Luke 1:38

(Geometer.) Some men will highly extol one thing, some another, in these words of the virgin. One man, for example, her constancy, another her willingness of obedience; one man her not being tempted by the great and glorious promises of the great archangel; another, her self-command in not giving an instant assent, equally avoiding both the heedlessness of Eve and the disobedience of Zacharias. But to me the depth of her humility is an object no less worthy of admiration

But Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word. How great the humility with devotion, who wishes for the angel's promise to be fulfilled, and calls herself, though chosen to be the mother, the handmaid. …

And the angel departed from her. Rising in those days, Mary went into the hill country with haste to a city of Judah. With the virgin's consent granted, the angel soon returned to the heavens, she sought the mountains. She hastens to visit Elizabeth, not …

Having received the consent of the virgin, the angel soon returns heavenward, as it follows, And the angel departed from her.

I am the painter's board; let the painter paint what he wishes; let the Lord create what is pleasing to Him. It is evident that what was said before — "how will this be" — was an expression not of unbelief, but of a desire …

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord - It is not improbable, that this time of the virgin's humble faith, consent, and expectation, might be the very time of her conceiving.

And Mary said, behold the handmaid of the Lord,....

The interview between Mary the mother of Jesus and Elisabeth the mother of John, when they were both with child of those pregnant births, and the prophecies they both uttered upon that occasion,

Let us mark, in these verses — the reverent and discreet manner in which the angel Gabriel speaks of the great mystery of Christ's incarnation. In reply to the question of Mary, "How shall this be?" he uses these remarkable words, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon you — and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you." We shall do well to follow the example of the angel in all our reflections on this deep subject.

Let us mark, in these verses — the reverent and discreet manner in which the angel Gabriel speaks of the great mystery of Christ's incarnation. In reply to the question of Mary, "How shall this be?" he uses these remarkable words, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon you — and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you." We shall do well to follow the example of the angel in all our reflections on this deep subject. Let us ever regard it with holy reverence — and abstain from those improper and unprofitable speculations upon it, in which some have unhappily indulged. It is enough for us to know that "the Word was made flesh," and that when the Son of God came into the world, he had a real body — so that He "took part of our flesh and blood," and was "made of a woman." Here we must stop. The manner in which all this was effected, is wisely hidden from us. If we attempt to pry beyond this point — we shall only darken counsel by words without knowledge, and rush in where angels fear to tread. In a religion which really comes down from Heaven — there must needs be mysteries. Of such mysteries in Christianity, the incarnation is one. Let us mark, in the second place — the prominent place assigned to the Holy Spirit in the great mystery of the incarnation. We find it written, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon you." An intelligent reader of the Bible will probably not fail to remember that the honor here given to the Spirit, is in precise harmony with the teaching of Scripture in other places. In every step of the great work of man's redemption — we shall find special mention of the work of the Holy Spirit. Did Jesus die to make atonement for our sins? It is written that "through the eternal Spirit, He offered himself without spot to God." (Hebrews 9:14.) Did Jesus rise again for our justification? It is written that He "was quickened by the Spirit."

Behold the handmaid of the Lord - I fully credit what thou sayest, and am perfectly ready to obey thy commands, and to accomplish all the purposes of thy grace concerning me. It appears that at the instant of this act of faith, and purposed obedience, the conception of the immaculate humanity of Jesus took place; and it was Done unto her according to his word. See Luk 1:35.

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid ... - This was an expression of resignation to the will of God, and of faith in the promise. To be the “handmaid of the Lord” is to be submissive and obedient, and is the same as saying, “I fully credit all that is said, and am perfectly ready to obey all the commands of the Lord.”