The Daughter of Abraham
As she celebrated the regard that God had shown to the lowliness of his handmaiden, the Mother of the Lord explicitly recalled his mercy when “he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever” (Luke 1:55). The mention of what God said to Abraham is especially significant in this context, because it is directly related to what God said to the Mother of Jesus. There are several points of parallel.
First, the content of what God “spoke,” in each case, had to do with Abraham’s “seed.” Both instances, that is to say, involved the assurance of the birth of a child of Abraham. Just as the history of the Chosen People began with such a promise, so did the era of the Christian Church.
Thus, God promised Abraham that “one who will come from your own body shall be your heir” (Gen. 15:4). This promise was paralleled in the words of Gabriel, as he announced the coming Messiah: “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son” (Luke 1:31).
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Patrick Henry Reardon is pastor emeritus of All Saints Antiochian Orthodox Church in Chicago, Illinois, and the author of numerous books, including, most recently, Out of Step with God: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Numbers (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2019).
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