Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I [g]do not know a man?”
35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”
38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:34-38)
When we read the story of Jesus' birth we find that there were two miracle births: John the Baptist and Jesus. Luke deliberately links the announcements of John and Jesus together to show that they both fulfill prophecy and both are essential to God's eternal plan. John’s birth was miraculous because it came through Zechariah and Elizabeth, who were well beyond childbearing years. Jesus’ birth was even more extraordinary because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin. Together, these two births proclaim a single truth: God is not limited by human weakness or human expectation.
John’s conception is familiar in Scripture because of Old Testament miracle births. Like Isaac, Samuel, and Samson, John is born to a barren woman through divine intervention. His life testifies that God revives what seems hopeless and brings promise out of long waiting. Elizabeth’s pregnancy announces that God has not forgotten Israel and that the prophetic voice, silent for centuries, was about to speak again.
Jesus’ conception, however, is like none other. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. Mary's question was "how" - “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” She was not asking if God can do this, but how. Gabriel’s response clearly answered her question: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you.” This is not merely a miracle of birth; it is the incarnation. God took on human flesh and became like us.
Gabriel points Mary to Elizabeth’s pregnancy as evidence: “Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age.” The lesser miracle became a signpost to the greater one. If God can open a barren womb, He can also bring forth a Savior through a virgin. The statement “For with God nothing will be impossible” is not motivational optimism; it is a declaration of divine authority. God’s word carries within it the power to accomplish what it announces.
Both births underscore that God works according to promise, not probability. Human logic says these children should not exist, yet God’s plan depends on them. Luke is teaching that God’s redemptive work does not rely on human capacity but on divine faithfulness.
The climax of Luke 1 is Mary’s response: “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (v. 38). This is faith in its purest form. Mary submitted to God’s will without full understanding of the cost. Mary did not ask for proof or reassurance; she simply yielded herself entirely to God’s plan and purpose.
Her faith stands in contrast to Zechariah’s earlier hesitation and highlights the kind of response God desires. The God who performs miracles also calls for trust. Divine power and human obedience meet in Mary’s full surrender.
The miracle births of John and Jesus proclaim that God is able to do what seems impossible to man. John’s birth declares that God restores hope and prepares the way. Jesus’ birth reveals that God Himself has come to save. Together, they affirm the angel’s timeless truth: with God, nothing will be impossible. These miracles invite people in every generation to trust God’s word, submit to His will, and believe that His purposes will prevail.