Lucas 1:26-27

1. The introduction of Mary and Joseph 1:26-27

The time reference and the same angel connect this incident directly with what precedes (Luke 1:24). Luke presented God as taking direct action not only here but throughout his Gospel and Acts. He may have generously called Nazareth a city (Gr. polis) to give it status in the eyes of his readers. The Greek language had no word for "town," and the alternative would have been to call it a "village." It would have been unknown to almost everyone outside Palestine, so Luke described it as being in Galilee. [Note: See the map "Places Mentioned in Luke’s Gospel" at the end of these notes.] Gabriel now visited a small town in Galilee, on the northern border of Zebulun, contrasted with the big city of Jerusalem in Judea, where he had met Zechariah. [Note: See P. Winter, "’Nazareth’ and ’Jerusalem’ in Luke chs. 1 and 2," New Testament Studies 3 (1956-57):136-42.] Because of Gentile influence the Galilean Jews were not as strict in their observance of the law and Pharisaic tradition as their southern brethren. [Note: For information on religious conditions in Galilee, see Sean Freyne, Galilee from Alexander the Great to Hadrian 323 B.C.E. to 135 C.E., pp. 259-97.]

Young Mary also contrasts with old Zechariah and Elizabeth. Her name, the equivalent of Miriam in the Old Testament, apparently meant "exalted one." [Note: Marshall, The Gospel . . ., p. 65.] The Greek word parthenos ("virgin") refers to a young, unmarried girl and implies virginity. [Note: J. Massingbyrde Ford, "The Meaning of ’Virgin,’" New Testament Studies 12:3 (1966):293-99.] It clearly means virgin here (cf. Luke 1:34). [Note: See J. Greshem Machen, The Virgin Birth of Christ; James Orr, The Virgin Birth of Christ; Thomas Boslooper, The Virgin Birth; R. E. Brown, The Virginal Conception and Bodily Resurection of Jesus; and Robert Gromacki, The Virgin Birth: Doctrine of Deity.] Betrothal often took place shortly after puberty. [Note: Liefeld, p. 830.] Consequently Mary may have been a young teenager at this time. During betrothal a man and a woman were considered husband and wife even though they lived apart and did not have sexual relations. [Note: Jeremias, pp. 364-67.] Only divorce or death could terminate the betrothal, and from then on society considered them widow and or widower.

Luke identified Joseph as a descendant of David. He evidently considered Jesus a legitimate heir to David’s throne since Joseph was Jesus’ guardian (cf. Luke 3:23). In Semitic society it was not necessary to be a blood descendant to possess family inheritance privileges (Genesis 15:3; Genesis 17:12-13; cf. Genesis 48:5; Exodus 2:10; 1 Kings 11:20; Esther 2:7). Since Joseph was Jesus’ legal guardian, Jesus thereby qualified to inherit as a legitimate son of Joseph. This fact has important bearing on the promise in Luke 1:32 b.