Mary's question isn't about doubt, but about the how. She understands the angel's message is to be fulfilled now, and her focus on "I know not a man" highlights her immediate, practical concern and her virginity as the apparent obstacle, showing a desire for understanding rather than disbelief. This humility and desire for instruction is key to her faith journey.
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The angel Gabriel has just delivered an astonishing message to Mary: she, a virgin, will conceive and give birth to a son who will be called the Son of the Most High. Mary, understandably perplexed and seeking clarity rather than doubting, immediately asks how this can possibly happen given her virginity. This question reveals her understanding that the angel's promise implies an imminent conception, not one that would occur after her marriage to Joseph.
Mary's response to Gabriel's announcement isn't doubt, but a deep dive into how God's plan unfolds. What does her question reveal about her heart?
When the angel Gabriel tells Mary she will conceive a son, her immediate reaction is a question: 'How will this be, since I am a virgin?' (Luke 1:34).
Notice the wording: it's not a question of if it will happen, but how. Unlike Zechariah, who questioned the possibility ('Whereby shall I know this?' - Luke 1:18), Mary accepts the angel's message as true. Her question stems from a desire to understand the mechanics of this miraculous event, not from disbelief.
This shows a remarkable faith. Even though the event seemed impossible by natural means, Mary's mind was already wrestling with the divine means. She wasn't dismissing God's power; she was trying to grasp how that power would work in her unique situation. Her question is a testament to her deep engagement with God's word and her willingness to understand His ways, even when they defy human logic.
The 'how' of Jesus' conception is central to His identity and mission. What makes this miraculous birth so significant?
Mary's question, 'How will this be, since I am a virgin?', leads Gabriel to explain the divine mechanism: 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you' (Luke 1:35).
This wasn't just a unique way for Jesus to be born; it was essential for His role as Savior.
The Divine Conception:
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Understand the original words
andra · Greek Noun
A woman who has not had sexual relations; in the context of the birth of Jesus, it underscores the miraculous, non-human agency of the incarnation.
Pneuma Hagion · Greek Noun
The third person of the Trinity; the active agent of God in creation, sanctification, and the incarnation of the Son.
dynamis · Greek Noun
The manifestation of God's sovereign efficacy and ability to perform His will; it is distinct from human strength and signifies divine intervention.
episkiasei · Greek Verb
To cast a shadow over; in biblical language, this refers to the divine presence or glory enveloping something or someone, signaling God's protection and creative activity.
hagion · Greek Adjective
Separated from sin, set apart for God's use, and possessing the essential character of God; signifying moral purity and divine quality.
idou · Greek Interjection/Particle
A term often used in Scripture to introduce a marvelous or significant event, serving to command attention and focus on divine action.
steira · Greek Adjective
A woman unable to bear children, often carrying a social stigma in the ancient Near East, though in Scripture, the removal of barrenness frequently signals a special act of divine intervention.
theos · Greek Noun
The supreme Being, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, who acts according to His sovereign will and is limited by nothing but His own holy nature.
Mary's question, 'How will this be, since I am a virgin?' isn't born of disbelief in God's power, but a sincere inquiry about the *method* of a miraculous conception, grounded in her understanding of natural human reproduction. This highlights her thoughtful faith, seeking clarity rather than doubting the divine message.
c. 20-18 BC— this verse
Joseph and Mary Betrothed
Joseph, a descendant of David, and Mary, a young woman from Nazareth, are betrothed. This formal engagement legally bound them to each other, though they had not yet begun to live together as husband and wife.
c. 19-17 BC
Gabriel's Visit to Zechariah
The angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah, a priest, in the Temple to announce the future birth of John the Baptist to his wife Elizabeth, who was considered barren and advanced in years.
c. 19-17 BC
Gabriel's Visit to Mary
The angel Gabriel appears to Mary in Nazareth to announce that she will conceive and bear a son, Jesus, who will be called the Son of the Most High.
c. 19-17 BC
Mary's Question and Acceptance
Mary, perplexed by the announcement given her virgin state, asks the angel how this can be. After receiving an explanation of the Holy Spirit's role and a sign involving Elizabeth's pregnancy, she agrees to God's will.
c. 19-17 BC
Mary Visits Elizabeth
Mary travels to the hill country of Judea to visit her relative Elizabeth, likely seeking companionship and perhaps confirmation of the miraculous events foretold.
c. 18-17 BC
Joseph Learns of Mary's Pregnancy
Before they come together, Joseph discovers Mary is pregnant. He plans to divorce her quietly to avoid exposing her to public shame, but an angel intervenes in a dream.
This foundational promise of a 'seed of the woman' who would crush the serpent's head sets the stage for the need for a unique birth, pointing to a future fulfillment that culminates in Mary's experience.
Isaiah 7:14This prophecy directly foretells a virgin conceiving and bearing a son, a sign that Mary's question about 'how' this could be is met with a divinely ordained, prophetic answer.
Matthew 1:18-25Matthew's account parallels Luke's, detailing Joseph's perspective and the angel's confirmation of the miraculous conception, underscoring the divine nature of Jesus' birth and the challenges of believing it.
Luke 1:37The angel's direct statement, 'For no word from God will ever fail,' serves as the immediate theological framework for Mary's question, assuring her that impossibility is not a barrier to God's promises.
expositorsLuke 1:34: "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"
Chapter 4THE VIRGIN MOTHER . THE Beautiful Gate of the Jewish Temple opened into the "Court of the Women"-so named from the fact that they were not allowed any nearer approach towards the Holy Place. And as we open the gate of the third Gospel we enter the Court of the Women; for more than any other Evangelist, St. Luke records their loving and varied ministries. Perhaps this is owing to his profession, whic…
bensonLuke 1:34: "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"
Luke 1:34-38 . Then said Mary, How shall this be — How can I immediately conceive a child, (for so the angel meant, and so she understood him to mean,) seeing I know not a man? — This was not the language of distrust, or of doubt, respecting what the angel said, but of a desire to be further instructed, for the direction of her conduct. She so inquired concerning the manner, as not to doubt of the fact. Some…
Mary's question isn't about doubt, but about the how. She understands the angel's message is to be fulfilled now, and her focus on "I know not a man" highlights her immediate, practical concern and her virginity as the apparent obstacle, showing a desire for understanding rather than disbelief. This humility and desire for instruction is key to her faith journey.
The angel Gabriel has just delivered an astonishing message to Mary: she, a virgin, will conceive and give birth to a son who will be called the Son of the Most High. Mary, understandably perplexed and seeking clarity rather than doubting, immediately asks how this can possibly happen given her virginity. This question reveals her understanding that the angel's promise implies an imminent conception, not one that would occur after her marriage to Joseph.
The angel Gabriel has just delivered an astonishing message to Mary: she, a virgin, will conceive and give birth to a son who will be called the Son of the Most High. Mary, understandably perplexed and seeking clarity rather than doubting, immediately asks how this can possibly happen given her virginity. This question reveals her understanding that the angel's promise implies an imminent conception, not one that would occur after her marriage to Joseph.
"And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—th…" — Mary's question isn't about doubt, but about the how. She understands the angel's message is to be fulfilled now, and her focus on "I know not a man" highlights her immediate, practical concern and…
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Last reviewed October 2026
