“And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”
My Notes
What Does Luke 1:28 Mean?
"And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." Gabriel's greeting to Mary is unlike any other angelic announcement in Scripture. "Highly favoured" (kecharitōmenē) is a perfect passive participle — meaning Mary has already been graced by God, not that she earned favor through her own merit. The greeting doesn't celebrate her achievement; it celebrates God's choice.
"Blessed art thou among women" places Mary in the company of Jael (Judges 5:24) and Judith — women singled out by God for pivotal roles in salvation history. The phrase "the Lord is with thee" is the standard assurance given to those called to impossible tasks (Gideon, Moses, Jeremiah). Gabriel is preparing Mary for a mission that will upend her life entirely.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does knowing that God's favor came before Mary's response change how you think about grace?
- 2.What has God's 'favor' in your life cost you — and was it what you expected?
- 3.What does 'the Lord is with thee' mean practically when the assignment feels impossible?
- 4.If you were Mary, hearing this greeting, would your response be fear, excitement, or something else entirely?
Devotional
An angel walks into the room of a teenage girl in Nazareth and says: you are highly favored. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women. And her life will never be the same.
Before we romanticize the Annunciation, consider what Mary's favor actually looked like. It meant an unexplained pregnancy in a culture that stoned unwed mothers. It meant whispers in Nazareth for the rest of her life. It meant watching her son be rejected, tortured, and killed. "Highly favoured" didn't mean easy. It meant chosen for something costly.
Gabriel's greeting contains a truth that reframes everything: the favor came before the assignment. Mary didn't earn God's grace by saying yes. She was already "highly favoured" before she responded. God's favor isn't a reward for good behavior. It's the starting condition for hard calling.
If God has placed something on your life that feels overwhelming — a calling that's too big, a path that doesn't make sense, a mission that will cost you socially, relationally, or personally — you might be experiencing what Mary experienced. The angel's message wasn't "this will be easy." It was "the Lord is with thee." That's the only guarantee you get. And for Mary, it was enough.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And the angel came in unto her,.... Into her house, and into the room where she was:
and said, hail; all health,…
Hail - This word of salutation is equivalent to “Peace be with thee,” or “Joy be with thee;” a form of speech implying…
And the angel came in unto her - Some think that all this business was transacted in a vision; and that there was no…
We have here notice given us of all that it was fit we should know concerning the incarnation and conception of our…
highly favoured marg. "graciously accepted" or "much graced." Literally, having been graced (by God). Eph 1:6,…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture