Zechariah asked the angel, how can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years — Zechariah's question is the same as Abraham's implicit question and Sarah's laughter (Genesis 17–18): the natural impossibility of conception at their age makes the promise seem incredible. How can I be sure communicates a request for a confirming sign rather than simple belief. The contrast with Mary's how will this be (verse 34) is often noted: Mary asks about mechanism; Zechariah asks for proof. The angel's responses to the two questions will be very different.

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