ANNUNTIATION. Upon this festival the Christian Church celebrates the conception or incarnation of the Son of God in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The Angel Gabriel brought the first news of it to Zechary, telling him that he should have a Son, who should be the Fore-runner and Prophet of the Messiah. Six months after, the same Angel Gabriel was sent into a City of Galilee called Nazareth, to the Virgin Mary, of the Tribe of Judah, and Family of David. The Angel said to her, Hail Thou that art highly favoured of the Lord; the Lord is with Thee, blessed art Thou among Women! Mary, when she saw him, was troubled at his saying; and considered with her self, what this salutation could mean. And the Angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favour with God. Thou shalt conceive and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest. The Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David, and he shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there shall be no end.
Then said Mary unto the Angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a Man? The Angel answered, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also, that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy Cousin Elizabeth she hath also conceived a Son in her old age; and this is the Luke i. 5, 25. Ver. 26, & seq.sixth month with her, for with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the Handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. At the same time the Angel separated from her, and by the operation of the Holy Ghost she conceived the only Son of the Father, who had been four thousand years expected, and was to be the happiness, the light and salvation of all men.
We celebrate the memory of this mystery on the 25th of March; and S. Austin1 says, that the Church, upon the authority of some old tradition, believed that the Saviour of the world was conceived upon this day. Not only the Greek and Latin Churches have chosen the 25th of March to celebrate this mystery upon; but the Syrians likewise, Chaldees, and Copticks2 do the same. This opinion seems to be founded principally upon the supposition of Christ’s being born upon the 25th of December. As a consequence of this opinion, it has been believed, that he was conceived upon the 25th of March, because generally there are nine months between the birth and conception of children. In the Article of NAZARETH, we shall speak of a Church built in this City, in the place where the Virgin was saluted by the Angel.
To ANSWER. Besides the common signification of this word, which is very well known, there are other interpretations of it; to answer, signifies to sing in two Ex. xv. 21.Chorus’s; for example, it is said that Moses having composed a song of thanksgiving, after the passage of the Red Sea, Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, &c. That is to say, Moses, with the Men on one side, and Miriam with the Women on the other, sung the same song by turns, and as it were with two Chorus’s. And in the Num. xxi. 17.Book of Numbers, Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well, answer unto it; sing in the way of responses, or one side of the Quire singing one verse, the other another. And in the first Book of Samuel, Is Ver. ibid.not this David, of whom they sung one to another in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. They sung this song to his honour in the several Chorus’s. The Vulgate generally translates the Hebrew, Hanah, by concinere; but, as is well known, it signifies properly to answer.
This word is taken likewise for to accuse or defend any one in a judicial way. Gen. xxx. 33.For example, Respondebit mihi cras justitia mea. My righteousness shall answer for me, it shall be my advocate before thee. And Deut. xxxi. 21.in Deuteronomy, The song which thou shalt compose and teach them. Responde-bit ei canticum istud pro testimonio. Isaiah says, Agitatio vultus eorum, respondebit eis. The shew of their countenance will testify against them; their impudence will be like a witness and an accuser, who replies to what the person accused endeavours to say Hosea v. 5.in his own justification. Hosea says the same thing, Respondebit arrogantia Israel.
To answer, is likewise taken in a bad construction, as when it is said that a Son answers his Father insolently, or a Servant his Master. Who art thou that repliest Rom. ix. 20. Joh. xviii. 22. 1 Cor. i. 9. Τὸ ἀπόκριμα τοῦ θανάτου ἐσχήκαμεν.against God? Who art thou to answer God to excuse thy self to him, to contest with him? Et sic respondes Pontifici? Answerest thou the High Priest so?
St. Paul says, that he had in himself the answer of death; like people who have notice given them of their condemnation. He had a certain assurance of dying. Others translate the Greek, We had a forethought of death within ourselves. Heinsius maintains, that the translation ought to be, We have had within ourselves a caution of death; that is to say, an assurance that we shall not die.
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