The Nugget:
Luke 1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
My Comment:
This, too, is a part of the Christmas story. I choose this verse today because it ties in very nicely with the immediately preceding “Daily Bible Nuggets.”
Mary heard and understood the wonderful promises the angel declared to her. But she did not understand how she could possibly have a child when she had never “known a man.” That is an expression, an idiom or figure of speech used frequently in Scripture. Mary is asserting that she is a chaste virgin, so no way was she about to be pregnant with her first child based on anything she had done.
Mary’s faithfulness in this matter ought to be the pattern all Bible believing Christians follow to the letter. There is no excuse to do otherwise. Both men and women need to take the responsibility that when sinners entice them (Proverbs 1:10), just say NO!
Those who are truly committed to Christ ought to take care to avoid any situations which might lead to any compromise of their obedience to their faith in Christ.
This is a tall order, but this is the direction we ought to be pointing our children and young people toward. The world has long taught this is foolishness. The world says this is unrealistic. And the success rate of the world’s advice? I’ve read that over 70% of black children are born out-of-wedlock–that is, to unwed mothers. I’ve met these mothers in droves on Parent-Teacher Conference Day over many years. Many of the single-parent mothers I’ve met and talked to are doing a Herculean job of raising their children under trying circumstances without the father in the home. Some meet with apparent good success. Many others are faltering. It works much better when we all follow the plan presented throughout the Bible instead of the dictates of contemporary society and foolish governmental policies.
Children fortunate enough to be born to unbroken two-parent families consisting of their biological parents have much more going for them to promote their success in life than those who, through no fault of their own, live under very different conditions.
Mary represents the mother in a proper two-parent family, the loving family into which Jesus was born. She was totally faithful to the Lord, and strictly followed God’s intentions for every future parent. Her husband was likewise faithful. When he learned that she was to have a child, he too was utterly shocked. He knew that he had been perfectly celibate in their relationship. His first thought was that Mary must have somehow been unfaithful, and entered into a relationship with someone else–another man. Otherwise, how could she possibly be pregnant? The angel who spoke to Mary also spoke to Joseph and he too learned of the forthcoming child who was to become the Savior of the world born by means of the miraculous virgin birth.
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1107 for Luke 1:34.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1128 or in Logos 5 or 6 Bible software for Luke 1:34.
(3) Consult the cross references given in the original Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 39 of the New Testament section for Luke 1:34.
(3) Most people today do not have access to those three resources, so I have posted cross references for this passage as I have developed them even more completely for your study as given below:
Luke 1:34. NAZARETH. How shall. Lk 1:18. Ge 15:8. 18:12. Nu 11:22. Jg 6:15. 13:8-12. 1 S 16:2. Jn 3:9. Ac 9:6. 27:31. know not. +*Ge 4:1. 19:8. Nu 31:17. Jg 11:39. Je 31:22. Mt 1:18.