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Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, seeing I am a virgin?"
Verse Takeaways
1
A Question of Faith, Not Doubt
Commentators overwhelmingly agree that Mary's question, "How shall this be?" was not an expression of doubt, unlike Zechariah's earlier question. While Zechariah asked for a sign to believe, Mary already believed the angel's message. Her question came from a place of faith, seeking to understand the manner in which God would accomplish this unprecedented miracle. As one scholar puts it, her question was one of "humble admiration."
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Luke
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8
18th Century
Presbyterian
See Barnes on Luke 1:35.
No material from Barnes on this particular verse.
19th Century
Anglican
How shall this be?—The question of the Virgin is not altogether of the same nature as that of Zacharias in Luke 1:18. He …
Baptist
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…
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Unlike Zechariah, Mary does not ask for a confirmatory sign (cf. comment on v.18) but only for light on how God will accomplish this wonder. Her qu…
16th Century
Protestant
How shall this be? The holy virgin appears to confine the power of God within as narrow limits as Zacharias had formerly done; for what is…
17th Century
Reformed Baptist
Then said Mary to the angel, how shall this be This she said not as doubting the truth of what was said; for she req…
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We have here an account of the mother of our Lord. Although we are not to pray to her, we ought to praise God for her. Christ had to be born miracu…