Luke 1:33Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But he who earns favour in the sight of God has nothing to fear. Hence it follows, For thou hast found favour before God. But how shall any one find it, except through the means of his humility. For God giveth grace to the humble. (James 4:6, 1 Pet. 5:5.)

The 'house of Jacob' refers to all who have faith, including both Jews and Gentiles, for they embody the essence of Jacob and Israel. How is it proclaimed that He ascended to the throne of David? Consider this: David was the least esteemed among his family, and the Lord faced derision, being mocked as one who indulged in food and drink, labeled as the son of a carpenter, and dishonored even by His own kin, the children of Joseph. It is written, “For even His brethren did not believe in Him” (John 7:5). Despite his kindness, David faced trials; similarly, the Lord, who performed wonders, was falsely accused and stoned. David triumphed and ruled through humility, while the Lord established His reign by embracing the cross through His humility.

But this name was given anew to the Word in adaptation to His nativity in the flesh; as that prophecy saith, Thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord hath named. (Is. 62:2.)

Our Lord sat not on the earthly throne of David, the Jewish kingdom having been transferred to Herod. The seat of David is that on which our Lord reestablished His spiritual kingdom which should never be destroyed. Hence it follows, And he shall reign over the house of Jacob.

While the expectation of child-birth strikes a woman with terror, the sweet mention of her offspring calms her, as it is added, And thou shall call his name Jesus. The coming of the Saviour is the banishing of all fear.

But all are not as Mary, that when they conceive the word of the Holy Spirit, they bring forth; for some put forth the word prematurely, others have Christ in the womb, but not yet formed.

QUESTION: If David ruled over Israel in the flesh, and Israel according to the flesh spurned the reign of Christ, which then passed to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46), how will the announcement of the Archangel be realized: And the Lord God will bestow upon Him the throne of David His father; and He will govern the house of Jacob forever (Luke 1:32-33)? ANSWER: This complex question appears to have a straightforward and understandable answer. For it is written that not all those who descend from Israel are truly of Israel, nor are all the descendants of Abraham regarded as his children; rather, it is the children of promise that are recognized as his seed.

The community of God is referred to both as Israel and as Jacob, representing the same individual. While the former nation was Jacob by lineage, being descended from him, the new community is seen as Jacob through spiritual adoption due to their shared virtuous kinship. Thus, the new Israel has succeeded the old. He will reign eternally over this community that has acknowledged Him through His deeds and His teachings, willingly submitting to His authority. Although Christ is King in His divine nature—declaring that “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36)—He also embodies kingship in His humanity.

See then the greatness of the Saviour, how it is diffused over the whole world. Go up to heaven, see there how it has filled the heavenly places; carry thy thoughts down to the deep, behold, there too He has descended. If thou seest this, then, in like manner, beholdest thou fulfilled in very deed, He shall be great.

As if he said, I came not to deceive you, nay rather to bring down deliverance from deception; I came not to rob you of your inviolable virginity, but to open a dwelling-place for the Author and Guardian of thy purity; I am not a servant of the Devil, but the ambassador of Him that destroyeth the Devil. I am come to form a marriage treaty, not to devise plots. So far then was he from allowing her to be harassed by distracting thoughts, lest he should be counted a servant unfaithful to his trust.

Let Nestorius then cease to say that the Virgin’s Son is only man, and to deny that He is taken up by the Word of God into the unity of the Person. For the Angel when he says that the very same has David for His father whom he declares is called the Son of the Highest, demonstrates the one Person of Christ in two natures. The Angel uses the future tense (vocabitur, regnabit) not because, as the Heretics say, Christ was not before Mary, but because in the same person, man with God shares the same name of Son.

The angel proclaims, "The Lord God will bestow upon Him the throne of His father David, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end." The eternal nature of His kingdom affirms His divinity. However, since He is also referred to as the son of David, He embodies humanity. Therefore, He is both the Only Begotten and the Son of Man, receiving an everlasting dominion from God and the Father as foretold by Daniel: "I beheld till thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days did sit... And behold, on the clouds of heaven came one like the Son of Man, and He was brought before the Ancient of Days; and to Him was given dominion and glory, and a kingdom that shall not pass away, and all peoples, nations, and languages shall serve Him" (Dan. 7:9, 13-14).

‘And of His kingdom there shall be no end.’ This title is likely given in contrast to earthly empires that will eventually cease, as the kingdom of Jesus Christ present on earth will transition to the eternal kingdom of glory. ‘Will reign’—in a spiritual sense. The angel spoke briefly to the Blessed Virgin, and such brevity was fitting; had She been shown the entirety of the future at the moment of conception, it would have caused Her distress, which was not aligned with Her role and purpose. Reflecting on the Gospel accounts reveals the details surrounding the life of Jesus Christ and the Annunciation of His Nativity.

“Do not fear,” said the angel who brought light to Mary, piercing through the turmoil in her heart. “For you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, the Savior of all. You are to name Him Jesus, and He will be exalted before the Lord, bearing the title of the Son of the Most High. He will rule over the house of Jacob, and His reign will be eternal, with no end.” These were the first glimpses of the wondrous kingdom of Jesus Christ, illustrating both Him and His reign. The messenger spoke to a virgin from Judah’s royal lineage; the characteristics of Jesus and His kingdom were already foretold in the Old Testament. The virgin was aware of this, and given her situation, the announcement of the Messiah came to her in recognizable terms.

The angel clarifies the significance of his greeting, proclaiming that she is favored because she has received grace, special affection, and love from God. She is indeed blessed among women, for she will give birth to a Son who will be called the Son of the Most High and the everlasting King who will reign on the throne of His ancestor David, the foretold Messiah. To ensure that Mary, who embodies the Messiah as depicted in the prophetic imagery of the Old Testament, comprehends this message, the Archangel speaks in the language of these ancient prophecies. In their entirety, these Old Testament symbols were intended to be unveiled to Mary progressively and in conjunction with subsequent events and revelations.

After discussing the conception of the Son in Mary's womb as well as His birth and naming (see Matt. 1:21), the angel declares, "This one will be great." However, he does not elaborate on this greatness by referencing the abundant gifts of the Holy Spirit that will be bestowed upon the Son of Mary, nor does he highlight exceptional moral attributes; such a portrayal of greatness would not be fitting for the God-Man like it might for the son of Zacharias. Rather, he proclaims that He will be acknowledged as the Son of the Most High God. This signifies that He is truly the Son of God and will be honored as such. Additionally, the Lord God will grant Him the throne of David, His father.

The angel reassured her, saying, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have received favor from God. Listen, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you will name Him Jesus. He will be renowned, called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will bestow upon Him the throne of His ancestor David. He will govern the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." These are truly magnificent, joyous, and yet unfathomable words! Mary, a virgin by her vow, finds the angel's message to be astonishing and beyond human comprehension.

Concerning the house of Jacob, which refers to the Jewish people descended from the twelve sons of the patriarch Jacob, this lineage is why Scripture sometimes refers to it as the house or family of Jacob. The Messiah stands as the Sovereign over all nations, ruling a kingdom consisting of the elect from every language and nation. However, since by human lineage He is connected to the Jewish people and the lineage of David, and since salvation has come to the world through the Jews (John 4:22), it is appropriate to say that His reign specifically encompasses the chosen people, though it also extends to all nations. When you contemplate the throne of David, do not envision a worldly kingdom but rather a heavenly one through which He will govern all peoples through divine proclamation.