Artwork: “The Annunciation of Mary” by Jose Luis Castrillo
We read in Luke that the Angel Gabriel came to a young woman named Mary to tell her that she was going to have a baby who would be the Saviour or the world. What a torrential river of thoughts and emotions must have swept Mary along! But something in the character of who she was kept her afloat.
Mary is how we say in English the Hebrew name Meriam. The name Mary meant beloved, but it also meant rebellious, strong willed, and bitter. Her parents probably liked the idea of beloved, but the other meanings of the name do hint at what would come into play in her life.
For a Hebrew person, as in many cultures, a name would be given to a child with an early sense of what their character would be like. In Hebrew, the word for character and for name was the same. If Mary lived up to the meaning of her name, Mary must have been strong willed, stubborn even, with a deep capacity to love. What is in a name? Wouldn’t God have seen all this in her, the right woman to face the path that lay ahead.
The Angel Gabriel greeted Mary in Nazareth with these exact words:
“Shalom, favoured woman! Yahweh is with you. Blessed among women”
(Luke 1:28, KJV)
[The KJV is one translation among a few that translate the full salutation from the Greek.]
It was so unusual that it caused Mary to wonder what these words meant. Embedded in this extended greeting was a larger drama that would play out in Mary’s life. She would remember this later. A usual greeting was just Shalom. The stranger added three other things: Favoured woman, Yahweh is with you. Blessed among women.
God’s Timing
In the same way we would say “Good morning”, Shalom was the common everyday greeting in Hebrew. Although it is translated into English as peace, its root idea comes from perfection or completion. In Hebrew, your word was your will, your intent. It had authority. A man of means would speak and it would be done. When it was done, it was said to be complete or shalom. God’s word, spoken through a messenger, would bring to completion something towards which God had been moving for generations. And the time was right.
You will want this
He said, Favoured woman. Favour was having things go right or fall into place. To have God’s favour was not just a reward for good behaviour. God chose Mary according to who she was in her completeness, because she could do this. It is not as though she had no choice. Given her character, given Mary’s disposition towards Yahweh already in her life, she would have wanted to do what God wanted.
Investment of God’s Plan
Then the angel said, Yahweh is with you. This is what the name Emanuel means. God’s plan was in motion and God had already invested his presence in Mary. The forerunner of the Messiah, the one who would prepare the way for Jesus, would soon be birthed by Mary’s cousin Elizabeth. God was highly invested in this extended family.
Inheritance of the Blessing
Finally the angel said, Blessed among women. In this greeting of Gabriel, God was calling Mary blessed. The Hebrew word used here would have been barak, literally meaning a gift offered on bended knee. It was used in special instances when God was bestowing a gift. And, it was the word used primarily to describe a father bestowing his gift of inheritance upon his firstborn son. Mary being called blessed pointed to a kind of inheritance transaction. If she was carrying the son of the Most High within her, then he came with the inheritance of his Father. Mary must have thought a lot about that in the days that followed. How would this all work with Joseph, her future husband?
Following the Way
Joseph was betrothed to Mary and was a man of honour. As was the custom in those days, Joseph was likely much older than Mary, who may have been only 14 years old. A family would arrange the future marriage of their daughter to one who had established himself with a business or trade. The man would wait until she was old enough to bear children to take her into his home and marry her.
As Mary was suddenly discovered to be with child, everything could have changed for them. Joseph might have divorced her, annulling the betrothal. He might have invoked the bitter test of Numbers 5:19, where the priest would have the adulterous woman drink bitter water to possibly miscarry any child growing within her. Joseph, however, was more inclined to end things with Mary quietly. Interesting how Mary’s name means beloved, strong willed, and also bitter. But Mary was not strong willed in a rebellious way, as the fact of being pregnant might have suggested, but strong willed to journey the way that lay ahead. All this was made clear to Joseph in a dream.
And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. [Matthew 1:24, 25]
Artwork: “Mother and Child” by Rik Berry
ADVENT PRACTICE
“Shalom, favoured woman! Yahweh is with you. Blessed among women”
(Luke 1:28, KJV)
Through the week, take some time to reflect each day upon God’s way in you.
God’s Timing – Shalom
Imagine God greeting you as He did through Gabriel with the word, Shalom. Are you able to receive God’s perfect timing in your life? Reflect on the circumstances of your life and the path God has led you on… where you are now? Where may you have gone astray? How is God still bringing to completion your journey with Jesus?
You will want this – God favouring us
Think about the deep longings in your life. What has already come about with these longings? Are you accepting the way God has made you? How is God’s favour changing the way you see yourself? Do you want this?
Investment of God in your life – God with us
Sometimes we do not feel as though God is with us. As you think back over your life, where do you see the landmarks of God intervening in your life? Where do you see evidence of God in your extended family?
Inheritance of the Blessing – God within us
Consider the uniqueness of who you are. Might God have a claim on your life as he did with Mary? How has the way God made you revealed the gift of God within you?
Following the Way
It is pretty hard to follow Jesus if we do not have an inner assurance. Think about Mary’s radical disposition to go with God’s plan as announced by Gabriel… and Joseph’s inward redirection that he accepted from his dream. What is the experience you remember that brought you back to Jesus’ way?
Rik Berry is a retired pastor and a visual artist living in Nova Scotia. He and and his wife Cathy planted and led Valley Gate Vineyard in Kentville, NS, for 25 years until their retirement in 2024. They continue to serve Vineyard Canada as regional leaders for the Atlantic provinces.
Rik directs Confluence of the Arts events which open up a rich interplay between creatives and theologians as they hear God together. Rik continues to study Hebrew culture and language, which has shaped his understanding of Jesus’ teaching and plays out in his art. He loves sports, carpentry, flying drones, creating cool videos, and since retiring last year, cooking amazing recipes! Rik also enjoys being a grandpa to 18 wonderful grandchildren that range in age from 6 months to 19 years old.