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'Saith Rabbi Nachman, Let my daughter Doneg bring some drink, that we
may drink together. Saith the other, Samuel saith We must not use the
ministry of a woman. But this is a little girl, saith Nachman. The
other answers, But Samuel saith We ought not to use the ministry of any
woman at all -- Wilt thou please, saith Nachman, to salute Lelith my
wife? But, saith he, Samuel saith, The voice of a woman is filthy
nakedness. But, saith Nachman, thou mayest salute her by a messenger.
To whom the other, Samuel saith, They do not salute any woman. Thou
mayest salute her, saith Nachman, by a proxy, a husband. But Samuel
saith, said he again, They do not salute a woman at all'.
The honoured place which the Christian faith has given to women, is in
strong contrast with this exclusive attitude of the Rabbis. 'Highly
favoured' charitoo. This word is very rare, being practically unknown in
classical Greek. In one version of the Septuagint, it takes the place of
eklektos 'elect' in Psalm 18:26, and occurs once in the Apocrypha. More
important still, it is so rare in the New Testament, that, apart from Luke
1:28, it occurs but once more, namely in that passage of high favour and
overwhelming grace, where the apostle says of members of the church of the
One Body, that they were 'accepted' or 'highly favoured' in the Beloved (Eph.
1:6). No wonder that Mary 'cast in her mind what manner of salutation this
should be'. The further words of the Angel to Mary stress this element of
high favour, 'Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God'. This
great passage falls into three sections, prefaced and concluded by the coming
and the departure of the angel Gabriel. Thus:
Luke 1:24-38
A
24-26.
Gabriel sent ... .
Elisabeth's reproach taken away.
The sixth month.
B
27.
To a virgin whose name was Mary.
C
28.
The salutation.
D
29.
'What manner?'
C
31-33.
The miraculous conception.
Son of the Highest.
D
34.
How shall this be?
B
34.
A virgin.
Know not a man.
C
35.
The miraculous conception.
Power of the Highest.
A
36-38.
Gabriel departed.
Elisabeth ... who was called barren.
The sixth month.
The Greek word translated virgin is parthenos, and in 1 Corinthians
7:34 the virgin is contrasted with a wife, and is called an unmarried woman
and in the Revelation it is seen that the word is not limited to one sex.
These men are called 'virgins' for one reason only, which is stated in
Revelation 14:4. Mary's own bewilderment is expressed in terms that prove
her virginity, 'How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?' Apart from the
complete elimination of the male parent, Mary's conception followed the
normal course. As the Te Deum acknowledges, the Saviour did not abhor the
virgin's womb (Luke 1:31). She went her full time, was at the last seen to
be 'great with child' (Luke 2:5), and at the accomplishment of her days was