Lucas 1:30

‘And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God, and behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name JESUS.”

The angel gently gave her his reassurance. She was not to be afraid. Rather she had found favour with God. God was pleased with her, and wanted to bless her. And the angel then informed her of what was required of her. She had been chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. For she was to conceive in her womb and bring forth a son, and was to call His name Jesus. The very way in which this was said implied a birth from a virgin. Even though she was a young unwed virgin, there was no thought of a husband. She was to conceive in her own womb, and bring forth her own son, because the Holy Spirit of God had come on her.

The words reflect Isaiah 7:14 LXX, ‘behold a virgin will conceive in the womb and bear a son, and will call his name Immanuel’ (idou he parthenos en gastri exei kai texetai uion kai kaleseis to onoma autou Immanouel - LXX). This compares with ‘kai idou sullempse en gastri kai texe uion kai kaleseis to onoma autou Yesoun’ here in Luke. Luke may have had a translation for Isaiah 7:14 which was even closer. That Mary is a virgin (parthenos) has already been declared in Luke 1:27. It may be this similarity that raises the question in Mary’s mind that she asks in Luke 1:34.

‘And will call his name JESUS.’ His name was to be Je-sous, signifying ‘YHWH is salvation’. The naming of Jesus parallels the naming of John, both indicating that they are under His protection and purpose. Compare how the son who is to be born to the virgin in Isaiah 7:14 is also named by the Lord. He was to be named Immanu-el, ‘God is with us (to save)’. And in all of them, through their names, He has revealed something of what they will be.