Luke has just narrated the pronouncement and conception of John the Baptist. He makes the point of telling the audience that Elizabeth has hid herself for five months. This is the timeline that leads us up to today’s readings, The Annunciation.

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

Luke begins with “In the sixth month” this is not related to the Jewish calendar but in reference to the previous verse, Elizabeth was in her fifth month of pregnancy. “In the sixth month” of Elizabeth’s pregnancy an Angel was sent from God to a city named Nazareth in Galilee. This places the annunciation six months after John’s conception. This is where the tradition of John and Jesus having a six month age gap comes from.

The Archangel Gabriel is the angel that God sends. Gabriel is one of the seven Archangels, of whom only four have names that we know but apocryphal Jewish texts do claim to know the name of the others. There is significant meaning to Gabriel being the messenger in this passage as it was Gabriel who delivered the timeline of the weeks of years that would lead to the Messiah to the Prophet Daniel and here he is, announcing the Messiah.

God sends Gabriel to Nazareth which was likely a small agricultural village during Jesus’ time, with an estimated population of 300-500 people. It was situated in the hills of Lower Galilee, near Sepphoris, a larger and wealthier city. Although Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament, the Talmud, or Josephus, archaeological digs have uncovered houses, storage caves, and agricultural tools from the 1st century, confirming it was a rural settlement. They also found the remains of a first century Synagogue there, further reinforcing the New Testaments claims despite sceptical critics of Nazareth’s historicity.

Some scholars suggest the name Nazareth may be linked to the Hebrew word netzer (branch), pointing to messianic prophecies like Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” Speculators posit that it got its name by descendants of David leaving Bethlehem and setting up a new home for themselves, thus receiving the name “Nazareth” as they were a branch of David’s line. This would explain why two descendants of David, Joseph and Mary, were living there.

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

Gabriel is sent specifically to Mary, a virgin who is betrothed to a man named Joseph. Mary was a very popular name at the time, at least its original Hebrew version was. “Miriam” was the name of Moses’ sister and thus resonated with the Hebrew people. Scholars estimate that approximately 20-25% of Jewish women in this era bore the name Mary or its variants.

Mary was “betrothed” to Joseph which although a foreign concept to modern ears, was very common at the time. Marriage to them was a multistage process that included a formal agreement first (betrothal) then the consummation of the marriage later but it was all considered a part of the marriage itself.

I am going to be drawing a lot from Father Christiaan Kappas for the following sections as he has devoted so much work to it, I really recommend watching his Pints with Aquinas episode as he goes into a very long deep dive into all things Mary, especially as it relates to these verses.

Pints Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wzjAEHyizk&t=9042s

Joseph is explicitly identified as “of the house of David,” which confirms Jesus’ legal claim to the Davidic throne. Catholic scholar and theologian Fr. Christiaan Kappas emphasizes that this lineage fulfills Old Testament Messianic prophecies, such as 2 Samuel 7 and Isaiah 11:1, establishing Jesus as the prophesied eternal king.

28 And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”

“Hail, Full of Grace”: The Greek word kecharitomene indicates Mary’s unique state of grace, a perfect and completed action signifying her Immaculate Conception. Fr. Kappas connects this greeting to Mary’s singular role in salvation history as the Mother of God and affirms its theological importance as a title rather than a mere acknowledgment of favor (explored further in Catholic traditions).

It is important to note that Gabriel is addressing Mary as “Full of Grace” in the sense of a title, he is not describing her from an outside perspective but saying that this is who she is in her very being.

29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.

Her reaction reflects humility and a deep awareness of divine mysteries, unlike Zechariah’s doubt earlier in Luke. Very rarely do we get narrative lines in the Gospels illustrating this type of mystical contemplation, people have many thoughts but they do not consider the greeting of an angel. Typically such interactions spawn fear and awe but Mary “considers in her mind” what it means.

30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

The angel reassures her, indicating that her favor with God stems from her grace-filled state, not personal merit.

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 for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Gabriel describes five aspects of Jesus: His greatness, divine sonship, Davidic kingship, eternal reign, and connection to the “house of Jacob.” These characteristics affirm both His divinity and His role as the fulfillment of Jewish Messianic hopes. Fr. Kappas notes the interplay between divine promises in 2 Samuel 7 (David’s eternal throne) and Daniel 7:13-14 (the Son of Man receiving an everlasting kingdom)​

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I have no husband?”

A more accurate translation of Mary’s words to the Angel would be “How shall this be, since I do not know man?”

The Greek verb ginōskō (translated as “know”) is used in a euphemistic sense for marital or sexual relations. The present tense in this context suggests an ongoing state or intention, rather than a temporary situation. If Mary were anticipating a normal marital relationship with Joseph, the question would be unnecessary.

Betrothed women in first-century Judea were typically expected to enter into a normal marital union, including having children. Mary’s question implies she did not expect to have a typical marital relationship, supporting the interpretation of a prior commitment to virginity.

Many Church Fathers, including St. Augustine, interpreted this as evidence of Mary’s vow of virginity. Augustine wrote that Mary’s question demonstrated her understanding of the angel’s announcement as a call to motherhood that would not involve ordinary human relations, affirming her unique role as the Mother of God (De Sancta Virginitate, Chapter 4). This view is also held by St Jerome and St Thomas.

35 And the angel said to 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.

Gabriel’s response highlights the miraculous nature of Jesus’ conception through the Holy Spirit, with language echoing the divine presence in the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:35). The spirit of God is descending and overshadowing Mary, The Greek word episkiazo means “to overshadow” or “to envelop by a cloud” and carries connotations of divine glory and presence. The term episkiazo directly connects to the Shekinah, the visible presence of God represented by a cloud or radiant light in the Old Testament.

The Holy Spirit descending upon Mary and overshadowing her is the fulfilment of the Prophet Jeremiah’s words recorded in 2 Maccabees. “He declared that the place shall remain unknown until God gathers His people together again and shows His mercy. Then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear…” (2 Maccabees 2:7-8).

The combination of the Tabernacle language and this prophecy make it clear that Mary is the New Ark but in a sense that she is much greater than the original which would never be made again.

36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy serves as confirmation of God’s power and the unfolding of His divine plan. The assurance that “nothing will be impossible with God” ties this narrative to broader biblical themes of trust in divine providence (Genesis 18:14).

38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary’s acceptance of God’s will, expressed in her “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord,” exemplifies perfect faith and obedience. Fr. Kappas underscores this as a pivotal moment in salvation history, showcasing Mary’s cooperation with divine grace and her integral role in the Incarnation.

When Mary says, “Let it be to me according to your word”, she is fully cooperating with God’s salvific plan. This full, free, and deliberate consent can be seen as her cooperation in God’s work of bringing about redemption for humanity.

The concept of Mary as Co-Redemptrix (a title meaning “helper in the redemption”) is based on her voluntary and active participation in God’s redemptive plan through her consent. According to Catholic theology, Mary’s role as Co-Redemptrix is not to suggest that she is equal to God or performs redemption apart from Christ, but rather that her fiat contributed to the redemptive plan by allowing Jesus to be born and begin His redemptive mission.

Early Church Fathers like St. Irenaeus saw Mary’s role in salvation history as critical. St. Irenaeus emphasized her obedience to God as the reversal of Eve’s disobedience, connecting her “yes” with humanity’s redemption.

CCC 494:

“The ‘yes’ of Mary opened the door for the Savior to come into the world and to fulfill the plan of redemption.”

In chapters one and two of his Gospel, St. Luke the Evangelist narrates the miraculous births of St. John the Baptist to Zechariah and Elizabeth and of Jesus to Mary, emphasizing their early lives especially that of Jesus who we follow up until he is about twelve. This sequence, where John appears as the forerunner and Jesus follows, prefigures the structure of the narrative in subsequent chapters.

Distinct from the other Gospel writers, St. Luke demonstrates a meticulous concern for historical precision, anchoring the commencement of Jesus’ public ministry within a specific and well-defined chronological framework. This precision not only underscores the historical reliability of his account but also provides the reader with a clear temporal context for these pivotal events.

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberi-us Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysani-as tetrarch of Abilene,

Luke employs a Hellenistic historiographical style, anchoring John the Baptist’s ministry within a precise historical framework. By naming both secular rulers and Jewish religious leaders, Luke situates sacred events within the broader context of world history, lending credibility to his account and emphasizing the universal significance of Jesus’ mission. This approach is very reminiscent of the Hebrew “toledot” as seen in Genesis and other books that express genealogies.

Where it differs is its attention to detail, Luke mirrors the practices of Greco-Roman historians like Thucydides, Polybius, and Josephus, who often contextualized events within a specific chronological framework by referencing rulers, political officials, and key figures.

The scholar Sir William Ramsay, a renowned archaeologist and historian, praised St. Luke as a historian of exceptional accuracy and reliability. Ramsay initially approached the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles with skepticism, intending to disprove their historical claims. However, after extensive research and archaeological findings that consistently supported Luke’s accounts, Ramsay changed his perspective and concluded that Luke was a first-rate historian.

Ramsay famously stated that “Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy… but this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.”

The first detail we acquire is that it is in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. He reigned from 14-37AD and considering they counted even parts of a year this would place us in 28-29AD. Then we are told of Pontius Pilate who will be a semi-central character in the Passion account. Pilate is the governor of Judea, he occupied this office between 26-36AD.

The sons of Herod the Great reign as “tetrarches”. This literally means “ruler of a fourth” denoting an individual who administrated over a quarter of a kingdom in the stead of the overarching ruler but by the time of the first century AD it had become more general basically referring to a subordinate ruler or governor of a smaller region under the oversight of a larger imperial power, such as Rome. Luke’s use of these titles expresses his full understanding of not only the historical context of the period but its political context. They all inherit this title, not Herod the Greats “King of the Jews” title, they will all occupy these offices starting from Herod’s death until the late 30s AD.

2 in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness;

Luke also gives us the religious hierarchy within Judea. This was internal Jewish governing structure that dictated the way of life for Jews through the administration body of the Sanhedrin. When they were not under the power of some foreign empire and did not have their own king (most of the time) this was where the buck stopped with Jewish governance.

What’s interesting is Luke’s use of what appears to be a dual high priesthood, which of course was not how the Jewish high priesthood worked but what Luke is doing is explaining a rather unusual circumstance that only occurred in this period. The office of the high priesthood was supposed to be for life, as according to the Law of Moses in the book of Numbers but the Romans were calling the shots as the domineering empire at the time and did not care for Jewish Law. They deposed Annas who was high priest 6-15AD and Annas substituted his Son-in-Law Caiaphas who held the office up to 36AD. Whilst officially according to the Romans Annas was deposed, the Law mandated that Annas was still technically in-charge. So a “dual” high priesthood was formed with Annas governing through his Son-in-Law who acted as the official appointed by the Romans.

John is reintroduced, in this time period, articulated via Roman and Jewish governance structures. Think of it as the worlds first time-skip. Luke reintroduces John as a prophet, the “word of God came” to him whilst he was out in the wilderness. To the Jewish mind this would bring forth the image of previous prophets of the Jewish people like Elijah.

3 and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

The “region about the Jordan” recalls the Israelites’ crossing of the Jordan into the Promised Land (Joshua 3-4). John’s ministry in this area symbolically invites Israel to a renewed relationship with God, echoing the call to repentance and covenant fidelity.

Baptism (baptisma, Greek) was not entirely novel but builds on Jewish purification rites, particularly those associated with ritual washing (e.g., at Qumran). John’s baptism differs in its focus on repentance (metanoia), signifying a complete turning away from sin and preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Luke explicitly connects John the Baptist to Isaiah’s prophecy, emphasizing his role as the forerunner of the Lord. The wilderness setting evokes themes of divine encounter and renewal, recalling Israel’s formative experiences in the desert (Exodus, Deuteronomy).

Biblical Scholars like Dr John Bergsma draw a connection here with the Qumran community that we typically refer to as Essenes, the authors and owners of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Not only were they active close to this region but their self imposed exile into the wilderness was paired with this same prophecy of Isaiah. In his work Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, he goes over many connections between John’s way of life and the Essenes.

What is striking is that the context of Isaiah following the verses quoted is that of God coming to his people as a king, healing and saving his people, restoring Israel and pouring out the spirit, so not only was John the Baptist expecting this manifestation along with the Gospel Author but so were the Essenes who were the second biggest group after the Pharisees.

5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

The leveling of mountains and filling of valleys represents the universal scope of salvation and the removal of all obstacles to God’s reign. This imagery may also symbolize the humbling of the proud and the lifting of the lowly, a theme consistent with Luke’s Gospel (cf. Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1:52).

6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

The phrase “all flesh” expands the scope of salvation beyond Israel to include all humanity. This universal perspective is a central theme in Luke’s Gospel and Acts, highlighting God’s plan for all nations. This contrasts with the view of the Essenes who up to this point had so much in common with John. Their view was very insular whereas John the Baptist takes very seriously the promises made in the Old Covenant to bring the Gentiles into God’s Family.

In Greek, the word for salvation (soterion) implies deliverance and restoration. This aligns with the name “Jesus” (Iesous in Greek, derived from Hebrew Yeshua), which means “The Lord saves.”

By citing Isaiah 40:5, Luke underscores the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in the person of Jesus Christ. John’s ministry is the opening act in this divine drama, preparing humanity to encounter the Savior.

Prior to this Jesus has sent out the 72 disciples out on mission and they have just returned. They are all in good spirits as even the demons are subject to them in Jesus’ name. Jesus has said in response to them the curious line “I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven” and pronounced that he has given them authority over the enemy and tread upon scorpions and serpents, that all spirits are subject to them and they should rejoice for their names are now written in Heaven. Todays readings follows this passage.

21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.

Luke the Evangelist tells us that Jesus’ following words come at the “same hour” as the disciples rejoicing so what he is about to say is in reference to their victory over the evil spirits. Jesus “rejoiced in the Holy Spirit”. The word for “rejoiced” is a rare one, only appearing one other time in Luke’s Gospel. It is the Greek word agalliaō, its only other appearance is in Mary’s Magnificat where she says “and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”. In Jesus’ case he is rejoicing in the third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit. All three persons of the trinity are highlighted very clearly in these passages.

Jesus then thanks his “Father, Lord of Heaven and earth”. It is important to note that this language that Jesus uses, is not “normal” for Second Temple Judaism, or any type of Judaism really. The personal relationship that Jesus speaks of when he refers to God is exclusive to the Christian context. He is thanking his Father for “hiding these things from the wise” and revealing them to “babes”. What is it that Jesus is referring to? Considering the previous passages it appears to be that of exorcism and healing that the disciples sent out on mission had accomplished.

Second Temple Judaism was no stranger to exorcisms although many only associate it with Christianity. In the Dead Sea Scrolls of the Essene Community at Qumran there were The Songs of the Sage (4Q510–511) they describe hymns to drive away evil spirits. These texts associate exorcism with praising God, emphasizing the power of spoken or sung words sanctified by divine authority (Dimant, 1984). Josephus the Jewish Historian recounts a first-century Jewish exorcist named Eleazar who performed an exorcism before Emperor Vespasian. Eleazar used a ring with a root prescribed by King Solomon, reciting incantations and invoking the name of Solomon to draw out the demon (Antiquities 8.45-49).

All of these methods seem rather hard to learn and acquire, requiring decades of study and of course the financial resources for ancient sacred objects. The disciples in their simplicity of obedience to Jesus’ authority are able to do even more than the learned and wise of their time with none of the material or intellectual resources that people like the Pharisees, Priests and Scribes had.

Jesus then says at the end of the verse that it was the Fathers will that this be the case. This is the common theme throughout the prophets of God’s reversal of expectations. That his strength is actually found in weakness.

22 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Jesus then takes this small scale acknowledgement of the divine to a grander theological scale, speaking to a crowd. He says all things have been delivered to him by his Father. This is inheritance language and is parallel with many verses in John’s Gospel.

He tells his audience that no one knows who the Son is fully except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is fully except the Son and that the Son has the authority to choose who receives these revelations. This speaks to the communion of the Holy Trinity. The intimate relationship of Persons in the Godhead. The Son gets to choose who gets to be included in that intimacy. This is very deep theology. The Son is the method through which people get to partake in the Communion of the Trinity itself.

23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see what you see!

Jesus now turns from the crowds to tell his disciples something privately. He says their eyes are blessed because of what they are seeing and experiencing. Makarioi is the Greek word used for “blessed”. This term conveys more than just happiness; it denotes divine favor or a state of being in God’s grace. It’s used frequently in beatitudes (e.g., Matthew 5:3-11) to indicate spiritual privilege and fulfillment. Jesus emphasizes the disciples’ unique privilege of witnessing the fulfillment of the Messianic promises. Their “seeing” is not just visual but participatory, involving understanding and experiencing the inbreaking of God’s kingdom.

24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

After tell the disciples they are blessed, Jesus explains why. He says many prophets and kings desired to see what they are seeing fulfilled among them but but did not see, many wanted to hear for they are hearing in Jesus’ day but did not hear. The prophets and kings, standing within the various Old Covenant promises (e.g., Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants), longed for the Messianic age. These covenants were promissory, always pointing forward to their fulfillment in Jesus’ life, ministry, and sacrifice.

Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets, each had profound yet incomplete encounters with God. In Exodus 33:22, Moses is placed in the cleft of the rock as God’s glory passes by. He could not see God’s face but only His “back”—a partial revelation. And again in 1 Kings 19:11-13, Elijah experiences God’s presence not in wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a “gentle whisper” while hiding in a cave. Like Moses, Elijah’s experience of God is limited, pointing to the need for a more complete manifestation.

Jesus’ statement contrasts the limited glimpses and hearings of God’s plan experienced by Moses, Elijah, and other prophets with the full revelation given to the disciples. In Christ, the disciples are witnessing the fulfillment of what the Old Covenant hinted at through shadows and types.

The Word has been promised to the prophets and kings and now it has been made flesh and tabernacled among them, uniting heaven and earth and the sons of Adam once again the opportunity to have their names written in Heaven as Sons of God.