Luke 1:31,34 - the angel tells Mary that you “will” conceive (using the future tense). Mary responds by saying, “How shall this be?” Mary’s response demonstrates that she had taken a vow of lifelong virginity by having no intention to have relations with a man. If Mary did not take such a vow of lifelong virginity, her question would make no sense at all (for we can assume she knew how a child is conceived). She was a consecrated Temple virgin as was an acceptable custom of the times.This was your weakest "point", IMO. Luke says nothing of a "vow of perpetual virginity". However, he does quote Mary as saying "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" By leaving out the second part of her question, you were attempting to make her question take on an aspect a life-long vow. It is obvious from her question that she could not imagine conceiving as she was still a virgin at the time she asked the question.
However, he does quote Mary as saying "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" By leaving out the second part of her question, you were attempting to make her question take on an aspect a life-long vow. It is obvious from her question that she could not imagine conceiving as she was still a virgin at the time she asked the question. Really? You take a woman who is engaged to be married and tell her "you will have a child" and she answers "how can this be?"
Wouldn't a woman about to be married expect to have children in the future?
Would she act surprised?