Luke Reading (#2)

Take a few minutes to catch up and pray that God would bless you through the reading of His word.

Read Luke 1:26-38

[1:26] In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, [27] to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. [28] And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” [29] But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. [30] And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. [31] And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. [32] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, [33] and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” [34] And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” [35] And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. [36] And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. [37] For nothing will be impossible with God.” [38] And 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.

Observation

• What do we learn about Joseph’s and Mary’s background in v. 26-27?
• What does Gabriel tell Mary about how the Lord views her (v. 28 and 30)?
• What does Gabriel tell Mary about what Jesus will be like (v. 32-33 and 35)?
• How will Mary conceive her child, since she is a virgin?

Interpretation

• How is Mary’s initial response (v. 34) similar to Zechariah’s in the previous passage (Luke 1:18)? 
  • How is it different? 
  • Why do you think Zechariah was disciplined for asking questions, but Mary seems to be portrayed favorably for asking a similar question?  
• How is Mary’s situation similar to Elizabeth’s (v. 36)? 
  • How is it different? 
  • How do both situations illustrate what Gabriel says in v. 37?
• What do we learn about Mary from her final words to the angel in v. 38?
• Verse 35 is very important to our understanding of the person of Christ. 
  • How does the fact that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit connect to Gabriel’s statement “therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God”?
  • Could Jesus have been sinless if he had been conceived by a human father?
• Why does Gabriel (speaking of Jesus) say that David is “his father” (v. 32)? Why is it important that Jesus will sit on David’s throne?

Application

• The Virgin Birth of Christ is one of the first things that people challenge when they decide that the Bible is not true. Many theologians and teachers who would call themselves Christians believe that this is just a myth (since a virgin birth is impossible). How would you respond to them?
• How does Mary’s response help you to trust that God will do what he says that he will do? Are there any places in your life where you feel that your circumstances make it hard to believe that God will do what he has promised?
• Gabriel says that Jesus’ kingdom will never end. How can you live differently today, knowing that you are living this day in that everlasting kingdom?

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