Mary Overshadowed by the Spirit

December 11th, 2025
by Lance Waldie

Luke 1:34-35 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.”

It is obvious that Mary understood Gabriel to mean that she would have a child as a virgin, for it would not have confused her otherwise since she was still betrothed to Joseph when Gabriel appeared to her (as a virgin) and would bear children only after they were married. Her question to the angel, therefore, does not express doubt, like Zacharias’ question in 1:18; rather, she simply wanted to know how it was biologically possible that a virgin could conceive a child.

Some have attempted to read into v. 34 the idea that Mary, as a virgin, was expressing a perpetual vow of virginity in saying, “Since I am a virgin,” implying that she would always be a virgin. Of course the passage does not even hint at such, and Matthew 1:25 negates it altogether, for it is plainly stated that Mary only remained a virgin until Jesus was born. Added to this the fact that Jesus had at least four brothers and two sisters (Matt. 13:55), and it becomes evident that Mary and Joseph did have sexual relations after the birth of Jesus, bearing other children.

Contrary to Zacharias’ doubt, Mary’s question to Gabriel came from faith, for she was not rebuked for wondering how she, being a virgin, was going to conceive a child. The angel answered her by saying that the Holy Spirit would “come upon” her, and “the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” The normal way a child is conceived is when sperm meets egg, but in Mary’s case, the creative power of the Holy Spirit—the creative Agent in the creation of the universe ex nihilo (Gen. 1:2)—would also be the One who created the life in her womb. Indeed, the same Spirit that hovered over the face of the deep on a formless and void earth preparing to form it and emit life into it, was the Spirit that would implant the Christ-child in Mary. The Spirit would thus “overshadow” Mary—He would “cover” as the cloud of God’s presence covered Peter, James, and John at the Transfiguration of Jesus (9:34; cf. Acts 5:15). The same word is used in the LXX for God’s presence resting on the tabernacle in the cloud (Exod. 40:35). It is also used metaphorically for God’s protection of His people (Pss. 91:4; 140:7). In short, Gabriel told Mary that God’s presence would rest upon her, enabling her to bear His Son, Jesus.

In Acts 1:8 Luke uses similar wording to describe the Holy Spirit coming over the disciples to enable them for evangelistic service all over the world. In the present passage, there is another distinction made between John the Baptist, who was filled with the Spirit from his mother’s womb (1:15) and Jesus who was conceived by the Holy Spirit. It is for this reason that Jesus would be called God’s Son. This “holy Child” would be separate from all others solely due to the Spirit’s work. Of course John’s Gospel depicts Jesus as the eternally existing Logos, the “Word” (1:1-3) that became “flesh” (1:14). Luke simply speaks of how and when the Logos became flesh. Though His birth had nothing to do with His nature, His nature necessitated His birth. For since God’s created beings had become sinful, a Savior was therefore necessary to redeem them.

Food For Thought
Note the activity of the Triune God in this passage. It is the Holy Spirit that would come upon Mary—the power of El Elyon, the Most High God. Here the Spirit is equated with the Most High God. He would beget the Word of God—God’s Son who would be holy, dedicated for a divine purpose just as all firstborn males were in the OT (Exod. 13:2, 12; Num. 3:13; 8:17; Lk. 2:23). This Son, however, has existed for all eternity—the Logos (John 1:1-3, 14). Hence, each member of the Trinity took part in the redemption of man unto salvation. The Most High God would be the Father of the Son Mary would bear, overshadowing Her with the Holy Spirit.