Born of a Virgin?: Reconceiving Jesus In The Bible, Tradition And Theology

by Andrew Lincoln

There can be little doubt that Gabriel’s appearance to Zechariah is modelled on that to Daniel. This is highly significant for Luke’s use of Scripture. Already in the first chapter of his Gospel he has had the law, the prophets and the writings foreshadow what happens at the start of the new era of salvation. Abraham and Sarah are taken from Genesis in the Law, Elkanah and Hannah from the Former Prophets, and Gabriel from the Writings. Later at the end of the Gospel in Luke 24.44 Luke will refer to this threefold division of Scripture when he says that ‘everything written about Jesus in the law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled’ and now it becomes apparent that he has embarked on this process himself from the very beginning of his story of Jesus.