence and grace of God. (26–30)
The gospel witnesses and the ancient creeds confess that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin by the miraculous intervention of the Holy Spirit. In this way God made a new beginning in human history. God Himself originated a particular human life — Jesus of Nazareth — by a new act of creation. Our Savior did not arise out of the continuity of human history. Rather God came to the rescue by offering us His Son who stepped out of eternity and into our frail and desperate world. In a wonderfully related way a person becomes a Christian by the operation of the Holy Spirit in new birth. The same God who can create by a virgin birth can intervene in human life today by offering “whosoever” the chance to be spiritually reborn.
Nazareth was a small village of about 1,500 people in Jesus’ time. The village was located in the hill country of southern Galilee near the Valley of Jezreel. Why would God choose this obscure village, which was looked down upon by the people of Galilee (“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”) and which was of such low standing that it was not included in the lists of towns of Galilee? Because God uses the humble and lowly to do great things. As He did then He does so today with ordinary people doing unlikely acts for His glory.
Trust the plan of God. (31–34)
Gabriel told Mary to name her son “Yeshua.” The name “Jesus” comes from the Greek; but Mary would have heard Gabriel’s words in Aramaic. “Yeshua” means “God saves” or “God delivers.” Gabriel told Mary that her child would be “great.” One day her son would teach the disciples what that word meant when He said, “whoever wishes to be great among you, he will be your servant” (Matt. 20:26). Gabriel prophesied the Lord God will give Jesus the throne of His ancestor David and He will reign over Israel forever. The angel’s words echo the great covenant the Lord God made with David in 2 Samuel 7 where David is told his throne and kingdom would last for all time. The parallels between this Old Testament passage and Luke 1 indicate that Luke sees in the birth of Jesus the fulfillment of the hope that a descendant of David would someday arise, as promised in Genesis 49:10 and Isaiah 9:1–7.
Trust the power of God. (35–38)
Unlike the question of Zechariah in Luke 1:18, Mary’s question — “How can this be?” — carries no connotation of unbelief. Since Mary is only engaged to Joseph and is therefore still a virgin (v. 27), her question is a natural one. The angel explains that her pregnancy will result from the Holy Spirit, and for this reason her child will be called the Son of God. As evidence for this extraordinary promise Gabriel informs Mary of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. In response Mary offers her classic statement of trust: “I am the Lord’s servant! Let it happen as you have said.” Such are the words of faith and submission that all God’s people should voice.
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