(31) Behold, thou shalt conceive.—St. Luke does not refer to the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, but it is clear from Mary’s answer that she understood the words of the angel in the sense which St. Matthew gives to those of the prophet. What perplexed her was the reference to the conception and the birth in a prediction which made no mention of her approaching marriage. The absence of the reference is at least worth noticing, as showing that men were not necessarily led by their interpretation of the prophecy to imagine its fulfilment.

Shalt call his name JESUS.—See Note on Matthew 1:21. The revelation of the name, with all its mysterious fulness of meaning, was made, we may note, to Joseph and Mary independently.

Luke 1:31-33. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb — Though a virgin, strange to say, thou shalt have the honour of being a mother; thou shalt bring forth a son, and that son no ordinary person, but the restorer of human nature, and Saviour of the world; and therefore thou shalt call his name Jesus — Or Joshua, a Saviour. He shall be great — Great indeed! greater than all others that ever partook of the human nature: great in respect of his person, his offices, and his kingdom: for he shall be called, and shall be, the Son of the Highest — And that in a peculiar sense, a sense in which no man or angel is or can be God’s son, being not only unspeakably dear to him, as a son is dear to his father, but of the same nature with him, as a son is of the same nature with his father. Therefore, the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his earthly father, David — Or the throne typified by that of David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob — The spiritual Israel, even over all who imitate the faith and obedience of that good patriarch; and of his kingdom there shall be no end — So Isaiah 9:8, Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. All other kingdoms have had, or shall have, their periods, but the gospel church, which is Christ’s kingdom, shall continue for ever; first on earth, in its militant state, and then in heaven, in a state triumphant. See the notes on the places referred to in the margin. “The kingdom of Christ,” the reader must observe, “is twofold: 1st, His spiritual kingdom, or the dominion of righteousness in the minds of men. 2d, His temporal kingdom, or the outward dispensation of the gospel, together with an exercise of government over the world: by which all events are ordered, so as to promote the empire of righteousness in the hearts of men. This distinction removes the difficulty arising from 1 Corinthians 15:28, where we are told, that after the worlds are judged, Christ shall deliver up the kingdom to God the Father; compared with what Gabriel said to Mary, on this occasion, and with the other passages of Scripture, which affirm that our Lord’s kingdom shall be everlasting. His temporal kingdom, or the gospel dispensation, will end with the world, being of no further use. At that period, likewise, he will deliver up to God the government of the world, that was committed to him for the good of his church, after having accomplished the end of his coming by putting down all rule, and all authority, and power opposite to God’s. But his spiritual kingdom, or the dominion of righteousness in the minds of reasonable beings, which he came down to establish, will continue with them to all eternity; and Jesus will still preside as head over the redeemed society in heaven, and perform such acts of government as their condition allows and circumstances require, though still in subordination to the Father. See 1 Corinthians 15:28, and Macknight.”

1:26-38 We have here an account of the mother of our Lord; though we are not to pray to her, yet we ought to praise God for her. Christ must be born miraculously. The angel's address means only, Hail, thou that art the especially chosen and favoured of the Most High, to attain the honour Jewish mothers have so long desired. This wondrous salutation and appearance troubled Mary. The angel then assured her that she had found favour with God, and would become the mother of a son whose name she should call Jesus, the Son of the Highest, one in a nature and perfection with the Lord God. JESUS! the name that refreshes the fainting spirits of humbled sinners; sweet to speak and sweet to hear, Jesus, a Saviour! We know not his riches and our own poverty, therefore we run not to him; we perceive not that we are lost and perishing, therefore a Saviour is a word of little relish. Were we convinced of the huge mass of guilt that lies upon us, and the wrath that hangs over us for it, ready to fall upon us, it would be our continual thought, Is the Saviour mine? And that we might find him so, we should trample on all that hinders our way to him. Mary's reply to the angel was the language of faith and humble admiration, and she asked no sign for the confirming her faith. Without controversy, great was the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh, 1Ti 3:16. Christ's human nature must be produced so, as it was fit that should be which was to be taken into union with the Divine nature. And we must, as Mary here, guide our desires by the word of God. In all conflicts, let us remember that with God nothing is impossible; and as we read and hear his promises, let us turn them into prayers, Behold the willing servant of the Lord; let it be unto me according to thy word.And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb - See the notes at Isaiah 7:14.

And shalt call his name Jesus - A Saviour. See the notes at Matthew 1:21. All this was announced. also, by an angel to Joseph, after this visitation to Mary. See the notes at Matthew 1:20-21.

31. The angel purposely conforms his language to Isaiah's famous prophecy (Isa 7:14) [Calvin].Ver. 31-33. These three verses contain the substance of the angel’s message or errand to the virgin, to tell her she should be the mother of

a Son, by what name she should call him, and what he should be. In telling her this, who knew herself to be a virgin, one who had not known man, (as she expresses it, Luke 1:34), he plainly minds her that the prophecy, Isaiah 7:14, should be fulfilled in her. Thus far the angel’s word signifieth a promise.

And shalt call his name Jesus: the angel saith the same to Joseph, Matthew 1:21, and expounds it, adding, for he shall save his people from their sins; and thus the prophet expounds it, who saith, Isaiah 7:14, his name should be called Immanuel. There were two of this name before, Joshua and Jeshua, both of which were great types of Christ, as being great temporal saviours to the Israelites. The one brought them into Canaan; the other led them out of Babylon, Ezra 2:2. But this was yet a more excellent Joshua, who was to save his people from their sins. The angel further goes on describing him, saying,

He shall be great. Isaiah had said, Isaiah 9:6, his name shall be called Wonderful, mighty both in words and deeds, Luke 24:19.

And shall be called the Son of the Highest, that is, the Son of God, who is often in Scripture made known by this name, Genesis 14:19 Psalm 83:18 92:1 Mark 5:7. He shall be called the Son, that is, he shall be so, for this phrase so signifieth often, Isaiah 1:26 John 1:12; for he shall be known and declared to be so, Romans 1:4. Peter so called him; so did the centurion who attended his cross. God himself called him so, Psalm 2:7, and that in a sense agreeing to none but him; no, not to the angels, Hebrews 1:5, much less to saints.

And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: not the temporal kingdom, but the spiritual kingdom over the same people over whom David ruled, from whom he is descended. It appeareth from many passages in the prophets that David’s kingdom was a type of Christ’s, 2 Samuel 7:13 Psalm 2:6 132:11 Isaiah 9:6,7 Am 9:11. Hence we find the name of David given to Christ, Jeremiah 30:9 Ezekiel 34:23 Ezekiel 37:24 Hosea 3:5.

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Jacob was the father of the twelve tribes of Israel; so as the house of Jacob primarily signifieth the Jews, who were the natural branches in this excellent olive. Christ’s kingdom extended beyond the house of Jacob, but it began there, his law went first out of Zion, and he was in the first place sent to the lost sheep of Israel; he was the minister of the circumcision, Romans 15:8. Others were to be joined to the house of Jacob, Isaiah 14:1. Or Jacob, and the house of Jacob, may signify the whole church, all that should believe in Christ. The rod of his strength went out of Zion, Psalm 110:2, though his kingdom was not confined to Jacob. All believers who worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, are by the apostle determined the circumcision, Philippians 3:3, and he is a Jew who is one inwardly, Revelation 2:29.

And of his kingdom there shall be no end: this both expounds the words for ever, going just before, and also distinguishes the kingdom of Christ from all kingdoms of the world, which all shall have their periods; and also assures us of the continuance of the gospel church, which is Christ’s kingdom, till his kingdom of glory be revealed; and this agreeth with the prophecies of the Old Testament, concerning the kingdom of the Messiah, and the typical kingdom of David, Psalm 145:13 Isaiah 9:7 Daniel 7:14 Micah 4:7.

And behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb,.... Though a pure virgin, which never knew a man; and therefore, "a behold", is prefixed to it, as being what was extraordinary and wonderful; as it is also, in the prophesy of it, in Isaiah 7:14 to which the angel manifestly refers, and is, by Matthew cited, as accomplished hereby; see Gill on Matthew 1:22, Matthew 1:23.

and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his name Jesus; which signifies a "Saviour"; and a Saviour Christ is of God's appointing, providing and sending; and a very suitable one, being a spiritual Saviour, and a complete one, both able and willing to save to the uttermost all that believe in him; nor is there any other, nor salvation in any other: he is the Saviour of his people, whom the Father has given him, even of all the elect, whether of Jews or Gentiles; and of them from all their sins, and from all their enemies; and whom he saves with a spiritual and eternal salvation.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.