Why did Mary bring up her virginity as an issue to Gabriel if she was going to marry Joseph?

[tonychanyt]

Lk 1:

34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

Mary was going to marry Joseph. Why did she not assume that Joseph would impregnate her to give birth to Jesus?

Let's back up a few verses:

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.

Mary and Gabriel knew she was betrothed.

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.

Mary knew something unusual was happening.

30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold,

BDAG ἰδού:
① prompter of attention, behold, look, see
ⓑ by introducing someth. new or unusual
② marker of strong emphasis

G2400-behold further confirmed the unusual situation.

you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

Verb - Future Indicative Middle

Mary sensed the urgency or immediacy.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.

Gabriel emphasized Jesus' supernatural origin.

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.”

That's a crazy prophecy. Mary understood that she would give birth before the arranged date of her marriage to Joseph.

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

With this context, the question now makes sense to us, just as it did to Mary and Gabriel back then. She didn't ask the question because of unbelief. She asked Gabriel to elaborate on how.

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 borne will be called holy—the Son of God.

At the end,

38 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.

Mary accepted the mission impossible

Why did Mary bring up her virginity as an issue in Lk 1:34 if she was going to marry Joseph?

She understood that she was going to get pregnant immediately before she cohabited with Joseph.

 

[Maori Aussie]

Lk 1:


Mary was going to marry Joseph. Why did she not assume that Joseph would impregnate her to give birth to Jesus?

Let's back up a few verses:


Mary and Gabriel knew she was betrothed.


Mary knew something unusual was happening.


BDAG ἰδού:
① prompter of attention, behold, look, see
ⓑ by introducing someth. new or unusual
② marker of strong emphasis

G2400-behold further confirmed the unusual situation.


Verb - Future Indicative Middle

Mary sensed the urgency or immediacy.


Gabriel emphasized Jesus' supernatural origin.


That's a crazy prophecy. Mary understood that she would give birth before the arranged date of her marriage to Joseph.


With this context, the question now makes sense to us, just as it did to Mary and Gabriel back then. She didn't ask the question because of unbelief. She asked Gabriel to elaborate on how.


At the end,


Mary accepted the mission impossible

Why did Mary bring up her virginity as an issue in Lk 1:34 if she was going to marry Joseph?

She understood that she was going to get pregnant immediately before she cohabited with Joseph.

I stand corrected! Verse 33 seems to indicate that God chose to reveal the Messiahship of Jesus first to Mary, and not first to the Samaritan woman sinner at the well.