MC Lesson 11/30/25

Luke 1:26-38 | Hope

Background Information

Immediately follows the pronouncement to Zechariah.

Luke is likely drawing the connection that Jesus is greater than John.

“6th month referring to Elizabeth’s pregnancy

Looking at the Text

God is the one who shows Mary favor.

It would have been very confusing for Mary. Both in the divine sense of the words themselves and that a male was greeting her in the way that he did.

Luke Explanation of the Text

That a young girl of such humble circumstances receives such special favor reinforces the moral adage that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (

4. The 7 Predictions

An unwed virgin, will conceive

His name will be Jesus

He will be great

Deut 10:17, Titus 2:13, Luke 22:26-27

He will be called the Son of the Most High

Acts 7:48, 16:17

Given the throne of David

2 Sam. 7:12-16, Pss 2:7; 89:27-29, Isa 9:6; 55:3-5

He will reign over the house of Jacob and...

His reign will never end

Dan 7:14

5.

Luke Explanation of the Text

Luke does not stress Mary’s virginity to exalt her as one who is a pure and holy vessel and worthy to give birth to such a child. Her virginity is presented as an obstacle to conception that can only be overcome by the miraculous, creative power of God.

6. Verse 35 holds no typical language of sexual connotations. Instead, the words “to come upon” and “to overshadow” point to miraculous activity of God.

7.

Luke Explanation of the Text

To be God’s Son does not imply that Jesus has “ ‘divine blood’ running through his veins,’ ” as Nolland characterizes the “history of religions” view. Nolland shows how this title fits in a Jewish matrix where the term does not refer to physical origin. Instead, in the Old Testament it expresses “election to a special relationship with God,” “God’s formation of the nation,” and, applied to a supernatural being, those belonging to “the heavenly order, not the earthly,” and possibly “moral likeness to God.”

8. Both Christ’s conception and death are evidences of God’s miraculous work.

Theological Themes

Promise and Fulfillment

Contrasting Between John and Jesus

Jesus as the Messiah