God; she delighted in her hidden fellowship
with him. From the homes of such priests who can pray, and of such hearts
which can trust, there ever have been coming the great prophets of the
Lord.

B. The Annunciation To Mary. Ch. 1:26-38

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto
a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a
man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's
name was Mary. 28 And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou
that art highly favored, the Lord _is_ with thee. 29 But she was
greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner
of salutation this might be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear
not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. 31 And behold, thou
shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call
his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son
of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne
of his father David: 33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob
for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 And Mary
said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall
come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow
thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be
called the Son of God. 36 And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she
also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth
month with her that was called barren. 37 For no word from God
shall be void of power. 38 And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of
the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel
departed from her.

The prediction to Mary of the birth of Jesus is recorded by Luke with
marked dignity, delicacy, and reserve. It is an important record. This
prediction is the crown of all prophecy and it reveals the supreme mystery
of the Christian faith, namely, the nature of our Lord, at once human and
divine.

The same angelic being who had spoken to Zacharias speaks again, not now
to an aged and distinguished priest amidst the splendors of the Temple in
Jerusalem, but to a humble maiden betrothed to a carpenter in an obscure
village of Galilee. The angelic salutation, "Hail, thou that art highly
favored," has been translated less accurately, "Hail, thou that art full