“And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.” Luke 1:46-47, 49 These verses comprise part of what is called “Mary’s Song” or the Magnificat. In antiquity, poetic compositions were typically chanted or sung….
“But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne…
“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is…
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.” Galatians 4:4-5 “Set time had fully come” pictures a container steadily being filled with the passage of time until full. Corresponds to…
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 The pronoun “you” is in a plural sense so Isaiah has turned from King Ahaz, whom he has dismissed in judgment, and now addresses all who are present. Consequently,…
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:5, 8 “Apart from Me you can do…
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 “The way” indicates that Christ is not merely a way, but rather the only way to God. Through His death and resurrection, Christ went to prepare a place for us in heaven,…
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die…” John 11:25 Christ is “the resurrection” for those who believe and are physically dead, and He is “the life” for those who believe and have not yet died. When Jesus asked Martha…
“Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,…
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” Hebrews 1:1-2 “In various ways” indicates God’s prophetic Word…