LUKE 1:18-35

Q:  I wondered why Gabriel appeared frustrated when Zechariah was made speechless for asking "How can I be sure of this?" (Luke 1:18), but when Mary asked "How will this be..." (Luke 1:35...) Gabriel provides her an explanation of HOW, with no apparent rebuke? Was it the way the question was raised? Zechariah's query seems to be more about "prove it to me..." vs. Mary's being more of HOW? Also Zechariah was a priest & Mary a young girl...was it more about Mary's faith in what Gabriel told her?

Most commentators would agree with you in your reasoning for the different responses Gabriel gives to these two people. Zechariah should not have questioned Gabriel since:

1. He was a priest who well knew the stories of Abraham and Samuel's parents being given sons in their old age (Zechariah pretty much quotes directly from Genesis 15:8 and 18:11 in his reply to Gabriel.)

2. He and his wife had apparently been praying for just such an event (see Luke 1:13). Sort of like praying for rain, but not bringing an umbrella with you because you really don't expect your prayer to be answered.

By contrast, Mary is given more slack by the angel since she was only a teenager who had not asked for such an event in her life, there was no precedent in history for a virgin birth, and she merely inquires as to the method by which it will be brought about.

I. Howard Marshall (Commentary on Luke, p. 60) is just one of several commentators who point out the threefold purpose for Zechariah being struck dumb. It was punishment for Zechariah's unbelief, it acted as the sign that Zechariah asked for, “and it served the deeper purpose of concealing the wonder of what was to happen until the due time.”

These paired stories serve as a good example of Luke's distinctive literary technique of giving purposely contrasting responses to similar circumstances (see Raymond Brown's The Birth of the Messiah, p. 279 for a table showing the close correspondence in details between the two annunciations.) Thus,

A. Barnabas sells land and donates proceeds to the church (Acts 4:32-37) while

Ananias and Sapphira sell land but secretly keep some of the proceeds (Acts 5:1-11).

B. Simon the magician believes (Acts 8:9-13) while

Elymas the magician doesn't believe (Acts 13:6-11).

C. There are almost magical healings using Paul's handkerchief (Acts 19:11-12) but

an attempt at magical exorcism by unbelievers fails (Acts 19:13-20), etc., etc.