When we come to the gospel of Luke, Mary is the prominent figure in the account of the nativity. Of Joseph’s exercises here there is no mention; it is only said that Mary was “a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary” (Luke 1:27). It was to her, dwelling in Nazareth, that the angel Gabriel was sent from God. (Matthew does not mention that Joseph and Mary were inhabitants of Nazareth before the birth of Jesus: his object is to show the fulfillment of prophecy in the birth of the King of the Jews at Bethlehem, and afterward he tells us that, having returned from Egypt, Joseph “came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth.” The two records supplement one another, each containing what was necessary for the special object in view.) Sitting in the house, as is clear from the words, “The angel came in unto her”—she received the salutation, “Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” Gabriel, who stood in the presence of God (see vs. 19), was in the divine secret concerning the chosen virgin and, as is evident from the nature of his greeting, he appreciates the immense favor, together with her exaltation amongst women, which God in His grace had bestowed upon her. His words, indeed, did just expressed his own delight in communion with the thoughts of God.
But Mary, when she saw the angel, who doubtless appeared in human form (see Luke 24:4), “was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.” That is, she reasoned inwardly as to the nature of Gabriel’s words, what was their “aim and meaning.” We can understand this if we recall her character and position. She was a pious, God-fearing woman, and, whatever her genealogy, would seem to have been in lowly circumstances. Meekness, humility, and faith were manifestly the features of her spiritual life, and she might therefore well be troubled at the saying she had heard, and reason, not with the natural mind as the offspring of doubt, but rather as springing from perplexity of soul, concerning the significance of the angel’s address. With divinely-given insight into Mary’s feelings, Gabriel first of all calms her mind, and then, in preparation for the marvelous communication he was sent to make, assures her that she has found favor with God. (Commenting upon verse 28, another has observed that “the expressions ‘found favor’ and ‘highly favored’ have not at all the same meaning. Personally she had found favor, so that she was not to fear; but God had sovereignly bestowed on her this grace, this immense favor, of being the mother of the Lord. In this she was the object of God’s sovereign favor.” It may be added that finding favor with God refers to Mary’s spiritual state, while being highly favored speaks rather of her being God’s chosen vessel for the birth of Jesus. But the two things are assuredly connected.) We say “in preparation” for Gabriel’s message, for until the soul is at peace and in liberty, divine things cannot be communicated. (Compare Dan. 10:19.)