Commentary - Luke 1:26-38

Bird's-eye view

In this passage, the curtain of heaven is pulled back, and we witness the inbreaking of the kingdom of God into the ordinary world. This is the Annunciation, the announcement that changes everything. God, in His sovereign good pleasure, sends His chief messenger, Gabriel, not to the temple in Jerusalem, not to a palace, but to a dusty town in Galilee called Nazareth. The recipient is not a queen or a priest's wife of high standing, but a young virgin girl named Mary. The central message is the fulfillment of God's ancient covenant promises. The Son of God is to be conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and He will take up the throne of His father David to reign forever. This is not a spiritual metaphor; it is the announcement of a literal King and a literal, historical, and everlasting kingdom. The passage shows us the nature of God's grace, Mary's exemplary faith, and the absolute power of God to accomplish His purposes, for whom nothing is impossible.

Outline

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,

The timing here is precise. "In the sixth month" refers to the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy. God's salvation plan is not a series of disconnected events; it is a meticulously ordered history. The story of John the Baptist and the story of Jesus are woven together from the very beginning. The messenger is Gabriel, the same angel who appeared to Daniel and to Zacharias. He is "sent from God," emphasizing that this is a divine initiative from start to finish. God is the one acting. And where does He act? Not in the center of religious or political power, Jerusalem, but in Galilee, a region looked down upon by the Judean elite. And not just Galilee, but Nazareth, a town so insignificant it is never mentioned in the Old Testament. God's method is to bring the most glorious things out of the most despised places, so that no man may boast.

v. 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.

The recipient is a "virgin." This is not incidental; it is central to the whole plan. The prophet Isaiah had foretold that a virgin would conceive and bear a son (Is. 7:14). This is the fulfillment. She was "betrothed" to Joseph, a legal status as binding as marriage. And notice the critical detail: Joseph was "of the house of David." This secures the legal claim of Jesus to the Davidic throne. Through his adoptive father, Jesus is the rightful heir. The virgin's name was Mary, or Mariam, a common name. She was an ordinary girl in an ordinary town, about to be caught up in the most extraordinary event in human history.

v. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

The angel's greeting is packed with theological weight. "Greetings, favored one" is a translation of a single Greek word, kecharitomene. It means one who has been graced, or one who is the recipient of grace. It is crucial to understand this as Protestants. Mary is not the source of grace; she is the object of God's unmerited favor. This is not a statement about her inherent qualities, but about God's sovereign choice. "The Lord is with you" is a common biblical blessing, but here it takes on a profound new meaning. The Lord will not just be with her in spirit; He will be with her in her womb.

v. 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was.

Mary's reaction is not one of fear, but of deep perplexity. She is a thoughtful young woman. She doesn't just react; she ponders. She is troubled not by the angel's appearance, but by his words. "What kind of greeting is this?" She understands that these are not empty pleasantries. This is a formal, weighty announcement, and she is trying to process its implications. Her humility keeps her from assuming such a high honor for herself.

v. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Gabriel's first command is the standard angelic opening line: "Do not be afraid." Whenever the supernatural breaks into the natural, fear is the default human response. He then repeats the core of his greeting, but in simpler terms. You are "highly favored" because you have "found favor with God." Again, the emphasis is on God's action. She did not earn this favor; she found it. It was bestowed upon her by God's free choice.

v. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.

Here is the heart of the announcement. "Behold" signals that something astonishing is about to be said. The promise is direct and physical: "you will conceive in your womb and bear a son." This is not a vision or a spiritual metaphor. And He is to be named Jesus, which is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning "Yahweh saves." His name is His mission statement. He is coming to save His people from their sins.

v. 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,

The child's identity is laid out in a series of majestic titles. He will be "great," not just a local hero but great in an ultimate sense. He will be called the "Son of the Most High," a clear declaration of His divinity. And then comes the bombshell promise that connects this moment to centuries of Old Testament hope: "the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David." This is the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant from 2 Samuel 7. This is not a spiritual throne in our hearts. It is the throne. It is a promise of a real, historical, political, and cultural reign over the entire world. Jesus is born to be a King.

v. 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of His kingdom.”

This kingdom will be eternal and ever-expanding. He will reign over the "house of Jacob," which is the covenant people of God, Israel, which has now been expanded to include all who are in Christ, Jew and Gentile. And His kingdom will have "no end." This is a direct echo of Isaiah 9:7. This is the great postmillennial promise. The kingdom of Christ was established at His first coming, and it is destined to grow and fill the entire earth until all His enemies are made His footstool. This is not a kingdom that is waiting to start; it is a kingdom that is currently advancing.

v. 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

Mary's question is often contrasted with Zacharias's question in the previous chapter, but they are worlds apart. Zacharias asked for a sign out of unbelief ("How shall I know this?"). Mary asks for information out of faith ("How will this be?"). She believes the promise; she just doesn't understand the biological mechanics. Her question is practical and logical. She is a virgin. Conception requires a man. How is God going to accomplish this? This is a question of faith seeking understanding, not of doubt seeking proof.

v. 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.

The answer is a direct, creative act of God. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you." The word for "overshadow" is the same used for the Shekinah glory cloud that covered the Tabernacle in the Old Testament. This is a holy moment, a divine conception. God Himself is creating the humanity of His Son in Mary's womb. Because of this unique, miraculous conception, the child is set apart. He is "holy." He does not inherit the sin nature of Adam that is passed down through all human fathers. This is why the virgin birth is a non-negotiable doctrine. And "for that reason," because of this divine origin, He will be called the "Son of God." His sonship is not just a title; it is His nature.

v. 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.

God, in His kindness, provides Mary with a confirming sign. He doesn't give her this sign because her faith was weak, but as an encouragement to her faith. He points her to her relative, Elizabeth. The one "who was called barren" is now six months pregnant. God is anchoring this new, greater miracle in a previous, lesser miracle. He is showing Mary that He is already at work, doing impossible things in her own family.

v. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

This is the foundational principle upon which all of God's promises rest. It is the answer to every "how can this be?" A barren womb, a virgin womb, a dead tomb, none of these are obstacles for the God who spoke the universe into existence out of nothing. This is the bedrock of Christian faith. If this is true, then we can take God at His word, no matter how staggering the promise.

v. 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.

Here we see one of the most courageous statements of faith in all of Scripture. Mary calls herself the "slave of the Lord." The Greek word is doulē, a female slave. This is not a declaration of worthlessness, but a declaration of total surrender and allegiance. She is placing her life, her reputation, her future, her body, everything, entirely at God's disposal. She knew this would require a hard conversation with Joseph and could lead to public shame. But her response is simple submission: "may it be done to me according to your word." This is the essence of true faith. It hears the word of God and says "Amen." With her consent given, the transaction is complete, and the angel departs.