Lesson One, Question 5

5. How did Mary’s response to the angel differ from Zechariah’s? (1:18, 34, 38)

What do Mary’s responses to Gabriel tell us about the kind of people through whom God works?

[REPOSTED FROM BARBARA T. ALEXANDER (MOM)]

Zechariah, who was a priest (!), was paralyzed with fear on seeing an angel. Why? One might assume he would not be so surprised that he would be paralyzed with fear. And then, he must have had fear that it wasn't really an angel of God (at least not a good one!) because what the angel told him seemed impossible to Zechariah. (Zech. thought he and Elizabeth were too old to have a child..... sounds like Abraham and Sarah, huh?)

Mary, on the other hand, while being shaken by the appearance of the angel, did not seem to be completely overwhelmed by his message; then when Gabriel told her about her old cousin, Elizabeth, being already in her 6th month of pregnancy, Mary said, "Oh, I see it all now. OK. Let it be with me just as you say." She did not doubt that God could do anything He pleased to do.

5. Mary’s response was different in that rather than questioning the authenticity and/or trustworthiness of the angel, Mary simply asked how the Lord would accomplish what was to be. On the surface, both Mary and Zechariah told the angel the same thing: my physical condition is not compatible with what you are telling me. But Zechariah added, “Therefore, I’m not sure I can believe you,” while Mary added, “So I am wondering how this will be accomplished.” Both Mary and Zechariah’s responses give us an idea of the sort of people through whom God works. When God works through people who do not seem sufficient to the task at hand, for whatever reason, it serves to further demonstrate His glory. God works through unbelievers, skeptics, believers with hardened hearts, people who think they know more than He does, people who are ready, willing and able to put themselves at His disposal, etc. God works through the people He has determined to use!