Judges — Chapter 13

Manoah's wife was barren. Lapide: the pattern of great men born of barren mothers (Isaac, Joseph, Samuel, John the Baptist) shows that they are God's gift to the world, not the product of merely natural generation — types of Christ born of the Virgin. \"They are not so much the sons of their parents as sons of God.\"

He shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb; he shall begin to deliver Israel. Lapide: Samson is a type of Christ (Nazarene) in a threefold way — separated from others, consecrated to God, crowned with his hair. The Angel's announcement to the mother prefigures Gabriel's announcement to Mary; Christ likewise \"began\" to deliver Israel but the full deliverance is accomplished in His death and Resurrection.

The Angel appears first to the mother, then to the father. Lapide: \"As Gabriel first appeared to the Blessed Virgin, announcing the Incarnation, since she was the virgin who would conceive; and afterwards appeared to Joseph her husband — so here the Angel first appeared to the mother of Samson.\" The parallel between the Annunciations is drawn explicitly.

The Angel refuses Manoah's offer of a kid and says: \"If thou wilt offer a holocaust, offer it to God.\" Lapide, citing S. Augustine: the Angel represents Christ, who came not to receive sacrifice but to be the sacrifice. \"Christ in the flame ascended to heaven with the victim\" — signifying that He, made man, would not merely accept sacrifice but would Himself be the holocaust.

My name is Wonderful (Pele). Lapide: the name signifies Christ, who is called \"Wonderful, Counsellor\" (Is. 9:6). His name is Admirable because His Incarnation, life, miracles, death, Resurrection, and Ascension surpass all understanding. Hence the Blessed Virgin is invoked as \"Mater Admirabilis\" — title most pleasing to her, as she herself revealed to a holy person.