Scripture Study for

In the time of David, it was customary for a king to honor his patron  god by building a temple, thus David’s resolve to build a “house” for  the God who gave him his throne. But the God of Israel does not  want things done the usual way and instead promises to build for  David an everlasting “house,” or dynasty. This passage, then, is the  founding story of the Davidic dynasty, the chosen monarchy of the  God of Israel. Although the monarchy came to an end four hundred  years later at the time of the Exile, this promise remained “on the  books,” and was revived many years later in conjunction with the  rise of Jewish messianic expectations under the Greeks and Romans. 

Paul ends his Letter to the Romans with a doxology to the faithful,  righteous God who has made possible justification and salvation  for all in Christ. Throughout the letter Paul has proclaimed and  explained “his” gospel, which is the proclamation of Jesus Christ  himself. In Christ has been revealed the “mystery kept secret for long  ages,” namely that the promises made to Israel long ago would also  be made available to “all nations” through the “obedience of faith,”  that is, belief and trust in God’s justifying action in Christ. It is for  this reason that this eternally faithful and wise God should be given  praise through that same Christ.

Gabriel has come to Mary to announce that a long-standing,  slowly unfolding divine plan for the whole world is reaching its climax. References to David point toward the divine election of  the Davidic monarchy and God’s promise to uphold it “forever,” a  promise on pause since the Exile, but now revealed to come to pass  in the Son to be born to Mary. Naturally enough she is bewildered,  unable to fathom how this is possible. Gabriel’s explanation, along  with his announcement that the aged and barren Elizabeth will also  give birth, drives home a key point of all the scriptures, which is that  “nothing will be impossible for God.”