The word Annunciation refers to an important event in the Christian faith when an angel named Gabriel came to a young woman named Mary. Gabriel told Mary that God's Holy Spirit would give her a son in a miraculous way (Luke 1:26–38).
The Angel's Message to Mary
Mary would face many difficulties because she became pregnant before marriage. But the angel Gabriel greeted her with special words, calling her “highly favored” or “richly blessed” (Luke 1:28). Like all people who meet angels in the Bible, Mary felt afraid when she saw Gabriel. Mary “wondered what kind of greeting this might be” (Luke 1:29). Gabriel comforted her and told her that God had chosen her to have a son, who would be named Jesus.
“Jesus” is the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Joshua.” It means “the Lord is salvation.” Matthew described an angel’s appearance to Joseph also to announce that Mary was pregnant with a child conceived by the Holy Spirit. He who would be called Jesus, “because He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:18–21).
God's Promise About Jesus
Using figures of speech drawn from the Old Testament, Gabriel prophesied concerning the child that Mary would bear (Luke 1:32–33). Like John the Baptist, Jesus would be great. Jesus’s greatness would be of a different kind. John was to be “great in the sight of the Lord” (Luke 1:15), but Jesus would be great and be “called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32).
Jesus would be given the throne of his father David (Luke 1:32). He would receive the power to rule promised in the Old Testament to the Messiah-King of David’s line. The Messiah or "anointed one" was a king or priest-like figure. Unlike David, Jesus would reign forever (2 Samuel 7:12–16; Psalms 2:7; 89:26–29).
Mary’s question in Luke 1:34, “How can this be...since I am a virgin” did not express doubt. It expressed curiosity as to how the event should take place. Gabriel explained that “the power of the Most High,” the Holy Spirit, would “overshadow” Mary. Her child would be conceived by God’s power, like no child before it.
Gabriel reassured Mary, “For with God nothing will be impossible.” This echoes the Lord’s word to Sarah when he announces Isaac’s birth (Genesis 18:10–14). Because Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, he would be called the “Holy One” and would be recognized as “the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).
Mary's Response and Legacy
It required courage for Mary to reply to Gabriel, “I am the Lord’s servant” and “May it happen to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). As a handmaid or slave, Mary could not but do the will of her master. However, as an unmarried pregnant woman, she faced the possibility of disgrace (Matthew 1:19). She even faced the death penalty (Deuteronomy 22:20–24; John 8:3–5). Still, Mary realized that because of the mighty thing God would do in her, “From now on all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:48).
Since December 25 is celebrated as the traditional date of Christ’s birth, churches that follow a structured church calendar celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation (Incarnation) nine months earlier, on March 25.