Luke 1:29

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Hello,

Can anyone point me to a scholarly response to why Mary would be troubled at the greeting she received? In my mind’s eye I can picture this wonderful image of an Arch Angel appearing before her and addressing her as the “Full of Grace” and she is too humble to accept the acclimation. However this is kind of fluffy and not scholarly; does anyone know of an article that addresses this verse thoroughly? Thanks and may God bless you.

Joe M
 
Hi Joe,

The Navarre Bible commentary on this passage is:
Our Lady is troubled by the presence of the archangel and by the confusion truly humble people experience when they receive praise.
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I wish that I could find some more info. I will keep you posted if I run across anything. PLEASE post here if you find out anything!

Good luck!
 
I have also read somewhere that in other instances in which angels greeted humans, the angels’ traditional greeting was, “Fear not.” With Our Lady, however, the angel gives her deference, “Hail, Mary.”

Fiat
 
It is believed that it is impossible to see God and live. That is why in the bible the first thing angels say to people is fear not.
 
I would like to approach this question not so much scripturally but through somewhat common sense. First, Mary was and is human, when a human, a creature of God made up of body and soul, encounters a pure spirit that has to be troubling because it is so beyond our sense experience. Also, and I’m not trying to be smart her, but I believe Mary was exposed culturally to the scriptures in a way we cannot comprehend. The Torah permeated the life of every Jew so imagine how open to the realities she must have been with out her even realizing it (the effects of the Immaculate Conception) So having the scriptures embedded in her life I am certain she realized immediately upon encountering Gabriel she was being called, by God, to do some important act that would change her life for ever. And all this came before the message of God’s plans was delivered.
 
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Fiat:
I have also read somewhere that in other instances in which angels greeted humans, the angels’ traditional greeting was, “Fear not.” With Our Lady, however, the angel gives her deference, “Hail, Mary.”

Fiat
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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.​

Luk 1:29 And when she saw [him], she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

Luk 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

Luk 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb…

A better translation than “Hail”, might be “Rejoice” - “Rejoice” is a significant word in the OT - it is often used in passages which are talking about salvation: and rejoicing is a very natural reaction to salvation, military or of some other sort:

1Sa 2:1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. (from Hannah’s OT Magnificat) ##
 
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