Highly Favored, Part 2

 Hello everyone. 

In this post, I want to finish the story of Mary and the appearance of the angel Gabriel.  In part 1, I talked about how Mary was κεχαριτωμένη (kekaritomenay), one who was highly favored, and I asked the question, ‘Why was Mary so favored by God?’ So far, I have shared that Mary was favored because she was so willing to believe that God could and would do the impossible.  I shared this with my wife, Wendy, and she had a new insight for me that I will share with you before moving on to my second point.  She said that Mary was also favored because God said she was.  Mary is told that God had chosen her for a unique and wonderful task and she accepted Gabriel’s words at face value.  How often do we struggle with the idea that God has chosen us? (as His chosen people, as God’s special possession, I Peter 2:9)  Something to think about. 

This brings me to my second point as to why Mary was so highly favored by God.  Her response to Gabriel was, “I am a servant of the Lord.  May it happen to me according to what you have said.” (v. 38, my own translation.) What I want to point out is that the word we translate as ‘servant’ here doesn't necessarily mean ‘servant.’   

Mary responds that she is God’s δούλη (doulay).  However, according to the Greek- English Lexicon of New Testament Words, what the word really means is ‘female slave or bondwoman.’   It further defines the adjective form of the word δούλος (doulos) like this: pertaining to being under someone’s complete control, slavish, servile. Mary has made herself completely subject to the will of the Lord. She submits to the will of the Lord, no matter what she is being asked to do, because she is his ‘slave,’ and is completely subservient to Him. By agreeing to God’s will for her, Mary places herself at risk. She does not know how Joseph will respond to this.  She does know how her reputation will suffer because of this.  Darrell Bock says this: ``There is risk in agreeing to go God’s way, but as the Lord’s servant, she willingly goes.” (p. 127.) 

I see two things that lead Mary to a highly favored status.  She believes that God can accomplish the impossible, and she is willing to do whatever is asked of her.  May we all have the same heart.

Tom