



Luke 1:18, 34 (NIV)


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  • "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" - A very awkward question coming form a young woman engaged to be married (Luke 1:26-27). – Lucian Aug 4 '17 at 4:42




Zechariah didn't trust God, Mary did.















The callback would be to the first chapter of Genesis:








Humility is a key difference between Mary's response and Zechariah’s response to Gabriel. Where Mary expressed humility Zechariah expressed doubt.

In Luke 1:29 (NLT), it describes Mary as "confused and disturbed" in her response to Gabriel's greeting in verse 28, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!"

Her feeling of being confused and disturbed is an understandable result of humility and fear from being called a “favored woman” by Gabriel who needed no introduction as to who he was. As we see in verse 30 Gabriel says, “Don’t be afraid, Mary” after he sees her reaction to his presence. Gabriel told Zechariah to not be afraid as well in response to him being "overwhelmed with fear" (1:13). Zechariah’s response of overwhelming fear can be seen as an act of humility or being humbled. This reaction of fear or being disturbed by Gabriel is also seen in the book of Daniel as well. In Daniel 8:17 it says, "As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified that I fell with my face to the ground." Maybe it's his appearance or maybe it’s the fashion in which he becomes known, but Daniel, Zechariah and Mary all show some kind of distress as they become aware of Gabriel's presence. So, to this point in both Zechariah’s and Mary’s interactions with Gabriel we have similar initial reactions of fear and a form of humility. However, Zechariah doesn't show humility with his response to the news Gabriel brings whereas Mary does.

Once Gabriel tells each of them the reason for his appearance, their responses at first glance might seem similar but their hearts behind their responses are totally different.

Zechariah's response: “How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” (ESV)

Zechariah’s response is one of doubt. He hears and acknowledges what Gabriel is proclaiming to him but he is looking for something to hang his hat on, he wants a little more proof. He then gives his reasoning for doubt by telling Gabriel that he is an “old man” and his wife is “advanced in years.”

Mary's response: “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (ESV)

Mary’s response is of humble confusion not doubt. She has a legitimate question about this news from Gabriel. She is an unwed, engaged to be married virgin. Short of a miracle, it’s physically impossible for her to become pregnant as a virgin. Never in the history of mankind had there been a story told of a woman becoming pregnant as a virgin. It is something that is extremely hard to wrap ones mind around. Once Gabriel explained to her how it is possible (1:35), Mary’s response of acceptance (1:38) tells us where her heart is when she says, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

Bottom line, Mary is not questioning if Gabriel’s proclamation will happen, she wants to know how it will happen. Whereas, Zechariah as a priest is not asking how it will happen, but rather he wants to know will it happen when he asks for further evidence.

  • I agree that Zechariah was being punished due to doubting and not confusion, and I also think that his situation should have been more convincing than Mary's. After all, Zechariah was a priest, in the temple, in the Holy Place, offering incense before the altar, and then an angel appears at the right side of the altar. Also, Gabriel tells him that his "prayer is heard" in verse 13, so apparently he had in fact been praying for a son (at least sometime in the not-too-distant past). – user6503 Dec 30 '15 at 18:02
  • @Brian we don’t know when in life Zechariah prayed to God for a child. However, judging by his response of doubt & what he said in that response, I don’t think he was actively seeking the Lord for a child. He felt that he and his wife were past that stage in their lives. He actually might have thought, "What prayer?" In this exchange we can be assured that God hears all our prayers and does not forget them! We may forget them & be more willing to move on from what we wanted during a season of life. But God remembers all our prayers and will choose when, where & how he will answer them. – Tony Merkel Dec 31 '15 at 11:35




Mary accepted the words of Gabriel; Zechariah just couldn’t.









If you are praying and when God answers, believe it

  1. Mary was not praying for a saviour to be born within her. And even her question is not a doubt but an exclamation.
  2. However, Zechariah was waiting for a miracle anf when God answers him, he doubted it.
