The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oak of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. 2 Looking up, he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground, 3 he said: “Sir, if it please you, do not go on past your servant. 4 Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest under the tree. 5 Now that you have come to your servant, let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves; and afterward you may go on your way.” “Very well,” they replied, “do as you have said.” 6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick, three measures of bran flour! Knead it and make bread.” 7 He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. 8 Then he got some curds and milk, as well as the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them, waiting on them under the tree while they ate.
9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “There in the tent,” he replied. 10 One of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son.” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, just behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years, and Sarah had stopped having her menstrual periods. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself and said, “Now that I am worn out and my husband is old, am I still to have sexual pleasure?” 13 But the Lord said to Abraham: “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really bear a child, old as I am?’ 14 Is anything too marvelous for the Lord to do? At the appointed time, about this time next year, I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son.” 15 Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But he said, “Yes, you did.”
In this passage, Sarah’s miraculous conception of Isaac is announced by three divine visitors (commonly interpreted as a theophany, a manifestation of God). Despite Sarah being well beyond childbearing years (v. 11), God promises that she will bear a son. Sarah’s initial doubt (v. 12) is met with God’s reminder that "nothing is impossible for the Lord" (v. 14). This miraculous conception underscores God's omnipotence and His ability to bring about His promises in ways that defy natural limitations.
This event foreshadows the Annunciation in Luke 1:34-37, where the Angel Gabriel tells Mary she will conceive Jesus through the Holy Spirit, despite her virginity. Just as Sarah's faith in God's word led to the birth of Isaac, so too did Mary’s acceptance of God's plan lead to the birth of Jesus. Both conceptions are miraculous and integral to God’s unfolding salvation plan, showing that salvation history often involves divine intervention in ways that transcend natural human expectations.
In both instances, God's intervention serves as a sign of His covenant faithfulness. For Sarah, the birth of Isaac is a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham (Gen. 17:19), a promise that links Isaac to the lineage of the Messiah. For Mary, the conception of Jesus fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 about the virgin birth the Messiah – “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign; the young woman, pregnant and about to bear a son, shall name him Emmanuel.”
These conceptions are connected to God's plan of salvation as they both point to the New Covenant brought about by Jesus Christ. As Isaac’s birth is a precursor to the establishment of God’s people, the birth of Jesus establishes the new spiritual Israel (Gal. 4:4-5). The New Testament reiterates this divine pattern of God’s intervention to fulfill His promises in miraculous and unexpected ways in passages like Hebrews 11:11-12, which recounts Sarah’s faith, and Luke 1:45, where Mary’s faith is similarly praised. Romans 4:19-21 also recalls Sarah’s unwavering trust in God’s promise, underscoring the theological theme of divine faithfulness. The key theological point is that salvation comes through God's initiative, by His grace, and often in ways that exceed human understanding and capabilities, as seen in John 1:14, where the Word became flesh in the incarnation.
Almighty God, we thank You for the miraculous conceptions of Sarah and Mary, which reveal Your power and faithfulness. Just as You fulfilled Your promises to them, we trust that You will continue to guide us in Your divine plan. Strengthen our faith to believe that, with You, nothing is impossible. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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