Showing true attitude

Morsels of food are delicious because of the little things, the subtle seasonings, the dash of salt, the sprinkle of garlic, the garnish of parsley, the touch of glaze, or the hint of lemon.  Ahhhh - so delicious!

This week either is the actual week or represents the actual week 2019 years ago that the most famous and important Mary ever born traveled to Jerusalem for a census.  This is the week that began a change in direction for everything that had ever happened in history.  As such, I find inspiration in the opening chapter of the gospel I can trust - Luke because it tells me what happened with Mary and her cousin to bring to the world two really important people.

After addressing Theophilos, Luke narrates two stories.  The stories are exactly parallel in their structure.  More than likely that was done for ease of memorizing.  But, it could be that the events took place in the exact same manners.  The structure is as follows.

Verses for         Verses for
Zechariah          Mary               Portion of story

5-10                  26-27               Set up the character the story is about
11                     28                    Gabriel the angel appears
12                     29                    Character's reaction to Gabriel
13                    30-31                Gabriel explains his mission
14-17               32-33               Gabriel tells the significance of the child
18                    34                     Character's reaction to this announcement
19-20               35-37               Gabriel's parting statement
21-25               38-35               Aftermath of Gabriel's visit

These two stories set the stage for a big change that was about to happen in the world.  It is fitting that the set-up is told from the perspective of the mother of the Son of God most High.  Great debates rage from one generation to the next about Mary's exact role in the religion that sprung from Jesus' Earthly presence, but before the debate began, Luke gave a tribute to Mary by recording the beginning events of Christianity from her point of view.

The portion of the story giving the significance of each child in a private audience is worth recounting.  These children's significance was profound.  The first child was significant to the Jews because some were expecting "Elijah" to come before the messiah or because some thought the messiah to be the next Elijah.  The message to Zechariah set the record straight on that matter.  For non-Jews, it showed that there was a forerunner to announce the Son of God to the world.  Romans in particular understood this routine.  All the emperors had entourages of people to precede them anywhere they went to announce them with messages and trumpets.  The Son of God was no less prestigious than they were.

The Announcer (John)

Verse 15

εσται γαρ μεγας ενωπιον του κυριου και οινον και σικερα ου μη πιη και πνευματος αγιου πλησθησεται ετι εκ κοιλιας μητρος αυτου

He will be important as he goes before the Lord.  He will never drink wine and beer. He will be filled instead with the Holy Spirit from the time he is in his mother's womb.

Verse 16

και πολλους των υιων ισραηλ επιστρεψει επι κυριον τον θεον αυτων

And he will help many of Israel's children restore their God to an important position in their lives.

Verse 17

και αυτος προελευσεται ενωπιον αυτου εν πνευματι και δυναμει ηλιου επιστρεψαι καρδιας πατερων επι τεκνα και απειθεις εν προνησει δικαιων ετοιμασαι κυριω λαον κατεσκευασμενον

And he will go ahead of him in the spirit and power of Elijah to soften parents' hearts to childrens' hearts and their defiant rebellion to decent living and to make the people more pliant for the Lord.

Verse 15 is the key to why Zechariah is seeing Gabriel at the altar as he offered sacrifice.  There needed to be an announcement because John was important.  The people of Israel had hearts of stone.  They had to be changed into something more pliable, something that could handle Jesus' message that he represented the true and living God and that his teachings would lead the people to change their lives.  John's message would soften the people's hearts to make them more accepting like children.

The other child needed an announcement as well.  How often does the Son of God come to Earth?  One would think that if that ever happened, it would be no less of an event than the emperor visiting a town outside of Rome.  Right, messengers would be sent in advance.  Proper preparations would be made so that the governors, officials, soldiers, and people would know the event was magnanimous.  God did that, but he wanted his private audience first.  He prepared Zechariah for John's part in this visitation.  And, he prepared Mary as well, telling her of the importance of the child she would carry for him, the Most High.

The Announced (Jesus)

Verse 31

και ιδου συλληψη εν γαστρι και τεξη υιον και καλεσεις το ονομα αυτου ιησουν

Know this.  You will conceive and deliver a son. You will name him Jesus.

Verse 32

ουτος εσται μεγας και υιος υψιστου κληθησεταικ και δωσει αυτω κυριος ο θεος τον θρονον δαυιδ του πατρος αυτου

He will be important and will be called Son of the Most High.  The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father.

Verse 33

και βασιλευσει επι τον οικον ιακωβ εις τους αιωνας και της βασιλειας αυτου ουκ εσται τελος

And he will rule the house of Jacob forever and his realm will never end.


Yeah, news like this needed to be announced in private.  Gabriel represents the Most High.  Mary had worshiped him all of her life.  The message was brief and direct. The Most High wanted her to carry his baby for him.  Gabriel didn't have to say that the baby would be important, but he did go on to say that.  Astonishingly, Mary took the news rather well, considering.  And Gabriel's last word about the house of Jacob and the throne of David was to remove any doubt about whether this Son of God was also the Messiah.  Gabriel used the exact words needed to dispel any rumor to the contrary.  All Jews were looking for the messiah to be on the throne of David and to have an Earthly realm for the Jews.  God just one-upped them on that last part.  This messiah would have a realm that would never end.

The reactions to Gabriel's announcement are the tasty morsel in the story.  Zechariah was incredulous without a doubt, given his reaction.  I'm thinking that if you are in the temple alone offering sacrifices for people to God, that when you see his messenger, you might believe his words without question.  Perhaps, Zechariah doubted that Gabriel was from God. Or perhaps Zechariah couldn't wrap his mind around a God that could really break the limitations of the world he had created.  Whatever!  It cost him.  For saying, κατα τι γνωσομαι τουτο (And exactly how am I going to know this?) [verse 18], he was struck silent for 10 months until John was born.  And Gabriel showed a little attitude by retorting, "I am Gabriel who stands in God's presence... in return for your disbelief you won't speak."

Mary, on the other hand, responded not with a question of sarcasm, but with a question about logistics.  She was a virgin, so Gabriel received her query as one of "Tell me more" because the only known way of becoming pregnant was with another human being.  Gabriel explained it to her.  No, not this time.  God is dealing directly with you.  He's not using another human this time.  It's his son!
Mary's response is not disbelief, but one of total acceptance. ιδου η δουλη κυριου γενοιτο μοι κατα το ρημα σου (Then you are looking at the Lord's servant.  Let it happen to me according to what you have spoken) [verse 20].

As I enter this very important week of God beginning his visitation to this Earth, I review this story to remind me of two responses that I could give to this magnanimous event.  As one who has received a fair share of formal schooling and exposure to a scientific method that requires observation of existing facts to form a hypothesis, I can recount times and places where I have given Zechariah's response.  I say things like, "Show me something I can know by" or more sarcastically, "And just how can I know that this is true?" before I begin to look believingly at what I should have seen and believed.

Fortunately, Zechariah lived to have a chance to give a more credible reaction.  It's not recorded, but you know after John's birth, he didn't really question God's ability to do anything ever again.  And this is a good time of year for me to start again. It's the time of year to have Mary's response, something like, "I am the Lord's servant.  Let it happen according to your plans for me this day."

Gloria in excelsis Deo!