GOD’S WORD FOR YOU
LUKE 1:29-30
29 She was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
The text of this passage reveals some aspects of Mary that may not be obvious on the surface. First, her inner debate shows that she had an intelligence that bordered on the brilliant, as she carries on a debate within her own mind in the middle of a frightening yet polite conversation with an angel.
She was “troubled” at his words. The word for “greatly troubled” (which occurs only here in the Bible) means to be deeply confused, perplexed or troubled. A related word, tarasso, means to be “startled” or “terrified,” as when Zechariah saw the angel in Luke 1:12. Mary was even more afraid than that. She was dia-tarasso, “greatly troubled.” Why? That’s revealed in the next phrase.
Mary was not so much afraid of the angel himself as she was of what the angel’s appearance would mean for her and for her future. She “wondered” what it would mean. Here the Greek word says that she had a “dialogue” in her mind, or as one translator said, “she began to argue with herself,” even as she spoke with the angel. This is an uncommon gift, and those who have it need to learn to be patient or at least tolerant of the rest of us. In Mary’s case, it leads us to the most startling grammatical point of the chapter.
Mary, in her inner mental dialogue, wonders “what kind of greeting this might be.” Look again at the word “might.” In the mind of most readers, this is tossed aside and retranslated into something more ordinary, like “was,” as in “what kind of greeting this was.” But “might be” is the precise English translation of a rare Greek form (called a mood) known as the optative. The form eiē (εἴη) expresses a potential state of being without much reference to known facts. In other words, Mary grasped a classical concept that would not even be considered by most ordinary people. She understood that she didn’t have enough information yet, and she really didn’t know what all of this could mean—especially her own role. She was a highly intelligent, brilliant woman, aware of the subtleties of language and rhetoric, and she possessed a deep and trusting faith (indeed, Mary’s love of language and rhetoric shows up in the writings or recorded speeches of three of her sons, Jesus, James, and Jude). But what would all of this mean?
This is why the angel responds to her later question (“How will this be, since I am a virgin?”) with gentleness and more information. Zechariah’s response to the angel showed doubt, even though he was faced with a miracle that had taken place before. Mary’s situation was brand new, and her questions (asked and unasked) came from faith rather than doubt. The angel assured her: “Don’t be afraid.” The Lord knew who she was, and the Lord knew what he was doing. She had found favor with God.
As if we needed any proof, we have it before us: The Lord’s choice for his own mother was excellent. Here was a woman full of faith, full of intelligence and superior abilities, and (as we shall see) compassionate and loving. Matthew’s account also shows us that she was personally brave, even willing to flee to Egypt with a newborn baby (Matthew 2:14-18).
If you are tempted to compare yourself with Mary, there is only one quality you need to strive for: she was full of faith. The rest of her gifts are exactly that: gifts. You have your own. Embrace the gifts God has given you. Don’t try to be something you’re not. But plunge yourself into the deep end of faith, and explore every nook, cranny, and crevice of God’s holy word. Walk up to every tree in the forest of Scripture and “give each branch a shake” (as Luther said). Ask questions, and if you don’t really know anything about optative Greek verbs or have the ability to carry on a full-scale debate in your own mind while talking with an angel, don’t feel bad. Just ask your questions—ask them in your Bible study group, ask them of your pastor, and ask them in your prayers, too. And God will give you answers. He will give you comfort, encouragement, hope, and a faith that’s deepening every day.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
NOTE: By now it’s beginning to be evident that there is a slightly longer version of Luke’s Gospel. This is even more the case with Acts. Most of the ‘Longer Luke Group’ (Egypt’s א and C and the Coptic Bohairic, Asia Minor’s Ɵ, the Syriac translation and the Byzantine group (from both Syria and Asia Minor) all begin the verse: “Seeing him, she was greatly troubled…” (ἡ δὲ ἰδοῦσα ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ διεταράχθη). We will examine this more closely and explore some possible explanations along with Luke 6:1.
Archives by Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel: http://www.wlchapel.org/worship/daily-devotion/
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, New Ulm, Minnesota