Luke 1:34-38 34And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I do not know a man?” 35And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and therefore, the child who will be born will be called the holy the Son of God. 36And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age, she has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37For no matter will be impossible with God.” 38And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
The parallels continue between Zechariah (verse 18) and Mary with her response to Gabriel’s announcement. The angel’s response to each of them is different, implying that there was something different in each of their questions. Mary’s question was not one of doubt but of mechanism. On the surface, it seems unbelievable because without a husband (male), it would be impossible for her to bear a child. The verb know in her response in verse 34 has the sense of knowing intimately through sexual intercourse. The word for man (andra) can also mean “husband.” Mary’s question assumes her sexual purity and personal integrity because she knows she and Joseph have not been together. Gabriel knows this as well, and so answers Mary’s question of how this will all take place.
What seems impossible to Mary would be made possible through God’s powerful presence. Jesus would bit be conceived by human agency but by the Holy Spirit who would come upon Mary. The only other person to be born like this was Adam (see 3:38). The Holy Spirit would overshadow (episkiasei) Mary in the same way that God’s presence came upon the Tabernacle in Exodus 40:35. Luke gives a special emphasis to the Holy Spirit in his writing because of frequent repetition throughout his Gospel and Acts. Gabriel repeats the idea of Jesus being the Son of God but in more explicit terms, replacing “Most High” with God. The child will be holy because of his divinity. Gabriel next connects Mary’s situation to Elizabeth’s. Two miracles were taking place at the same time, both involving the birth of sons through impossible situations. Elizabeth was old and barren but able to conceive through God’s help. Mary was young and would be able to conceive also through God’s help.
Verse 37 gives the significant theological basis for the upcoming event: nothing is impossible for God. When God is at work, anything can be accomplished according to his plan and purpose. The births of John and Jesus are unique in all of history, but the idea that God does what seems impossible can be experienced in every person’s life. The requirement is simple faith. Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed for many years for a son, and when it seemed impossible, the answer came. Mary was righteous before God and had not compromised to sexual temptation even though betrothed to Joseph. In her purity, God saw someone who would make a good mother for Jesus. Her response was simple faith.
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