Luk 1:32-33 | KingComments | STEP | What is written in makes it clear that the Lord Jesus is true Man, for it is announced here that He will be born of a woman ( ). He is her Son. The name she must give Him shows that He is Yahweh . It has been told to Zacharias that Elizabeth will become pregnant and give birth to a son as the answer to their prayer. That makes it clear that God is faithful and proves His goodness to His people who are waiting for Him. What is said to Mary is an act of sovereign favor. She has found favor with God. She will become pregnant despite the fact that she is not married. She will give birth to a Son through a sovereign act of God. Just like the angel told Zacharias how to call his son, the angel tells Mary how to call her Son. His name will be “Jesus”, which means “ Yahweh is salvation”, or “ Yahweh is Savior”. The name “Jesus” was common in Israel, but Mary knows that her Son will fully live up to that Name. The angel continues to tell her more about this wonderful Son by explaining His Name. This shows that He is more than just true Man. In the first place He is really “great” like no other person is. He is great in Himself. This is different from John who is said to be great “in the sight of the Lord” ( ). No person can be compared to Him. We will see in this Gospel that He lives perfectly to God’s glory in everything He does and says. That makes a person really great. In His Person He is the “Son of the Most High”. This makes us aware of the fact that His position is also exalted above every conceivable power on earth. In that position the believers are also connected with Him, for in this very Gospel they are also called “sons of the Most High” ( ). In that position He will also sit on the throne of His father David that God will give Him. That will be His own throne. The Lord Jesus doesn’t yet sit down on His throne, but on the throne of His Father ( ). When He sits down on His own throne, He will reign over the house of Jacob, that is all Israel, the twelve tribes, and not only the house of Judah. The fact that Luke speaks of “Jacob” and not of “Israel” is reminiscent of the troubles God had with this people. Jacob is the name for the people in their weakness and often self-willed actions. The Lord Jesus will not reign in weakness and temporary with the passing power of a perishable life, as has been the case for every earthly ruler before Him. He will be King “forever”. He has no successor. His kingship, His reign, will have no end ( ) and will therefore never be taken over by another. Mary does not ask, as Zacharias did, for a sign, but for an explanation. Her question does not come from unbelief, but is according to the thoughts of God. That is why she gets an answer. In the case of Zacharias it was only about the exercise of the extraordinary power of God in the ordinary, natural course of events. Mary, however, does not ask if it will happen, but she asks with holy confidence how it will happen, because it must happen outside the ordinary, natural course of events. She is not in doubt about the fulfillment itself. This, by the way, shows the obviousness of no sexual intercourse before marriage. She can’t imagine how she will get pregnant anyway. In the answer she receives, we hear the revelation of God regarding the wonder of the conception of the Lord Jesus. We hear about the reality of the virginal birth and the completely supernatural character of Christ becoming Man. He will not be begotten by a man, but by God. The Man Christ Jesus shall be the Seed of the woman ( ), not of a man. Mary will become pregnant through the working of God the Holy Spirit Who will come over her like a shadow. This overshadowing means that the glory of God will come over her in a way which we see later on the mountain of glorification, when a cloud overshadows Peter, John and James ( ; cf. ). As a result, God is the Father of the Lord Jesus as Man and He is also called the Son of God as Man. He was not begotten by a sinful man as Joseph is as well, but by God. That is why He has a body that is as limited and weak as that of any other person, but without a sinful nature which makes it impossible for Him to sin. He Who is born is therefore “the holy Child”, Who is completely separated for God. He takes His place among men, but at the same time He is the totally other One. He is the sinless One, the righteous One.

‏ Luke 1:32-33

The Birth of Christ Announced

What is written in Lk 1:31 makes it clear that the Lord Jesus is true Man, for it is announced here that He will be born of a woman (Gal 4:4). He is her Son. The name she must give Him shows that He is Yahweh. It has been told to Zacharias that Elizabeth will become pregnant and give birth to a son as the answer to their prayer. That makes it clear that God is faithful and proves His goodness to His people who are waiting for Him. What is said to Mary is an act of sovereign favor. She has found favor with God. She will become pregnant despite the fact that she is not married. She will give birth to a Son through a sovereign act of God.

Just like the angel told Zacharias how to call his son, the angel tells Mary how to call her Son. His name will be “Jesus”, which means “Yahweh is salvation”, or “Yahweh is Savior”. The name “Jesus” was common in Israel, but Mary knows that her Son will fully live up to that Name.

The angel continues to tell her more about this wonderful Son by explaining His Name. This shows that He is more than just true Man. In the first place He is really “great” like no other person is. He is great in Himself. This is different from John who is said to be great “in the sight of the Lord” (Lk 1:15). No person can be compared to Him. We will see in this Gospel that He lives perfectly to God’s glory in everything He does and says. That makes a person really great.

In His Person He is the “Son of the Most High”. This makes us aware of the fact that His position is also exalted above every conceivable power on earth. In that position the believers are also connected with Him, for in this very Gospel they are also called “sons of the Most High” (Lk 6:35). In that position He will also sit on the throne of His father David that God will give Him. That will be His own throne. The Lord Jesus doesn’t yet sit down on His throne, but on the throne of His Father (Rev 3:21).

When He sits down on His own throne, He will reign over the house of Jacob, that is all Israel, the twelve tribes, and not only the house of Judah. The fact that Luke speaks of “Jacob” and not of “Israel” is reminiscent of the troubles God had with this people. Jacob is the name for the people in their weakness and often self-willed actions.

The Lord Jesus will not reign in weakness and temporary with the passing power of a perishable life, as has been the case for every earthly ruler before Him. He will be King “forever”. He has no successor. His kingship, His reign, will have no end (Dan 7:14) and will therefore never be taken over by another.

Mary does not ask, as Zacharias did, for a sign, but for an explanation. Her question does not come from unbelief, but is according to the thoughts of God. That is why she gets an answer. In the case of Zacharias it was only about the exercise of the extraordinary power of God in the ordinary, natural course of events. Mary, however, does not ask if it will happen, but she asks with holy confidence how it will happen, because it must happen outside the ordinary, natural course of events. She is not in doubt about the fulfillment itself. This, by the way, shows the obviousness of no sexual intercourse before marriage. She can’t imagine how she will get pregnant anyway.

In the answer she receives, we hear the revelation of God regarding the wonder of the conception of the Lord Jesus. We hear about the reality of the virginal birth and the completely supernatural character of Christ becoming Man. He will not be begotten by a man, but by God. The Man Christ Jesus shall be the Seed of the woman (Gen 3:15), not of a man. Mary will become pregnant through the working of God the Holy Spirit Who will come over her like a shadow. This overshadowing means that the glory of God will come over her in a way which we see later on the mountain of glorification, when a cloud overshadows Peter, John and James (Lk 9:34; cf. Exo 40:35).

As a result, God is the Father of the Lord Jesus as Man and He is also called the Son of God as Man. He was not begotten by a sinful man as Joseph is as well, but by God. That is why He has a body that is as limited and weak as that of any other person, but without a sinful nature which makes it impossible for Him to sin. He Who is born is therefore “the holy Child”, Who is completely separated for God. He takes His place among men, but at the same time He is the totally other One. He is the sinless One, the righteous One.