Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”
Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.
His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.
He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.”
Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv39, 41, 42, 46, 48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 Elizabeth being great with child with John, and Mary…
Elizabeth being great with child with John, and Mary with Christ, by the inspiration of the holy Ghost, do rejoice each for other.
Which is on the South side of Jerusalem.
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That is to say, Hebron: which was in times past called Kirjath Arba, which was one of the towns, that was given to the Levites, in the tribe of Judah, and is said to be in the mountains of Judah, Josh. 14:15 and 21:11.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv39–56 39 And Mary arose in those days, and went…
39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
Ver. 39. Into the hill country] Of Judea, southward of Jerusalem, into the city of Hebron, Jos 21:9.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 53, 54, 56 Many think that this city where this Zacharias lived…
Many think that this city where this Zacharias lived was Hebron, before called Kirjatharba, Jos 14:15, for that was a city in the mountainous part of Judah, one of the cities of refuge, and belonging to the priests, Jos 20:7; but whether it was so or not cannot be certainly determined. She probably went not only to rejoice with Elisabeth her kinswoman, but also to strengthen her own faith as to the revelation which she had received, finding that true which the angel had told her concerning her cousin Elisabeth.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain On vv39, 46, 56 Observe here, 1. The visit made by the Virgin…
Observe here, 1. The visit made by the Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. The holy virgin had understood by the angel, that Elizabeth was no less akin to her in condition than in relation, being both fruitful in conception; she hastens into the hill country to visit that holy matron: the two wonders of the world were now met under one roof, to congratulate their mutual happiness; only the meeting of the saints in heaven, can parallel the meeting of these two saints on earth.
Observe, 2. The design and intention of this visit, which was partly to communicate their joys to each other, and partly to strengthen the faith of each other: such a soul as has Christ spiritually conceived in it, is restless and cannot be quiet till it has imparted its joy.
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Observe, 3. The effect of the virgin’s salutation; she had no sooner saluted Elizabeth, but the babe in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy, doing homage, and paying adoration, to his Lord, who was then in presence. If Elizabeth and her holy babe thus rejoiced, when Christ came under their roof, how should our hearts leap with in us, when the Son of God vouchsafes to come into the secret of our souls, not to visit us for an hour, but to dwell with us, yea, to dwell in us, and that for ever.
Observe, 4. How Elizabeth, by an extraordinary spirit of prophecy, confirms what the angel before had told the holy virgin: Blessed, says she, art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb; and what an honour is this, that the mother of my Lord, should come unto me!
Where note, how Elizabeth acknowledged the incarnation of Christ, and the union of the divine and human nature in the person of the Mediator. She acknowledges Christ to be her Lord, and Mary to be the mother of the Son of God.
Observe, lastly, how the virgin is pronounced blessed, not so much for carrying Christ in her womb by sense, as for bearing him in her heart by faith; Blessed is she that believed. Mary was not so blessed in the bringing forth Christ, as believing in him: yet the believing here mentioned, I take to be, her firm assent to the message brought her by the angel; as if Elizabeth had said, "Dumbness was inflicted on my husband for his unbelief of what the angel said, but, Blessed art thou that didst believe the angel." My husband, a man, an aged man, a learned and eminent man, a priest of the most high God; and the message to him of more appearing possibility; yet he disbelieved; but thou a woman, a mean, unlearned woman, of a private condition, and the message brought most incredible both to nature and reason, and yet it is believed by thee! Blessed therefore is she that believed; and know, that as a reward for thy faith; all things shall certainly be performed that were foretold thee from the Lord.
Learn hence, 1. That it is the property of God to do great and wonderful things. Our faith must be great, and our expectation great; great expectations from God, honour the greatness of God.
2. That if our faith be great, God’s performances will be gracious and full. Blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a performance of those things which were told here from the Lord.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v39 We have here an interview between the two happy…
We have here an interview between the two happy mothers, Elisabeth and Mary: the angel, by intimating to Mary the favour bestowed on her cousin Elisabeth (Luk 1:36), gave occasion for it; and sometimes it may prove a better piece of service that we think to bring good people together, to compare notes. Here is,
I. The visit which Mary made to Elisabeth. Mary was the younger, and younger with child; and therefore, if they must come together, it was fittest that Mary should take the journey, not insisting on the preference which the greater dignity of her conception gave her, Luk 1:39. She arose, and left her affairs, to attend this greater matter: in those days, at that time (as it is commonly explained, Jer 33:15; Jer 50:4), in a day or two after the angel had visited her, taking some time first, as it is supposed, for her devotion, or rather hastening away to her cousin's, where she would have more leisure, and better help, in the family of a priest. She went, meta spoudēs - with care, diligence, and expedition; not as young people commonly go abroad and visit their friends, to divert herself, but to inform herself: she went to a city of Judah in the hill-country; it is not named, but by comparing the description of it here with Jos 21:10, Jos 21:11, it appears to be Hebron, for that is there said to be in the hill-country of Judah, and to belong to the priests, the sons of Aaron; thither Mary hastened, though it was a long journey, some scores of miles.
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1. Dr. Lightfoot offers a conjecture that she was to conceive our Saviour there at Hebron, and perhaps had so much intimated to her by the angel, or some other way; and therefore she made such haste thither. He thinks it probable that Shiloh, of the tribe of Judah, and the seed of David, should be conceived in a city of Judah and of David, as he was to be born in Bethlehem, another city which belonged to them both. In Hebron the promise was given to Isaac, circumcision was instituted. Here (saith he) Abraham had his first land, and David his first crown: here lay interred the three couples, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah, and, as antiquity has held, Adam and Eve. He therefore thinks that it suits singularly with the harmony and consent which God uses in his works that the promise should begin to take place by the conception of the Messias, even among those patriarchs to whom it was given. I see no improbability in the conjecture, but add this for the support of it, that Elisabeth said (Luk 1:45), There shall be a performance; as if it were not performed yet, but was to be performed there.
2. It is generally supposed that she went thither for the confirming of her faith by the sign which the angel had given her, her cousin's being with child, and to rejoice with her sister-favourite. And, besides, she went thither, perhaps, that she might be more retired from company, or else might have more agreeable company than she could have in Nazareth. We may suppose that she did not acquaint any of her neighbours at Nazareth with the message she had received from heaven, yet longed to talk over a thing she had a thousand time thought over, and knew no person in the world with whom she could freely converse concerning it but her cousin Elisabeth, and therefore she hastened to her. Note, it is very beneficial and comfortable for those that have a good work of grace begun in their souls, and Christ in the forming there, to consult those who are in the same case, that they may communicate experiences one to another; and they will find that, as in water face answers to face, so doth the heart of man to man, of Christian to Christian.
II. The meeting between Mary and Elisabeth. Mary entered into the house of Zacharias; but he, being dumb and deaf, kept his chamber, it is probable, and saw no company; and therefore she saluted Elisabeth (Luk 1:40), told her she was come to make her a visit, to know her state, and rejoice with her in her joy.
Now, at their first coming together, for the confirmation of the faith of both of them, there was something very extraordinary. Mary knew that Elisabeth was with child, but it does not appear that Elisabeth had been told any thing of her cousin Mary's being designed for the mother of the Messiah; and therefore what knowledge she appears to have had of it must have come by a revelation, which would be a great encouragement to Mary.
1. The babe leaped in her womb, Luk 1:41. It is very probable that she had been several weeks quick (for she was six months gone), and that she had often felt the child stir; but this was a more than ordinary motion of the child, which alarmed her to expect something very extraordinary, eskirtēse. It is the same word that is used by the Septuagint (Gen 25:22) for the struggling of Jacob and Esau in Rebecca's womb, and the mountains skipping, Psa 114:4. The babe leaped as it were to give a signal to his mother that he was now at had whose forerunner he was to be, about six months in ministry, as he was in being; or, it was the effect of some strong impression made upon the mother. Now began to be fulfilled what the angel said to his father (Luk 1:15), that he should be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb; and perhaps he himself had some reference to this, when he said (Joh 3:29), The friend of the Bridegroom rejoiceth greatly, because of the Bridegroom's voice, heard, though not by him, yet by his mother.
2. Elisabeth was herself filled with the Holy Ghost, or a Spirit of prophecy, by which, as well as by the particular suggestions of the Holy Ghost she was filled with, she was given to understand that the Messiah was at hand, in whom prophecy should revive, and by whom the Holy Ghost should be more plentifully poured out than ever, according to the expectations of those who waited for the consolation of Israel. The uncommon motion of the babe in her womb was a token of extraordinary emotion of her spirit under a divine impulse. Note, Those whom Christ graciously visits may know it by their being filled with the Holy Ghost; for, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
III. The welcome which Elisabeth, by the Spirit of prophecy, gave to Mary, the mother of our Lord; not as to a common friend making a common visit, but as to one of whom the Messiah was to be born.
1. She congratulates her on her honour, and, though perhaps she knew not of it till just now, she acknowledges it with the greatest assurance and satisfaction. She spoke with a loud voice, which does not at all intimate (as some think) that there was a floor or a wall between them, but that she was in a transport or exultation of joy, and said what she cared not who knew. She said, Blessed art thou among women, the same word that the angels had said (Luk 1:28); for thus this will of God, concerning honouring the Son, should be done on earth as it is done in heaven. But Elisabeth adds a reason, Therefore blessed art thou because blessed is the fruit of thy womb; thence it was that she derived this excelling dignity. Elisabeth was the wife of a priest, and in years, yet she grudges not that her kinswoman, who was many years younger than she, and every way her inferior, should have the honour of conceiving in her virginity, and being the mother of the Messiah, whereas the honour put upon her was much less; she rejoices in it, and is well pleased, as her son was afterwards, that she who cometh after her is preferred before her, Joh 1:27. Note, While we cannot but own that we are more favoured of God than we deserve, let us by no means envy that others are more highly favoured than we are.
2. She acknowledges her condescension, in making her this visit (Luk 1:43): Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Observe, (1.) She calls the virgin Mary the mother of her Lord (as David in spirit, called the Messiah Lord, his Lord), for she knew he was to be Lord of all. (2.) She not only bids her welcome to her house, though perhaps she came in mean circumstances, but reckons this visit a great favour, which she thought herself unworthy of. Whence is this to me? It is in reality, and not in compliment, that she saith, "This was a greater favour than I could have expected." Note, Those that are filled with the Holy Ghost have low thoughts of their own merits, and high thoughts of God's favours. Her son the Baptist spoke to the same purport with this, when he said, Comest thou to me? Mat 3:14.
3. She acquaints her with the concurrence of the babe in her womb, in this welcome to her (Luk 1:44): "Thou certainly bringest some extraordinary tidings, some extraordinary blessing, with thee; for as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, not only my heart leaped for joy, though I knew not immediately why or wherefore, but the babe in my womb, who was not capable of knowing, did so too." He leaped as it were for joy that the Messiah, whose harbinger he was to be, would himself come soon after him. This would serve very much to strengthen the faith of the virgin, that there were such assurances as these given to others; and it would be in part the accomplishment of what had been so often foretold, that there should be universal joy before the Lord, when he cometh, Psa 98:8, Psa 98:9.
4. She commends her faith, and encourages it (Luk 1:45): Blessed is she that believed. Believing souls are blessed souls, and will be found so at last; this blessedness cometh through faith, even the blessedness of being related to Christ, and having him formed in the soul. They are blessed who believe the word of God, for that Word will not fail them; there shall, without doubt, be a performance of those things which are told her from the Lord. Note, The inviolable certainty of the promise is the undoubted felicity of those that build upon it and expect their all from it. The faithfulness of God is the blessedness of the faith of the saints. Those that have experienced the performance of God's promises themselves should encourage others to hope that he will be as good as his word to them also: I will tell you what God has done for my soul.
IV. Mary's song of praise, upon this occasion. Elisabeth's prophecy was an echo to the virgin Mary's salutation, and this song is yet a stronger echo to that prophecy, and shows her to be no less filled with the Holy Ghost than Elisabeth was. We may suppose the blessed virgin to come in, very much fatigued with her journey; yet she forgets that, and is inspired with new life, and vigour, and joy, upon the confirmation she here meets with of her faith; and since, by the sudden inspiration and transport, she finds that this was designed to be her errand hither, weary as she is, like Abraham's servant, she would neither eat nor drink till she had told her errand.
1. Here are the expressions of joy and praise, and God alone the object of the praise and centre of the joy. Some compare this song with that which her name-sake Miriam, the sister of Moses, sung, upon the triumphant departure of Israel out of Egypt, and their triumphant passage through the Red Sea; others think it better compared with the song of Hannah, upon the birth of Samuel, which, like this, passes from a family mercy to a public and general one. This begins, like that, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, Sa1 2:1. Observe how Mary here speaks of God.
(1.) With great reverence of him, as the Lord: "My soul doth magnify the Lord; I never saw him so great as now I find him so good." Note, Those, and those only, are advanced in mercy, who are thereby brought to think the more highly and honourably of God; whereas there are those whose prosperity and preferment make them say, What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? The more honour God has any way put upon us, the more honour we must study to give to him; and then only are we accepted in magnifying the Lord, when our souls magnify him, and all that is within us. Praising work must be soul work.
(2.) With great complacency in him as her Saviour: My spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour. This seems to have reference to the Messiah, whom she was to be the mother of. She calls him God her Saviour; for the angel had told her that he should be the Son of the Highest, and that his name should be Jesus, a Saviour; this she fastened upon, with application to herself: He is God my Saviour. Even the mother of our Lord had need of an interest in him as her Saviour, and would have been undone without it: and she glories more in that happiness which she had in common with all believers than in being his mother, which was an honour peculiar to herself, and this agrees with the preference Christ have to obedient believers above his mother and brethren; see Mat 12:50; Luk 11:27, Luk 11:28. Note, Those that have Christ for their God and Saviour have a great deal of reason to rejoice, to rejoice in spirit, that is rejoicing as Christ did (Luk 10:21), with spiritual joy.
2. Here are just causes assigned for this joy and praise.
(1.) Upon her own account, Luk 1:48, Luk 1:49. [1.] Her spirit rejoiced in the Lord, because of the kind things he had done for her: his condescension and compassion to her. He has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden; that is, he has looked upon her with pity, for so the word is commonly used. "He has chosen me to this honour, notwithstanding my great meanness, poverty, and obscurity." Nay, the expression seems to intimate, not only (to allude to that of Gideon, Jdg 6:15) that her family was poor in Judah, but that she was the least in her father's house, as if she were under some particular contempt and disgraced among her relations, was unjustly neglected, and the outcast of the family, and God put this honour upon her, to balance abundantly the contempt. I the rather suggest this, for we find something toward such honour as this put upon others, on the like consideration. Because God saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, Gen 29:31. Because Hannah was provoked, and made to fret, and insulted over, by Peninnah, therefore God gave her a son, Sa1 1:19. Whom men wrongfully depress and despise God doth sometimes, in compassion to them, especially if they have borne it patiently, prefer and advance; see Jdg 11:7. So in Mary's case. And, if God regards her low estate, he not only thereby gives a specimen of his favour to the whole race of mankind, whom he remembers in their low estate, as the psalmist speaks (Psa 136:23), but secures a lasting honour to her (for such the honour is that God bestows, honour that fades not away): "From henceforth all generations shall call me blessed, shall think me a happy woman and highly advanced." All that embrace Christ and his gospel will say, Blessed was the womb that bore him and the paps which he sucked, Luk 11:27. Elizabeth had once and again called her blessed: "But that is not all," saith she, "all generations of Gentiles as well as Jews shall call me so." [2.] Her soul magnifies the Lord, because of the wonderful things he had done for her (Luk 1:49): He that is mighty has done to me great things. A great thing indeed, that a virgin should conceive. A great thing indeed, that Messiah, who had been so long promised to the church, and so long expected by the church, should now at length be born. It is the power of the Highest that appears in this. She adds, and holy is his name; for so Hannah saith her song, There is none holy as the Lord, which she explains in the next words, for there is none beside thee, Sa1 2:2. God is a Being by himself, and he manifests himself to be so, especially in the work of our redemption. He that is mighty, even he whose name is holy, has done to me great things. Glorious things may be expected from him that is both mighty and holy; who can do every thing, and will do every thing well and for the best.
(2.) Upon the account of others. The virgin Mary, as the mother of the Messiah, is become a kind of public person, wears a public character, and is therefore immediately endued with another spirit, a more public spirit than before she had, and therefore looks abroad, looks about her, looks before her, and takes notice of God's various dealings with the children of men (Luk 1:50, etc.), as Hannah (Sa1 2:3, etc.). In this she has especially an eye to the coming of the Redeemer and God's manifesting himself therein.
[1.] It is a certain truth that God has mercy in store, mercy in reserve, for all that have a reverence for his majesty, and a due regard to his sovereignty and authority. But never did this appear so as in sending his Son into the world to save us (Luk 1:50): His mercy is on them that fear him; it has always been so; he has ever looked upon them with an eye of peculiar favour who have looked up to him with and eye of filial fear. But he hath manifested this mercy, so as never before, in sending his Son to bring in an everlasting righteousness, and work out an everlasting salvation, for them that fear him, and this from generation to generation; for there are gospel privileges transmitted by entail, and intended for perpetuity. Those that fear God, as their Creator and Judge, are encouraged to hope for mercy in him, through their Mediator and Advocate; and in him mercy is settled upon all that fear God, pardoning mercy, healing mercy, accepting mercy, crowning mercy, from generation to generation, while the world stands. In Christ he keepeth mercy for thousands.
[2.] It has been a common observation that God in his providence puts contempt upon the haughty and honour upon the humble; and this he has done remarkably in the whole economy of the work of man's redemption. As God had, with his mercy to her, shown himself mighty also (Luk 1:48, Luk 1:49), so he had, with his mercy on them that fear him, shown strength likewise with his arm. First, In the course of his providence, it is his usual method to cross the expectations of men, and proceed quite otherwise than they promise themselves. Proud men expect to carry all before them, to have their way and their will; but he scatters them in the imagination of their hearts, breaks their measures, blasts their projects, nay, and brings them low, and brings them down, by those very counsels with which they thought to advance and establish themselves. The mighty think to secure themselves by might in their seats, but he puts them down, and overturns their seats; while, on the other hand, those of low degree, who despaired of ever advancing themselves, and thought of no other than of being ever low, are wonderfully exalted. This observation concerning honour holds likewise concerning riches; many who were so poor that they had not bread for themselves and their families, by some surprising turn of Providence in favour of them, come to be filled with good things; while, on the other hand, those who were rich, and thought no other than that tomorrow should be as this day, that their mountain stood strong and should never be moved, are strangely impoverished, and sent away empty. Now this is the same observation that Hannah had made, and enlarged upon, in her song, with application to the case of herself and her adversary (Sa1 2:4-7), which very much illustrates this here. And compare also Psa 107:33-41; Psa 113:7-9; and Ecc 9:11. God takes a pleasure in disappointing their expectations who promise themselves great things in the world, and in out-doing the expectations of those who promise themselves but a little; as a righteous God, it is his glory to abase those who exalt themselves, and strike terror on the secure; and, as a good God, it is his glory to exalt those who humble themselves, and to speak comfort to those who fear before him. Secondly, This doth especially appear in the methods of gospel grace.
1. In the spiritual honours it dispenses. When the proud Pharisees were rejected, and Publicans and sinners went into the kingdom of heaven before them, - when the Jews, who followed after the law of righteousness, did not attain it, and the Gentiles, who never thought of it, attained to righteousness (Rom 9:30, Rom 9:31), - when God chose not the wise men after the flesh, not the mighty, or the noble, to preach the gospel, and plant Christianity in the world, but the foolish and weak things of the world, and things that were despised ( Co1 1:26, Co1 1:27) - then he scattered the proud, and put down the mighty, but exalted them of low degree. When the tyranny of the chief priests and elders were brought down, who had long lorded it over God's heritage, and hoped always to do so, and Christ's disciples, a company of poor despised fishermen, by the power they were clothed with, were made to sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, - when the power of the four monarchies was broken, and the kingdom of the Messiah, that stone cut out of the mountain without hands, is made to fill the earth, - then are the proud scattered, and those of low degree exalted.
2. In the spiritual riches it dispenses, Luk 1:53. (1.) Those who see their need of Christ, and are importunately desirous of righteousness and life in him, he fills with good things, with the best things; he gives liberally to them, and they are abundantly satisfied with the blessings he gives. Those who are weary and heavy-laden shall find rest with Christ, and those who thirst are called to come to him and drink; for they only know how to value his gifts. To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet, manna is angels' food; and to the thirsty fair water is honey out of the rock. (2.) Those who are rich, who are not hungry, who, like Laodicea, think they have need of nothing, are full of themselves and their own righteousness, and think they have a sufficiency in themselves, those he sends away from his door, they are not welcome to him, he sends them empty away, they come full of self, and are sent away empty of Christ. He sends them to the gods whom they served, to their own righteousness and strength which they trusted to.
[3.] It was always expected that the Messiah should be, in a special manner, the strength and glory of his people Israel, and so he is in a peculiar manner (Luk 1:54): He hath helped his servant Israel, antelabeto. He hath taken them by the hand, and helped them up that were fallen and could not help themselves. Those that were sunk under the burdens of a broken covenant of innocency are helped up by the blessings of a renewed covenant of grace. The sending of the Messiah, on whom help was laid for poor sinners, was the greatest kindness that could be done, the greatest help that could be provided for his people Israel, and that which magnifies it is,
First, That it is in remembrance of his mercy, the mercifulness of his nature, the mercy he has in store for his servant Israel. While this blessing was deferred, his people, who waited for it, were often ready to ask, Has God forgotten to be gracious? But now he made it appear that he had not forgotten, but remembered, his mercy. He remembered his former mercy, and repeated that to them in spiritual blessings which he had done formerly to them in temporal favours. He remembered the days of old. Where is he that brought them up out of the sea, out of Egypt? Isa 63:11. He will do the like again, which that was a type of.
Secondly, That it is in performance of his promise. It is a mercy not only designed, but declared (Luk 1:55); it was what he spoke to our fathers, that the Seed of the woman should break the head of the serpent; that God should dwell in the tents of Shem; and particularly to Abraham, that in his seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed, with the best of blessings, with the blessings that are for ever, and to the seed that shall be for ever; that is, his spiritual seed, for his carnal seed were cut off a little after this. Note, What God has spoken he will perform; what he hath spoken to the fathers will be performed to their seed; to their seed's seed, in blessings that shall last for ever.
Lastly, Mary's return to Nazareth (Luk 1:56), after she had continued with Elisabeth about three months, so long as to be fully satisfied concerning herself that she was with child, and to be confirmed therein by her cousin Elisabeth. Some think, though her return is here mentioned before Elisabeth's being delivered, because the evangelist would finish this passage concerning Mary before he proceeded with the story of Elisabeth, yet that Mary staid till her cousin was (as we say) down and up again; that she might attend on her, and be with her in her lying-in, and have her own faith confirmed by the full accomplishment of the promise of God concerning Elisabeth. But most bind themselves to the order of the story as it lies, and think she returned again when Elisabeth was near her time; because she still affected retirement, and therefore would not be there when the birth of this child of promise would draw a great deal of company to the house. Those in whose hearts Christ is formed take more delight than they used to do in sitting alone and keeping silence.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 And Mary arose in those days,.... The Ethiopic version…
And Mary arose in those days,.... The Ethiopic version renders it, "in that day"; directly, immediately, as soon as the angel was gone from her; partly to know the truth of things, and to make use of the sign which had been given her, for the further confirmation of her faith, which was very right and proper for her to do; and partly to converse with Elisabeth about the great things which God had done for each of them, and to praise his name together: "and went into the hill country with haste"; the same which is called the country of the hills, and the hills, and the mountains, in Jos 10:40 where the Septuagint use the same word as here: the land of Judea was divided into three parts, "the mountain", or hill country, the champaign country, and the valley (b): from Betboron to Emmaus is "the hill country"; from Emmaus to Lud, or Lydda, is the champaign country; and from Lydda to the sea, the valley (c). This place is frequently called, in the Jewish writings (d), the king's mountain, or the royal mountain, and is said to be very full of cities: ten thousand cities, they say (e), were in the king's mountain, and a thousand of them belonged to R. Eleazer ben Harsum: yea, they say (f), that king Jannai had sixty myriads of cities in the mountain of the king. The Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions render it, "went to the mountain", to this mountain, and which is called the mountain, or, as we read it, the hill country of Judah, Jos 21:11 on which Hebron was situated; and seems to be the city next mentioned: into a city of Judah; for that was given to the children of Aaron and so may reasonably be thought to be the city where Zacharias dwelt, and not Jerusalem, which was in the tribe of Benjamin. Hebron was a city peculiar to the priests; whereas Jerusalem was not; and it was in the hill country of Judea; it was remarkable for the goodness of its stones. It is said (g).
"you have no stones in all the land of Israel harder than at Hebron; hence they buried the dead there.
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(b) Misn. Sheviith, c. 9. sect. 2. Maimon & Bartenora in ib. (c) T. Hieros. Sheviith, fol. 38. 4. (d) Targum in Jud. iv. 5. T. Hieros. Avoda Zara, fol. 44. 4. (e) T. Hieros. Taanioth, fol. 69. 1. (f) T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 57. 1. (g) T. Bab. Sota, fol. 34. 2. & Cetnbot, fol. 112. 1.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv39, 41, 45, 46, 47, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56 A city of Judah - Probably Hebron, which was…
A city of Judah - Probably Hebron, which was situated in the hill country of Judea, and belonged to the house of Aaron.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv39, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56 Verse 39. In those days] As soon as she…
Verse 39. In those days] As soon as she could conveniently fit herself out for the journey.
Hill country] Hebron, the city of the priests, Jos 21:11, which was situated in the tribe of Judah, about forty miles south of Jerusalem, and upwards of seventy from Nazareth.
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With haste] This probably refers to nothing else than the earnestness of her mind to visit her relative Elisabeth, and to see what the Lord had wrought for her.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv39, 46, 49, 52 Luk 1:39-45. Mary arose in those days — That…
Luk 1:39-45. Mary arose in those days — That is, soon after the time that she had received the extraordinary message mentioned above; and went into the hill-country — Where Elisabeth dwelt, although it was at least seventy miles distant from Nazareth. It is probable she was eager to know the certainty of her cousin’s pregnancy, which the angel had mentioned, to show her the possibility of her own. Into a city of Juda — Probably Hebron, which belonged to the house of Aaron, and was situated in Judea, the mountains of which, running from south to north, gave the name of the hill-country to a part of it. And saluted Elisabeth — Immediately on her entering Zacharias’s house: and she no sooner spake than the child in the womb of Elisabeth leaped, as transported with joy, as if sensible of the approach of Him whose forerunner he was appointed to be. And the holy woman Elisabeth was so enlightened by the extraordinary influence of the Holy Ghost, that she instantly knew her cousin Mary had conceived with child of the Messiah, and therefore saluted her by the grand title of, the mother of my Lord. Being also in a divine and prophetic ecstasy, she uttered things which had an evident relation to the particulars of Mary’s interview with the angel; things, therefore, which she could only know by revelation; so that she astonished Mary exceedingly, and exalted her faith beyond every doubt. And she spake with a loud voice — Such as testified the greatness of the emotion of her mind; and said, Blessed art thou among women — The same salutation wherewith Gabriel had addressed Mary; and blessed is the fruit of thy womb — Alluding probably to the child’s being the promised seed in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed, and who for that reason was blessed himself. Psa 72:17. And whence is this, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? — If Elisabeth had not been extraordinarily inspired, she could not so much as have suspected that Mary was to be the mother of the Messiah; but this being revealed to her, she was greatly struck with the honour that was done her, and expressed her sense thereof by asking, in a rapture of astonishment, how it came to be conferred upon her. As if she had said, “How have I deserved this honour, that the mother of the Messiah, my Lord and Saviour, should deign to visit me?” And blessed is she that believed — Here Elisabeth plainly commends the faith and humility which Mary had expressed, when the angel assured her that she should become pregnant in her virgin state; contrary to the behaviour of Zacharias, who, it seems, had informed Elisabeth by writing of all that had happened, or she might come to the knowledge of it by revelation. For there shall be a performance of those things, &c. — Dr. Campbell reads this clause in connection with the preceding, thus: Happy is she who believed that the things which the Lord hath promised her shall be performed; understanding the latter clause to be the object of Mary’s faith: and for this reading he assigns solid reasons. Indeed, it is the reading of the margin.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 And Mary arose - The word “arose” here is…
And Mary arose - The word “arose” here is equivalent to “setting out,” or starting on a journey.
The hill country - The region in the vicinity of Jerusalem, commonly called the hill country of Judea.
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City of Juda - What city is meant is not known. Some have supposed it to be Jerusalem, others Hebron; but all is conjecture. It was probably a Levitical city, and the residence of Zechariah when he was not employed in the temple.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv39, 41, 42, 43, 47, 48, 51, 53 This city is generally supposed to be Hebron, a…
This city is generally supposed to be Hebron, a sacerdotal town, (Josue xxi. 11.) situated in the mountains, to the south of Juda, and about 120 miles from Nazareth. (Bible de Vence)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v39 C. Hymns of Praise, with which the expectation of…
C. Hymns of Praise, with which the expectation of the Messiah’s Birth, and the actual Birth of the Baptist, were greeted. Ch.Luk_1:39-80
(Luk_1:57-80, the Lesson for the day of John the Baptist, 24th of June.
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Luk_1:67-79, the Gospel for the first day of Advent in the Grand-Duchy of Hesse and elsewhere.)
39And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill-country with haste, into a city of Juda; 40And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41And it came to pass, that, when24 Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost [Spirit]: 42And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43And whence is this to me,25 that the mother of my Lord should44come to me? For, lo [behold], as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mineears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.26 45And blessed is she that believed: for [believed that]27 there shall be a performance [fulfilment, τελείωσις] of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46 And Mary said,
My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. [,]
48 For [In that] He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden; [handmaid.]28
for [For], behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name. [,]
50 And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation.29
51 He hath showed [wrought] strength with His arm:
He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats [princes from thrones],
and exalted [raised up] them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich He hath sent empty away.
54 He hath holpen [helped] His servant Israel [Is., His servant],
in remembrance of His mercy; [,]
55 As He spake to our fathers, [(As He spake to our fathers)]30
to Abraham, and his seed for ever [to A. and his seed, for ever].31
56And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
57Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought fortha son. 58And her neighbours and her cousins [kindred, συγγενεῖς] heard how the Lord, had showed great mercy upon [toward] her; and they rejoiced with her.
59And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. 61And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 62And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. 63And he asked for a writing-table [tablet, πινακίδιον], and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all [they all wondered]. 64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised65[blessing, εὐλογῶν] God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill-country of Judea. 66And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! [What then will this child, be?]32 And [For]33 the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost,, and prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed be the Lord [, the, ὁ ] God of Israel;34 [,]
for [that] He hath visited and redeemed His people,
69 And hath raised up an [a] horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David [of David, His servant, Δαβὶδ τοῦ παιδὸς, αὐτοῦ];
70 As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began [of His holy prophets of old];35
71 That we should be saved [salvation, σωτηρίαν]36 from our enemies,
and from the hand of all that hate us;
72 To perform the mercy promised [to show mercy, ποιῆσαι ἔλεος] to our fathers,
and to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He sware to our father Abraham [to Abraham, our father],
74 That He would grant [to grant] unto us,
that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life [all our days].37
76 And [also] thou,38 [O] child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest:
for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto His people,
by [in, ἐν] the remission of their sins,39
78 Through the tender mercy [mercies, διὰ σπλάγχνα ἐλέους] of our God;
whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
80 And the child grew, and waxed [became] strong in spirit, and was in the deserts
till the day of his showing [manifestation, ἀναδείξεως] unto Israel.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Luk_1:39. Into a city of Juda.—It does not seem probable that these enigmatical words denote so much as a city of the tribe of Judah, much less that they point out Jerusalem or Hebron. The supposition, that Ἰούδα has been substituted for Ἰούτα (mentioned Josh. 15:65), is far more credible; nor is it unlikely that this less strictly correct orthography is derived from Luke himself. Juta is to this day a considerable village, inhabited by Mohammedans. See Röhr’s Palestine, p. 187.
Luk_1:39-40. Mary arose—and entered.—According to Jewish customs, it was improper, or at least unusual, for single or betrothed females to travel alone. Mary, however, may have undertaken this journey with Joseph’s consent, and, perhaps, partly in the company of others. Extraordinary circumstances justify extraordinary measures, and Lange correctly remarks: “the obedience of the cross makes truly free.”—The supposition, that Joseph had taken his betrothed bride to his home, after a public solemnization of their nuptials, before this journey (Hug, Ebrard), seems improbable; but still more so, that Mary had already apprised him of the fact of the angelic visitation. Her part throughout was to announce nothing, but simply to wait till He, who had destined her to the highest honor ever bestowed, should, in His own good time, also make clear her innocence to the eyes of her husband and the world. By this state of affairs only, can Luke’s account be reconciled with Matthew’s, who, after the wordsεὑρέθη ἐν γ. ἔχ., describes the discovery of Mary’s state as an unexpected, and hence a disquieting, discovery to Joseph. Mary leaves it simply to God to enlighten Joseph, as He had enlightened her. Nor does she undertake a journey to Elisabeth to consult with her, or to avoid her husband, but to seek that confirmation of her faith pointed out to her by the angel.
Luk_1:41. And it came to pass.—The salutation of Mary, the ecstasy of Elisabeth, and the leaping of the babe in her womb, are three circumstances occurring at the same moment. At Mary’s arrival, Elisabeth is filled with joy, and her babe moves. Luke mentions the latter circumstance first, as being the most extraordinary, although, in itself, it was rather the consequence than the cause of the emotion felt by Elisabeth at Mary’s salutation. The aged woman, filled with the Holy Spirit, recognizes, by the extraordinary movement of the child, the presence of the future mother of her Lord; and thus the yet unborn John already offers involuntary homage to the καρπὸς τῆς κοιλίας of Mary.
Luk_1:42. Blessed art thou—and blessed is the fruit, etc.—The first beatitude of the New Testament, and, in a certain sense, the root of all the rest. Elisabeth, while extolling the blessedness of Mary on account of her faith and obedience, was undoubtedly reflecting with compassion on the condition of Zachariah, whose unbelief had been reproved with loss of speech, while the believing Mary was entering her house with joyful salutations.
Luk_1:45. For there shall he a fulfilment, etc.—It is grammatically possible, yet not logically necessary, to refer the ὅτι to the object of Mary’s faith (“which believed that there,” marg.). The assurance, that verily the things promised should be fulfilled without exception, though not indispensable in Mary’s case, must yet have been a confirmation of her faith, which she would most gladly welcome. It is self-evident how much the abruptness of the sentences in which Elisabeth pours out the fulness of her heart, enhances the beauty of this passage. A psalm-like tone, better felt than expressed, seems to resound in her words, forming a prelude to Mary’s “Magnificat.”
[Luk_1:46-55. The Magnificat of the Virgin Mary (so called from the old Latin version of Μεγαλύνει, Luk_1:46 : Magnificat anima mea Dominum), and the Benedictus of Zachariah, Luk_1:68-79 (so called from its beginning: Εὐλογητός, Luk_1:68, Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel), are the Psalms of the New Testament, and worthily introduce the history of Christian hymnology. They prove the harmony of poetry and religion. They are the noblest flowers of Hebrew lyric poetry sending their fragrance to the approaching Messiah. They are full of reminiscences of the Old Testament, entirely Hebrew in tone and language, and can be rendered almost word for word. Thus μεγαλεῖα corresponds to גְּדֹלֹות (Psa_71:19; Psa_106:21; Psa_136:4); ὁ δυνατός to גִּבּוֹר (Psa_24:8); εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν (as Cod. Sin. reads) to לְדֹר וָדֹר. It is worth while to read the first two chapters of Luke in the Hebrew translation of the New Testament. These hymns form a part of the regular morning service in the Anglican liturgy, and resound from Sabbath to Sabbath in Christian lands. Dr. Barrow says of the Magnificat: “This most excellent hymn is dedicated by a spirit ravished with the most sprightly devotion imaginable; devotion full of ardent love and thankfulness, hearty joy, tempered with submiss reverence.” Wordsworth: “This speech, full of Hebraisms, has a native air of originality, and connects the eucharistic poetry of the gospel with that of the Hebrew dispensation. … Thus the voices of the Law and the Gospel sound in concert with each other; and utter a protest against those who would make the one to jar against the other.”—The Magnificat is divided into four stanzas, each of which contains three verses, viz.: (1) Luk_1:46-48 (to αὐτοῦ); (2) Luk_1:48 (from ἰδού) to Luk_1:50; (3) Luk_1:51-53; (4) Luk_1:54-55. The Benedictus of Zachariah contains five stanzas, each with three verses. So Meyer and Ewald. See Ewald’s translation in his: Die drei ersten Evangelien, pp. 98 and 99, where he divides the Magnificat into 12, the Benedictus into 15 lines.—P. S.]
Luk_1:46. And Mary said.—The angel’s visit was vouchsafed to Mary later than to Zachariah, yet her song of thanksgiving is uttered long before his: faith is already singing for joy, while unbelief is compelled to be silent. The Magnificat is evidently no carefully composed ode, but the unpremeditated outpouring of deep emotion, the improvisation of a happy faith. It was easy for Mary, a daughter of David’s royal race, well acquainted with the lyrics of the Old Testament, favored by God and filled with the Holy Spirit, to become in an instant both poetess and prophetess. The fulfilment of the angel’s words with respect to Elisabeth, in which she saw a pledge and token of the full performance of his other promises, and of the realization of her most cherished hopes, seems to have been the immediate cause of this song of praise.
My soul doth magnify the Lord.—Mary’s hymn recalls, besides the song of Hannah (1Sa_2:1), several passages in the Psalms, especially in Ps. 113. and 126. The beginning plainly refers to Psa_31:8, according to the Septuagint. The whole may be divided into three or four strophes, forming an animated doxology. The grace of God (Luk_1:48), His omnipotence (Luk_1:49-51), His holiness (Luk_1:49; Luk_1:51; Luk_1:54), His justice (Luk_1:52-53), and especially His faithfulness (Luk_1:54-55), are here celebrated. It sounds like an echo, not only of David’s and Hannah’s, but also of Miriam’s and of Deborah’s harps; yet independently reproduced in the mind of a woman, who had laid up and kept in her heart what she had read in Holy Scripture.
Luk_1:47. God my Saviour.—Undoubtedly Mary was looking for civil and political blessings, through the birth of the Messiah; but we overlook the clearness of her views, and the depth of her mind, by thinking that her expectations were only, or chiefly, fixed upon these. The temporal salvation which she expected, was in her eye only the type and symbol of that higher salvation, which she desired above all things.
Luk_1:48. The low estate.—Not humility, or lowliness of mind, but of condition, humilis conditio.
From henceforth.—The first beatitude, uttered by Elisabeth, is a token of an unutterable number, of which one at least is recorded, Luk_11:27 : “Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou hast sucked.”40
Luk_1:49. And holy is His name—No mere apposition to δυνατός (Kuinoel), but a new and independent sentence (comp. 1Sa_2:2).
Luk_1:52. The mighty (δυνάστας).—Mary would have been no true daughter of David, if she could have spoken these words without primary reference to Herod; but no believing Israelite, if she had thought of Herod alone. The overthrow of all anti-Messianic power seems, in her imagination, to begin with the fall of the Idumæan usurper.
Luk_1:53. He hath filled the hungry with good things.—The supposition, that only the good things of this world are here alluded to (Meyer), is as little to be entertained, as that the satisfying of a spiritual hunger is exclusively intended (de Wette). Such an alternative is certainly unnecessary in the case of Mary, whose earthly hunger and nourishment were both the type and resemblance of a higher need and a higher satisfaction, and who had certainly felt what Goethe afterward sung: “Alles Vergängliche ist nur ein Gleichniss.”41 At this time, the spiritual craving was most powerfully felt among the outwardly needy. How exclusively materialistic, or how exclusively spiritualistic, would Mary have been, if she could have wholly confined her meaning to either of these ideas!
Luk_1:55. Abraham and his seed.—A remarkable proof that Mary’s expectations concerning the Messiah’s appearance were not of a particularistic and exclusive, but of a universal nature. For the seed promised to Abraham was to be a blessing to the whole world.
Luk_1:56. And returned to her own house.—To keep silence before Joseph, as she had broken silence before Elisabeth. Even the distasteful manner in which what passed between the betrothed pair is embellished in apocryphal literature (Protevang. Jac. Luke 11, 12; see Thilo’s Codex Apocr. N. Ti, p. 215), is better than the opinion that Mary made a sort of confessio auricularis to her husband. To suppose it psychologically and morally impossible that Mary kept silence and waited, even after her visit to Elisabeth, betrays a very superficial appreciation of her frame of mind. Hers was no transient kindling of mere enthusiasm, but a constant and steadily burning flame of divine inspiration.
Luk_1:59. To circumcise the child.—On the origin, intention, and sacredness of circumcision, see de Wette, Archœologie, § 150 [also Jahn’s Archœology, and the Bibl. Cyclopædias of Winer, Kitto, Smith, Herzog, etc., sub voce]. According to Gen_21:3-4, the performance of circumcision, and the bestowing of a name, had been simultaneous from the very origin of the rite. It is remarkable how much the custom of giving the name on the seventh or on the eighth day after a child’s birth has been practised in the East, even where the rite of circumcision has been unknown. According to Ewald, Israel. Allerthümer, p. 110, the first of these practices is found to exist among the Khandi in India, and the second among the Negroes; he also connects their use with the ancient sacred division of time into weeks. Among the Greeks and Romans also it was customary to name the child on the day of purification.
Luk_1:60. And his mother answered.—Ex revelatione, according to Theophylact, Euthym. Zigabenus, Bengel, and Meyer. But it is not said here, that she was filled with the Holy Spirit; and it is highly improbable that Zachariah should have kept the matter concealed from her during so many months. Needless multiplication of the miraculous is quite as censurable as arbitrary denial.
Luk_1:62. And they made signs.—Certainly not because he was also deaf, as Ewald and many ancient writers have supposed; for the very fact that a sign was considered sufficient for Zachariah, shows that he had already silently heard the friendly contention.
Luk_1:63. A writing-tablet.—Tertullian well says: “Zacharias loquitur in stylo, auditur in cera;” and Bengel: “Prima hœc scriptura N. T. incipit a gratia.” [ΙΙ ινακίδιον was “a tablet smeared with wax, on which they wrote with a style.”—P. S.]
Luk_1:64. And his mouth was opened immediately.—Neither by the force of joyful emotion (Kuinoel), nor by his breaking a voluntary silence (Paulus), but by a miracle, whereby the word of the angel (Luk_1:20) was fulfilled at exactly the right time. Now that his soul is fully released from the chains of unbelief, his tongue is released from the chains of dumbness. His first use of his recovered faculty is not to utter a complaint, but a doxology: a proof that the cure had taken place in his soul also.
Luk_1:65. And fear came on all.—Not a remark in anticipation of the history (de Wette), but the first immediate impression produced by what occurred at the birth and naming of the child. The Evangelist does not say that Zachariah uttered his song of praise on this eighth day. In the whole of Luke’s previous history, as well as in other parts of Holy Scripture, fear has always been the first effect produced upon man by the consciousness that heavenly beings are entering into nearer and unusual intercourse with him (Luk_1:12; Luk_1:29; Luk_2:9). This fear, which now spread only through the hill-country of Judæa, afterward’ filled the heart of all Jerusalem. It was undoubtedly kept up, as well as the expectation of some greater thing to follow, by the unusual manner in which the child John was brought up.
Luk_1:66. For the hand of the Lord was with him.—An evident reference to the prophecy of the angel (Luk_1:15), and a summing up of the whole history of John’s childhood. With Lachmann and Tischendorf, we prefer the reading καὶ γὰρ χείρ to καὶ χεὶρ of the Recepta. The question of surprise is thus modified, and the surprise indirectly expressed as constantly increasing.
Luk_1:67. And prophesied.—This word, both here and in many other places, must not be understood in the sense of vaticinium edere, but of uttering inspired words of praise to God. The last prophecy concerning Christ before His birth, by the mouth of Zachariah, has the character, not of an oracle of Delphi, but of a psalm of David. It can scarcely be better described than in the words of Lange, Leben Jesu, ii. p. Luke 90: “The song of praise now uttered by Zachariah, had so gradually and completely ripened in his soul, that he could never forget it in future. This song depicts the form and stature of his faith; it is the expression of the gospel, as his heart had received it. It is with a truly priestly intuition that Zachariah sees the reconciliation and transformation of the world in the advent of the Messiah. The coming Christ appears to him the true altar of salvation for His people, who henceforth, delivered from their enemies, shall perform true, real worship, celebrating the service of God in perpetual freedom. It is this that is his heart’s delight as a priest. His heart’s delight as a father is, that his son John shall be the herald of the Lord, to give the knowledge of His salvation, even to them who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.”
Luk_1:68. For He hath visited and redeemed.—Here, as also in Mary’s song, the aorist is most properly used to express the prophetic consciousness, to which the salvation, still partly hidden in the future, appears already present. In the eyes of Zachariah, all the benefits to be bestowed by the Messiah are summed up in the one word λύτρωσις; and this λύτρωσις is the fruit of the gracious look, which God has just cast (ἐπεσκέψατο) upon Israel. Zachariah passes over from speaking of Israel only, in Luk_1:68, to describe these benefits as bestowed generally (Luk_1:79) on all those who sit “in darkness and the shadow of death:” a beautiful climax, and worthy of notice.
Luk_1:69. A horn of salvation.—The well-known Biblical meaning of קֶרֶן (1Sa_2:10; Psa_132:17, and elsewhere) must be here understood, and not the horns of helmets, nor the horns of the altar. A strong, powerful defender is pointed out; nor does Zachariah forget that this horn is to spring from David’s race, though it is remarkable how much less the Davidic element prevails in his song than in Mary’s.
Luk_1:70. As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets.—Zachariah is here taking up the golden thread which had dropped from Mary, Luk_1:55.
Luk_1:71. Salvation (σωτηρίαν) from our enemies.—Undoubtedly the political element was chiefly present to Zachariah. The priest is at the same time the patriot in the best sense of the term, deeply moved by the sight of Roman tyranny. But he chiefly prizes this political liberation as the means to a higher end, the reformation of divine worship: Luk_1:74-75.
Luk_1:72. The mercy promised to our fathers.—The fulfilment of the promises concerning Messiah, is not only a matter of rejoicing for the present, and a source of hope for the future, but also a healing balm for past sorrows. The fathers had, for generations, wept over the decay of their nation, and were now living with God to look down from heaven upon the fulness of the time. Comp. Luk_20:37-38; Joh_8:56.
Luk_1:74. That He would grant unto us.—We are not to understand here the matter of the oath, but the púrpose for which God once swore it, and was now about to fulfil it. For the oath itself, see Gen_22:16-18.
Without fear.—Not the fear of God, which is rather the Old Testament token of piety, but the fear of enemies, which had often made Israel incapable of serving the Lord with joy. “How many times had the Macedonians, especially Antiochus Epiphanes, and the Romans, hindered the Jews in the exercise of their worship!” (De Wette.)
Luk_1:75. In holiness and righteousness before Him.—Ὁσιό της and δικαιοσύνη are so far different, that the former refers more to piety considered in itself, the latter to piety with respect to God. [This expression sufficiently proves that the song of Zachariah looks by no means simply to the temporal greatness of the Messianic kingdom, but to the spiritual also.—P. S.]
All the days of our life, or rather all our days.—Both the number and weight of critical authorities justify us in expunging the words τῆς ζωῆς from the Greek text. Zachariah, then, is here speaking, not of the lives of individuals, but of the continuous national existence of highly favored Israel. Uninterrupted national prosperity, based upon true religion, is the ideal of his aspirations.
Luk_1:76. And also thou, O child—Zachariah, as a prophet of God, now begins to foretell the career of the last and greatest of the prophets. A striking proof of the prevalence of the theocratic over the paternal feeling in his song, is seen in the fact, that the Messiah is always placed in a more prominent position than His forerunner. Zachariah, however, at last, cannot forbear speaking of the latter, and with evident reference to Isa_40:3 and Malachi 4. He is to go before the face of the Lord (Jehovah), whose glory appears in the advent of the Messiah. The foundation of the salvation which he proclaims is forgiveness, and the conditio sine qua non of this forgiveness is the knowledge of salvation: comp. Heb_8:11-12.
Luk_1:78. The day-spring from on high.—An emblematic allusion to Messiah and His salvation, again referring to Mal_4:2. There is a remarkable coincidence between the last Messianic prophecy of the Old Testament, and the very last before the incarnation of the Divine Word.
Luk_1:79. Those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death.—The glance of the prophet here takes a far wider range than Israel. He beholds very many, deprived of the light of truth and life, sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, but sees in spirit the Sun of Righteousness rising upon them all: Isa_9:2; Isa_60:1.
To guide our feet.—The end for which the day-spring should “give light” as this again was the end for which it “visited” our dark world. The hymn concludes with a boundless prospect into the still partly hidden future.
[Alford: “Care must be taken, on the one hand, not to degrade the expression of this song of praise into mere anticipations of temporal prosperity, nor, on the other, to find in it (except in so far as they are involved in the inner and deeper sense of the words, unknown save to the Spirit who prompted them) the minute doctrinal distinctions of the writings of St. Paul. It is the expression of the aspirations and hopes of a pious Jew, waiting for the salvation of the Lord, finding that salvation brought near, and uttering his thankfulness in Old Testament language, with which he was familiar, and at the same time under prophetic influence of the Holy Spirit. That such a song should be inconsistent with dogmatic truth, is impossible: that it should unfold it minutely, is in the highest degree improbable.”—Augustine (Medit.): “O blessed hymn of joy and praise! Divinely inspired by the Holy Ghost, and divinely pronounced by the venerable priest, and daily sung in the church of God; Oh, may thy words be often in my mouth, and the sweetness of them always in my heart! The expressions, thou usest, are the comfort of my life; and the subject, thou treatest of, the hope of all the world.”—P. S.]
Luk_1:80. And the child grew.—A summary description of the twofold development of the youthful Nazarite, both in mind and body. Thirty years passed before the “fear” which arose at his birth (Luk_1:65), was replaced by the universal agitation caused by his powerful voice. It is certainly possible, but neither certain nor probable, that during his sojourn “in the wilderness,” he came in contact with the Essenes who dwelled in the neighborhood of the Dead Sea (Plinius: Hist. Nat. v. 17). [Comp. the similar conclusion on the physical and spiritual development of the child Jesus in Luk_2:40.—P. S.]
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. The new covenant is greeted, at its first appearance, with hymns of joyful praise. What a contrast to the fear and terror accompanying the introduction of the Old! These songs present a happy interfusion of the letter of the Old, with the spirit of the New Testament. That of Mary is more individual, that of Zachariah more national, in its character. The former is more nearly akin to David’s thanksgiving after the promise made to him, 2Sa_7:18; the latter, to his hymn of praise at Solomon’s anointing, 1Ki_1:48. It is worthy of remark, how entirely in the spirit of the Old Testament are the Messianic expectations expressed in both songs, and how pure and free they are from narrow and exclusively Jewish notions.
2. The three songs of Elisabeth, Mary, and Zachariah contain important contributions to the right understanding of their Christology. Each is thoroughly persuaded that the Messiah is to be the head of the prophetic brotherhood, the source of temporal as well as spiritual prosperity to Israel, the highest blessing to the world, the highest gift of grace, the supreme manifestation of the glory of God. We may easily disregard the absence of metaphysical speculations in the compositions of those whose views are so purely theocratic. Their hopes are just as material as might be expected from pious Israelites of their times, but at the same time so indefinite, that they could only belong to the period of the beginning of the sacred narrative. The relative want of originality in the song of Mary, which is full of reminiscences, offers a psychological proof of its authenticity. Such songs as these would never have been composed so many years after the appearance of Jesus. Indeed, they may be considered as representative of the state of Messianic expectation just before the “rising of the Sun of Righteousness;” and are, in tone, form, and spirit, much older than the apostolic preaching of Christ’s spiritual kingdom. At what other time could such lays have gushed forth, than just at that happy season, when the most exalted poetry became reality, and reality surpassed the ideal of poetry?
3. It is striking, that while it is said of both Elisabeth and Zachariah, before they uttered their songs, that they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Luk_1:41; Luk_1:46), the same is not said of Mary. The Spirit seems no longer to have come upon her, after the Old Testament manner, for a few moments, but to have dwelt in and acted upon her in the gospel manner. The royal spirit is. more expressed in her song; the priestly character, in that of Zachariah. In his, the Old Testament type, in hers the New, prevails.
4. The enthusiasm of faith attains its highest point just before the time of vision begins (Luk_10:23-24). It makes the aged Elisabeth young; transforms the youthful bride of the carpenter into the inspired prophetess of her future Son; renders the priest the herald who announces the coming of the forerunner; and even communicates its rapture to the child unborn. The dogmatizer has as little right to build upon this latter circumstance a doctrine of fides infantium (as Calovius, a strict Lutheran divine of the seventeenth century, did), and thus make the exception the rule, as the neologian has, to deride a phenomenon of a history, whose religious importance and world-wide influence he is utterly unable to appreciate. Comp. also Aristot. Hist. Anim. vii. 3, 4.
5. The song of Zachariah is a proof how much his spiritual life, and his insight into the divine plan of salvation, had increased, during the months of silence which succeeded his reception of the angelic message.
6. Theologians who deny the existence of Messianic prophecies so called—i.e., of special promises given by God Himself, with respect to the coming of Christ—should take a lesson from Mary and Zachariah. In their view, “God spake by the mouth of His holy prophets;” spake for centuries past; spake to Abraham and to his seed, of the coming Christ; spake so, that all future ages should believe, and expect, that all that was yet unfulfilled, would surely come to pass in due season. We have here a complete outline of Old Testament Christology, to be remembered by the divines and preachers for all time to come.
[7. “And (John) was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation unto Israel,” Luk_1:80. Here we see combined the wisdom of temporary retirement (the truth underlying the monastic system), and the duty of public usefulness in society (which the system of Protestant ethics makes most prominent). The former is a preparation for the latter. “Es bildet ein Talent sich in der Stille, sich ein Character in dem Strom der Welt” (Goethe). On temporary retirement Bishop Horne (On the Life and Death of John the Baptist) remarks: “He who desires to undertake the office of guiding others in the ways of wisdom and holiness, will best qualify himself for that purpose by first passing some time in a state of sequestration from the world; where anxious cares and delusive pleasures may not break in upon him, to dissipate his attention; where no skeptical nor sectarian spirit may blind his understanding, and nothing may obstruct the illumination from above; where every vicious inclination may be mortified through grace, by a prudent application of the proper means, and every fresh bud of virtue, sheltered from noxious blasts, may be gradually reared up into strength, beauty, and fragrance; where, in a word, he may grow and wax strong in spirit until the day of his showing unto Israel. Exo_3:1; Eze_1:1-3; Dan_9:3; Dan_9:23; Rev_1:9; Act_7:23.” On the other hand, Milton (Areopagitica) justly censures the permanent monastic retirement of idleness or selfish piety in these words: “I cannot praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue, unexercised and unbreathed, that never sallies out and sees her adversary, but slinks out of the race, where the immortal garland is to be run for, not without dust and heat. Assuredly, we bring not innocence into the world; we bring impurity much rather: that which purifies us is trial; and trial is by what is contrary.”—P. S.]
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
The silence of faith and the silence of unbelief contrasted in the cases of Mary and Zachariah.—Meeting of Elisabeth and Mary, emblematic of that of the Old and New Covenant at their respective limits.—Mary’s greeting a comfort to Elisabeth in her sorrow, at her husband’s loss of speech.—The Holy Spirit in the yet unborn John glorifying the Divine Word, before His birth in the flesh.—The great hymn of praise of the dispensation of grace begun.—Humility perplexed at the ineffable manifestations of grace.—The blessing pronounced: 1. Upon her who first believed; 2. in her, upon all believers of the New Covenant.—Faith leads to sight; sight to increase of faith.—Mary’s song of praise: 1. The climax of all the hymns of the Old, 2. the beginning of all the hymns of the New, Covenant.—Deep conviction of the reception of the highest favors combined with personal humility.—The manifestation of righteous retribution combined with unlimited grace.—All the perfections of God glorified in the gift of the Saviour: 1. Grace. 2. power, 3. holiness, 4. mercy, 5. justice, 6. faithfulness.—The new day of salvation, the fruit of ancient promises.—The fruit of faith in Christ’s salvation is joy; which is: 1. A thankful joy; 2. an humble joy; 3. a hopeful joy; 4. a God-glorifying joy.—A heart devoted to God, the best psalter.—Mary and Eve: Faith in God’s word the source of supreme joy; unbelief of God’s word the source of deepest sorrow.—Mary, the Hannah of the New Testament, and, like her, despised, exalted, rejoicing.—The coming of Jesus is: 1. The exaltation of the lowly; 2. the putting down of the mighty; 3. the satisfying of the hungry; 4. the leaving empty of those who regard themselves as spiritually rich.—God’s faithfulness and Israel’s unfaithfulness.—The mercy of God shown: 1. To Mary; 2. through Mary to Israel; 3. through Israel to the world.
The three months of Mary’s sojourn with Elisabeth, an emblem: 1. Of the communion of saints on earth; 2. of the intercourse of the blessed in heaven.—The birth of John, a sign of God’s faithfulness and truth.—The silence of Heaven at the birth of John, and the rejoicing of the angels at the birth of Jesus.—The import of bestowing a name: 1. In the case of the forerunner; 2. generally.—Every child a gift of God.—The obedience of faith, in the case of Zachariah: 1. Tried, 2. shown, 3. rewarded.—The Hallelujah of man succeeds the Ephatha of God.—The “report” of God attentively received, at first awakens a just fear, and afterward drives away all fear.—A question and answer at the birth of a child: 1. The natural question, What manner of child shall this be? 2. the satisfactory answer, The hand of the Lord will be with him.
The true father also a priest: the true priest filled with the Holy Spirit; the true fulness of the Holy Spirit manifested in words of praise to God.—Redemption, a visit made by God to His people, by Heaven to earth.—Novum Testamentum in Vetere latet, Vetus in Novo patet [St. Augustine].—No national prosperity without the fear of God; no fear of God unaccompanied with beneficial effects upon national prosperity.—Redemption, God remembering His God-forgetting people.—The true service of God is a service without fear: 1. Without timid fear of man; 2. without slavish fear of God.—No salvation without forgiveness of sins; no forgiveness of sins without knowledge of the truth; no knowledge of the truth without divine revelation; no divine revelation without divine mercy, grace, and faithfulness.—The rising sun an emblem of Christ: 1. The darkness preceding both; 2. the light spread by both; 3. the warmth given by both; 4. the fruitfulness caused by both; 5. the joy with which both are hailed.—Darkness and the shadow of death: 1. cast down, 2. enlightened, 3. dissipated.—The Prince of Peace, the guide into the way of peace.
The threefold hymns of praise.—Variety and oneness in the minds of those who here glorify the grace of God in Christ.—Mary begins with what is individual, and ascends to what is general; Zachariah begins with what is general, and descends to what is individual; Elisabeth must precede, before Mary can follow.—In the case of Zachariah, the silence of unbelief is exchanged for the song of praise; in that of Mary, the song of praise is exchanged for the silence and expectation of faith.—All three sing on earth the first notes of a song which shall perfectly and eternally resound in heaven, the one song of an innumerable multitude of voices.
The hidden growth of one designed for a great work in the kingdom of God.—Solitude the school of the second Elijah.—The last silence of God, before the first words of the desert preacher.
Starke:—Christians should not travel from sinful curiosity, but for some good purpose.—The loving salutation of the children of God.—When the heart is full, the mouth overflows.—We may well be filled with grateful astonishment, that the Lord should come unto us in His incarnation, in His Supper, through His word, and through faith.—As we believe, so it happens to us.—Mary says, My Saviour: the is then a sinner, needing a Saviour like any other child of Adam.
Quesnel:—The more God exalts an individual, the more should he humble himself.—Langii Op. Bibl.:—Pride of heart the greatest sin before God.—Zeisius:—Christians should give their children names which tend to edification.—Brentii Op.:—God makes the speaker dumb, and the dumb man to speak.—Osiander:—Hymns of praise, from sanctified hearts, are the most acceptable sacrifice to God.—Compare Luther’s exposition of the Magnificat, for Prince John Frederick of Saxony (Werke, vii. 1220–1317), wherein he well says: “It is the nature of God to make something out of nothing; therefore, when any one is nothing, God may yet make something of him.”
Heubner:—The faith of the less (Elisabeth) may strengthen the stronger (Mary).—Mary the happiest of all mothers.—Religion the foundation of true friendship.—Pious mothers a blessing to the whole race of man.—The Spirit must open a man’s lips, or he is spiritually dumb.—John a guide into the way of peace, because a guide to Christ.—God carries on His work in secret.—Mature preparation for public work, especially for the work of the preacher.
Arndt:—Mary’s visit to Elisabeth: 1. How it strengthens her faith; 2. how it called forth her praise.
Palmer:—To the art of praising God (Luk_1:46-55) belong: 1. A clear eye to estimate the works of God; 2. a joyful heart to rejoice in them; 3. a loosened tongue to express this joy aright. (The first might also be exemplified in Elisabeth, the second in Mary, the third in Zachariah, and thus the theme and parts be applied to the whole pericope, Luk_1:39-80.)
Schroter (in a baptismal sermon on Luk_1:66):—In what sense was this question asked? How ought it to be asked?—F. W. Krummacher:—The dayspring from on high.—The festival at Hebron.—The Benedictus of Zachariah. (Adventsbuch, Bielefeld, 1847, pp. 140–172.)
Footnotes:
[24]Luk_1:41.—Better: And it came to pass, as Elisabeth … that the babe … So the Revised N. T. of the Am. B. U. The best authorities place ἡ Ἐλισ. after τῆς Μαρ., while the Elzevir text reads: ἡ Ἐλ. τὸν ἀσπασμὸν τῆς Μαρ. (an intentional transposition).
[25]Luk_1:43.—This is the shortest rendering of πόθεν μοι τοῦτο, sc. γέγονεν, and preferable to what would be otherwise more in keeping with the modern usus loquendi: How hath this happened to me. Comp. the Vulgate: Unde hoc mihi; Luther and van Oosterzee: Woher (kommt) mir das.
[26]Luk_1:44.—An immaterial difference in the order of words in the Greek text. Griesbach, Scholz, Tischendorf read: to τὸ βρέφος ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει, for the text. rec.: ἐν ἀγ. τὸ βρ. The latter is supported by B., C., D., F., L., and Cod. Sin., and should be retained with Lachmann, Alford, and Meyer.
[27]Luk_1:45.—There is a difference of opinion as to the meaning of ὅτι. Van Oosterzee agrees with Luther, the old Latin and the English Versions, and translates: denn. See his Exegetical Note. But Grotius, Bengel, de Wette, Ewald, Meyer, etc., render it that, making it depend upon πιρτεύσασα, as in Act_27:25 : πιστεύων γὰρ τῷ θεῷ ὅτι οὗτος ἔσται. I prefer the latter, because the supernatural conception foretold by the angel, Luk_1:31; Luk_1:35, had then already taken place.
[28]Luk_1:48.—Ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης αὐτοῦ, the lowliness, humility, humble condition of his handmaid. Ταπείνωσις refers not to the humility of mind, but the humility of station or external condition. Luther and van Oosterzee: Niedrigkeit.
[29]Luk_1:50.—Better with the Latin Vulgate, Luther, van Oosterzee, the Revised N. T. of the Am. B. U., etc.: His mercy is from generation to generation, to them that fear Him, τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν (or with the older MSS.: εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεὰς, or with Cod. Sin.: εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν, which corresponds literally to the Hebrew לְדֹר וָדֹר, and is preferable to the other readings) τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν. The C. V. favors the connection of from generation to generation with φοβουμένοις instead of ἔλεος.
[30]Luk_1:55.—The clause: As He spake to our Fathers, should be inclosed in parenthesis, and the punctuation changed thus: In remembrance of His mercy (as He spake to our fathers) to Abraham, etc. For μνησθῆναι ἐλέους and τῷ Ἀβραάμ belong together; while the E. V. connects to Abraham with spake, which is inadmissible in the Greek (ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν, not τοῖς); comp. Psa_98:3 and Mic_7:20, to which our passage alludes. In any case the words for ever must be connected, not with spake, nor with seed, but with in remembrance of his mercy, and should therefore be separated from seed by a comma.
[31]Luk_1:55.—The Codd. are divided between εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα and ἕως αἰῶνος. Lachmann, Tischendorf, Meyer, and Tregelles adopt the former.
[32]Luk_1:66.—Τί ἄρα (quid igitur) τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο ἔσται; The force of the ratiocinative ἄρα should not be lost; it refers to the peculiar circumstances and auspices of the birth of John; comp. Luk_8:25; Act_12:18, where the ἄρα is likewise overlooked in the E. V.
[33]Luk_1:66.—The Sin. and Vatic. MSS. and other ancient authorities read καὶ γάρ, etenim, denn auch; while the Elzevir text omits γάρ, which could easily be missed by a transcriber on account of the following χείρ. The words: “For the hand of the Lord was with him,” are a remark of Luke in justification of the preceding question of astonishment, as if to say: The people had good reason to expect great things from such a child.
[34]Luk_1:68.—Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ is the literal version of the Hebrew בָּרוּךְ יְהוָֹה אֱלּהֵי יּשְׂרָאֵל, Psa_72:18; Psa_106:48 (see Septuag.). The sentence: the God of Israel, is explanatory and should be separated by a comma, and the article retained (with Norton, Kendrick, Sharpe, Wakefield, Campbell, Whiting, the N. T. of Am. B. U., and the German versions).
[35]Luk_1:70.—Διὰ στόματος τῶν ἁγίων (τῶν) ἀπ’ αἰῶνος αὐτοῦ προφητῶν. The second τῶν after ἁγίων in the text. rec. is omitted in Codd. Sin., B., L., etc., and by Tregelles and Alford, but retained by Lachmann and Tischendorf (ed. septima), and defended by Meyer. Ἀπ’ αἰῶνος is not to be understood here in the absolute sense, ab orbe condilo, as the E. V. implies (also Calov: imo per os Adami), but relatively, like the Hebrew מֵעוֹלָם. Comp. ἀπ’ αἰῶνος, Gen_6:4 (where the E. V. renders: of old); Psa_25:6 (likewise: of old). Meyer (and Alford) quotes Longin. Luke 34: τοὺς ἀπ’ αἰῶνος ἐήτορας. Luther translates the word: vor Zeiten; van Oosterzee: vor Jahrhunderten; Stier better: von Alters her; Ewald: seiner heiligen uralten Propheten; Norton: from the beginning; Kendrick, Whiting, the N. T. of the Am. B. U.: of old.
[36]Luk_1:71.—Σωτηρίαν, etc., is anaphora and further explanation of κέρας σωτηρίας, a horn of salvation, Luk_1:69, i.e., a mighty, strong salvation; horn being a metaphorical expression with reference, not to the horns of the altar, which served as an asylum merely (1Ki_1:50; 1Ki_2:28 ff.), but to horned beasts, which are weak and defenceless without, but strong and formidable with, their horns; comp. the Hebrew קֵרֶז, 1Sa_2:10; Psa_89:18, etc.
[37]Luk_1:75.—The true reading of the oldest authorities, including Cod. Sin., is: πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἡμῶν (without τῆς ζωῆς of the Elzevir text), all our days.
[38]Luk_1:76.—The oldest reading, confirmed by Cod. Sin., is: καὶ σὺ δέ, instead of καὶ σύ. Meyer: “Κα ὶ—δ ward gewöhnlich von den unfeinen Abschreibern verstümmelt.”
[39]Luk_1:77.—Van Oosterzee: “Erkenntniss des Heils zu geben [bestehend] in Vergebung ihrer Sünden.” Ἐν ἀφέσε ἁμαρτίας belongs not to σωτηρίας alone, but to γνῶσιν σωτηρίας; that they might know that Messianic salvation comes in and through the remission of their sins. Alford: “The remission of sin is the first opening for the γνῶσις σωτηρίας: see Luk_3:7. The preposition ἐν has its literal meaning, ‘in.’ ” There should be no comma after ‘people.’—P. S.]
[40][Christ did not rebuke the woman for this exclamation, but foreseeing the future excesses of Mariolatry, He significantly replied, Luk_1:28 : “Yea rather (μεν οῦν γε is both confirming and correcting = utique and imo vero), blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.—P. S.]
[41][“Every thing transient is only a parable.” From the Conclusion of the second part of Goethe’s Faust.—P. S.]
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 54, 55, 56 VISIT OF MARY TO ELISABETH. (Luke 1:39-56)
VISIT OF MARY TO ELISABETH. (Luke 1:39-56)
hill country--the mountainous tract running along the middle of Judea, from north to south [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].
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with haste--transported with the announcement to herself and with the tidings, now first made known to her, of Elisabeth's condition.
a city of Juda--probably Hebron (see Jos 20:7; Jos 21:11).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv39, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 50, 54, 55 § 5.—VISIT OF MARY TO ELISABETH, Luk_1:39-56.
§ 5.—VISIT OF MARY TO ELISABETH, Luk_1:39-56.
Elisabeth concealed herself for five months, (Luk_1:24;) and the annunciation was made to Mary in the sixth month, (26;) and Mary visits Elizabeth for three months, making about nine months. The conception of the Messiah, doubtless, took place before Mary’s departure. The revelation of the fact to Joseph took place after her return.
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There are many passages in the word of God which modern delicacy desires to avoid, and at which modern scepticism utters its scoffs. But in all such passages, be it noted, the holy word seeks to pander to no impure or sensual passion. On the contrary, the expressions that occur indicate that the sacred writer was unconscious of impurity, and is, as it were, unknowing of the applications and perversions which a depraved heart makes of his words. Its words, therefore, are utterances of highest purity. With the guilty is the guilt. The Holy Spirit need not hesitate to name what the Omnipotent Spirit does not hesitate to create; and that naming and that creating are equally pure.
39. Into the hill country—See note on Mat_2:1. See also the map.
With haste—The action of eager interest. If we may suppose Hebron to be Elisabeth’s residence, Mary’s journey would be about one hundred miles. Robinson journeyed with camels from Hebron to Jerusalem in an hour and fifteen minutes, and from thence to Nazareth with mules in nearly thirty hours. A camel travels about ten miles an hour; a mule three.
City of Judah—The city is by many supposed to be Hebron. In Jos_21:11, is mentioned “Arba,… which is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah.” It was a residence of priests, and so very probably of the priest Zacharias. Modern tradition, traceable back no further, however, than the sixteenth century, finds his residence in Ain Karim. This is a prosperous village within the hill country, where now stands the convent of St. John in the Desert. According to tradition, Mary, in her visit to Elisabeth, found her at Zacharias’s rural abode, one mile from the village, where the interview took place. The place was marked by a chapel built by the Empress Helena, of which the ruins still remain. The spot is called The Visitation. But some of the best scholars suppose that Judah is but a softened name for Juttah, a city mentioned in Jos_15:55; Jos_21:16, and which exists at the present day.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56 39–45. The Visit of Mary to Elizabeth
39–45. The Visit of Mary to Elizabeth
39. in those days] Rather, these. Probably within a month of the Annunciation.
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went into the hill country] Palestine west of the Jordan lies in four parallel lines of very different formation. 1. The coast. 2. The Shephçlah, or maritime plain, broken only by the spur of Carmel. 3. The Har or Hill country,—the mass of low rounded hills which formed the main part of the Roman provinces of Judaea and Samaria south of the intervening plain of Esdraelon, and of Galilee north of it; and 4. The Ghôr or deep dint of the Jordan Valley. See Deu_1:7, “in the plain (Arabah), in the hills (Har), in the vale (Shephçlah), and in the south (Negeb), and by the sea side (Chooph hayyâm).” (Jos_9:1; Jdg_5:17.) The specific meaning of ‘hill country’ is the elevated district of Judah, Benjamin and Ephraim. (Gen_14:10; Num_13:29; Jos_9:1; Jos_10:40; Jos_11:16.)
with haste] The same notion of haste is involved in the aorist participle ‘anastasa’ rising up. As a betrothed virgin she would live without seeing her future husband. When however a few weeks sufficed to shew her condition, the female friends about her would be sure to make it known to Joseph. Then would occur the enquiries and suspicions, so agonising to a pure maiden, which are alluded to by St Matthew (Mat_1:18-25). After the dream which vindicated her innocence we can understand the “haste” with which she would fly to the sympathy of her holy and aged kinswoman and seek for peace in the seclusion of the priestly home. Nothing but the peculiarity of her condition could have permitted the violation of Jewish custom involved in the journey of a betrothed virgin. But for the incidents recorded by St Matthew we should be wholly unable to account for this expression. Its naturalness under the circumstances is an undesigned coincidence.
into a city of Juda] Similarly, Nazareth is described as “a city of Galilee.” The name of the city is not given. Had the home of Zacharias been at Hebron it would probably have been mentioned. Reland (Palest. p. 870) ingeniously conjectures that we should read Jutta, which was in the hill country (Jos_15:55) and was one of the cities of Judah which were assigned to the priests (ib. Luk_21:9; Luk_21:16). We can hardly venture to alter the reading, but as Juttah was only a large village (Euseb. Onomast. s. v.) and is not mentioned in 1Ch_6:57-59 it may have been the home of Zacharias, and the actual name may easily have been omitted as obscure. Tradition names Ain Karim. ‘Judah’ is here used for Judaea (Mat_2:6).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv39, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 (39) The hill country . . . a city…
(39) The hill country . . . a city of Juda.—The description is too vague to be identified with any certainty. The form of the proper noun is the same as that in “Bethlehem, of the land of Juda,” in Mat_2:6. The city may have been one of those assigned to the priests within the limits of the tribe of Judah, and if so, it is interesting to think of the Virgin as undertaking a journey which brought her not far from the very spot in which she was to give birth to the divine Child. No city of the name of Juda is known, but there is a Juttah in Jos_15:55; Jos_21:16, in the neighbourhood of Maon and the Judæan Carmel, and therefore in the “hill country,” which may possibly be that which is here referred to.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv39, 41, 42, 43, 46, 49, 51, 54 Mary arose in those days, and went into the…
Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste. Between the annunciation and this journey of Mary to visit her cousin Elisabeth, we must interpose the events narrated in St. Matthew"s Gospel, viz. the natural suspicion of her betrothed future husband, Joseph. his action in the matter; and then the dream of Joseph, in which her innocence was vindicated. As we believe that St. Luke"s story here was derived from Mary"s own narrative, we can understand well that these details, related by St. Matthew, were scarcely touched upon, and the mother would hurry on to the real points of interest in that eventful past of hers. The hill country here alluded to is the elevated district of Judah, Benjamin, and Mount Ephraim, in contradistinction to the low maritime plain on the east the old Philistia. Into a city of Juda. There is no such city known as "Juda." Some have supposed that the text is corrupt here, and that for "Yuda" we should read "Jutta," which, according to Jos_15:55, was a priestly city in the hill country. There is a rabbinical tradition in the Talmud which places the residence of Zacharias at Hebron. It is very probable that Hebron, the great priestly city, is here signified.
Vers. 39-56. The two expectant mothers.
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I THE RETIREMENT. Elisabeth (verse 24) had hidden herself when she knew that the promise of the angel would be fulfilled. Why she did so we are not told, but the language of verse 26 suggests a religious motive. She was filled with gratitude, and she desired, perhaps, a season of holy rest and communion with God. "In silence and solitude," says Thomas a Kempis, "the soul advantageth herself, and learneth the mysteries of Holy Scripture." The same reason may partly have influenced Mary. But, besides this, there is no doubt that she wished to enjoy fellowship with her who alone could share her feeling, and with whom (verse 36) her own prospect of motherhood was so intimately associated. Who can speak of the welcome, the salutations, the conferences, of the two cousins? "O days of heaven and nights of equal praise, Serene and peaceful as these heavenly days, When souls, drawn upward in communion sweet, Enjoy the stillness of some close retreat, Discourse, as if released and safe at home, Of evils past and danger yet to come, And spread the sacred treasure of the breast Upon the lap of covenanted rest!
II THE SONG OF MARY. Elisabeth, receiving Mary, speaks by the Holy Ghost. Mary had been told of her cousin"s condition, but Elisabeth had received no intimation of Mary"s. The arrival of the latter is the moment of special revelation. Elisabeth (verse 42) lifts up her voice with a loud cry. The sound of Mary"s voice (verse 44) had occasioned the prophetic impulse. She declares the Virgin the mother of her Lord, and in beautiful humility asks, "Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" And, it may be, feeling the contrast between the faith of the Virgin and the unbelief of her husband, she pronounces a blessing on her who had believed. Then, in response from Mary, comes the song which the Christian Church has incorporated into its liturgies, which it has regarded as the opening of that fountain of praise, that wonderful hymnology, which has made glad the city of God. With regard to this hymn Magnificat," as it is usually designated:
1. Compare it with the song of Hannah. (1Sa 2) In both there is the same blending of personal gladness with the emotion and experience of the Church; the same losing of self in the sense of an unspeakable loving-kindness; the same boasting in the Lord as he who "fills the hungry with good things, and sends the rich empty away." Mary was familiar with this song. Her thought would naturally take shape in utterance charged with its spirit and imagery, even as it represents the purest forms of Hebrew piety. Yet who can fail to see that her utterance is lifted to a higher plane, and is thrilled by a higher inspiration?
2. The song of Mary marks the transition from Old Testament to New Testament praise. The Old Testament is present, not only in the language employed throughout, but also (verses 54, 55) in the earnest laying hold of the singular providence of God towards Israel, and the covenant made with Israel"s fathers Abraham and his seed for ever." But the germ of the New Testament is manifest in the special thanksgiving (verses 48, 49). God the Savior has appeared, and his might is to be declared in the Son because of whose birth all generations shall call her blessed. Thus the two covenants are united in all true Christian praise. The Old Testament is not a thing past; it is completed, and therefore more than ever one possession in Christ. "All the promises of God in him are yea." "Both theirs and ours thou art, As we and they are thine; Kings, prophets, patriarchs, all have part Along the sacred line.
3. Finally, the song of Mary illustrates Psa_40:1-8: whoso waits patiently for the Lord will, like Mary, know that he inclines to and hears the cry of the soul; and a new song will be given to the lips, even praise to our God. The new song of the redeemed soul has its prototype in that which arose, from the hillside dwelling in the uplands of Judah.
Vers. 39-56. Inspirations amid the hills of Judaea.
We already have seen the angel suggesting to Mary the propriety of visiting Elisabeth. We may reasonably believe that she had no mother at this time to whom she could communicate her mighty secret, and that Elisabeth is the most likely person from whom to get the sympathy she now required. For the four days" journey from Nazareth to the priest"s city in the south she would need some preparation; but she made her arrangements promptly, going" with haste," and reached the home of the dumb priest without delay. If she had any fear and trembling on the way as to how she would be received, it was instantly dissipated through timely inspirations. And here let us notice
I THE INSPIRATION GRANTED TO ELISABETH. (Verses 42-45) And here we may mark the directness of the inspired address. There was no lengthened introduction, no conversation about health, or weather, or news, but an immediate mention of the all-important matter which concerned the Virgin.
1. Elisabeth assures Mary of her signal blessedness in being selected to be the mother of Messiah. She was to be the blessed mother of a blessed Son. How delightful a balm this would be to Mary"s anxious heart! Instead of suspicion, there is a salutation such as a princess might thankfully receive.
2. Elisabeth beautifully depreciates herself. It is the way the Spirit takes with those he indeed inspires. It is not boastfulness, but self-depreciation he implants within them. Elisabeth feels herself so unworthy, that she wonders the mother of Messiah deigns to visit her! A royal visit would not have been to the priest"s wife such an honor. She is Mary"s humble servant, because Mary is to be the mother of her Lord. In fact, had Mary been a queen, she could not have been more lovingly and reverentially treated.
3. A holy joy thrills through her from Mary"s advent. It was the "chief joy" of human hearts asserting his marvelous power. The Holy Ghost conducts the humble woman to the most entrancing joy.
4. Mary"s faith is recognized and encouraged. The contrast between Mary"s faith and Zacharias"s doubt must have been very marked. The poor priest is stealing about the house dumb, while Mary is in the enjoyment of all her faculties and powers. Elisabeth would rejoice that Mary, through unhesitating faith, had escaped such a judgment as her husband was enduring. The blessedness of faith in God cannot be too emphatically asserted. It is the secret of real happiness just to take him at his word. As the "faithful Promiser" he never disappoints any who put their faith in his promised aid. Not only do we who believe enter into rest, (Heb_4:3) but we also enter into blessedness (cf. makaria of ver. 45).
II THE INSPIRATION OF MARY. (Verses 46-55) We have in the Magnificat of Mary the noblest of Christian hymns. There are traces of such earlier efforts as Hannah"s prayer; but this only brings out the continuity of the revelation, and in no way affects the originality of Mary"s inspiration. And here let us notice:
1. How God is the Source of Mary"s joy. It is not in herself she rejoices, but in God as her Savior. This is the great fact we have all got to realize that our Savior, not our state, is the fountain of joy. And when we consider his power, and his revealed purposes, and the course of his redeeming love, we must acknowledge that there is in him abundant reason for our joy. Mary felt in body, soul, and spirit the joy of her Lord.
2. Mary recognizes in her own selection the condescending love of God. It is not those the world would select as instruments whom God chooses. The world selects the rich. God chooses "the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him"; (Jam_2:5) so here Mary signalizes her "low estate" as magnifying her Lord"s condescending love. How beautiful a spirit to cultivate! Instead of the honor done her unduly exalting her, it only leads her to adore the Divine condescension in stooping to such as she was.
3. She believes in her everlasting fame. She knows that the Incarnation will prove such a stupendous fact that all generations will call her blessed. As the mother of Messiah, she cannot but have the homage of all coming generations. She ought consequently to be with all of us "the blessed mother of the Christ of God.
4. She feels herself the subject of great mercy from the Holy One. And is this not the acknowledgment which all God s people may make? Hath he not done great things for all his people, whereof they are glad? (Psa_126:1)
5. She takes the widest views of God"s dealings with others. Thus she recognizes:
(1) That those who fear God receive his mercy in every generation. (Verse 50) This is the law of mercy it is given to those who fear God. It was never meant to encourage men in recklessness or presumption.
(2) The proud experience his dispersive power. (Verse 51) This is brought out in history.The Jewish captivities, their present dispersion, "the decline and fall of the Roman Empire," and many a judgment since, have been illustrations of this line of procedure on the part of the Most High.
(3) The deposition of rulers and the exaltation of the humble. (Verse 52) Mary is here speaking of the usurpers in Palestine, and the exaltation of those they despised. The law was marvelously illustrated in the case of Mary"s Son, whose exaltation above all dynasties is the greatest fact in civilization (cf. dunastav of verse 52).
(4) The satisfaction of the needy, and the disappointment of the rich. (Verse 53) Here is another aspect of the law of the Divine dealings. Those who feel their need, and hunger after satisfaction, receive it from God. Mary experienced this, and so do all who really hunger after God and righteousness. They have a beatitude always in store for them. (Mat_5:6) On the other hand, those who are rich, that is, who feel independent and will not look to the Lord for help, who have, in short, "received their consolation," are sent empty away. Disappointment sooner or later becomes their portion. This was the experience of Pharisee and Sadducee and all the well-to-do and self-righteous classes in our Lord"s time. And undoubtedly the arrangement is just.
(5) The fidelity of God to his covenant with Israel. (Verses 54, 55) In the Incarnation God was sending real help to his people. It was the crowning act of mercy, and the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham and his seed. Mary thus began with God"s holiness, and passed in review his power, his mercy, and finally his faithfulness. All these are illustrated preeminently in the Incarnation.
III THESE INSPIRATIONS PRESENT TO US THE CHARACTER OF THE GOSPEL, For we have before us two lowly women, deep in their self-abasement. The self-righteous spirit has been annihilated within them, and they are thus fitted to be God"s instruments. Secondly, we find them maintaining this beautiful spirit after they have become the special objects of the Divine favor. Grace does not spoil them, but provokes within them gratitude. They abound in praise, not in pride. Thirdly, they enter into hopes for their people and the world, as well as for themselves. It is so with real Christians. They become of necessity large-hearted. The inspirations received lead to outbursts of joyful anticipation for all the world. The assertion of Luke that Mary returned home (verse 56) does not necessarily imply that she did not wait for John"s birth and circumcision. The probabilities are in favor of supposing that she did so wait, and received the additional consolations which the song of Zacharias was so fitted to bring. Strengthened by her long visit to Elisabeth, she would be the better able to go back to Nazareth and brave all suspicion there. God, by a special communication, made Joseph"s suspicion altogether to cease, and Mary was taken by him as wife, instead of being privately divorced. The Virgin"s trust in God smoothing her way was thus gloriously fulfilled, (Mat_1:18-25) and she found herself passing onwards upon a path of peace towards that signal influence and power which she has exercised among men. R.M.E.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv39, 45, 46, 56 And Mary arose in those days and went into…
Luk_1:39-45
And Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country
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The home of Zacharias
Juttah, an ancient priestly town, is held by the Greek Church to be the birthplace of St.
John the Baptist, and as such it is the goal of pilgrimage to thousands of Greek Christians each year. Support to this view is believed to be found in the words of St. Luke, which, in our version, speak of the Virgin Mary as journeying into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah. This, it is held, should be to the town Judah or Juttah, since it would be vague in the extreme to speak merely of a city of Judah. On this ground, so great authorities as Reland, Robinson, and Riehm think this place was actually the residence of Zacharias and Elisabeth, and the birthplace of the Baptist it is a large stone village, standing high on a ridge; but some of the population live in tents. Underground cisterns supply water, and on the south there are a few olive trees, but the hill and its neighbourhood are very stony, though the vine must in ancient times have been extensively cultivated, since rock-cut winepresses are found all round the village. There are, besides, some rock-cut tombs, which also date from antiquity. But, poor though the country looks and is, the population are very rich in flocks, the village owning, it is said, no fewer than seven thousand sheep, besides goats, cows, camels, horses, and donkeys. The hills everywhere are very rugged and stony, consisting of hard crystalline limestone; but the valleys, which are numerous, have good soil in them, some of them being especially fertile. The vineyards and olive plantations on the west, north, and south of Hebron--for the east side of the town has none--appeared like a great oasis in the desert, though the Negeb is very far from being a desert as things are judged in such a land as Palestine. (C. Geikie, D. D.)
Went into the hill country: Marys journey
It will prove an interesting exercise to trace on the map the route which this Jewish maiden must have taken in going down across the plain of Esdraelon, from Nazareth southward. It was doubtless the same general path to which she had been accustomed, from her ordinary journeys to the Holy City, at the solemn annual feasts. But just now her mind was in a strange new frame of feeling. Each familiar locality, so crowded with history and devout reminiscences of her nations annals, would, under these present circumstances, make on her imagination a far deeper impression than usual. We must remember this, for it gives help in the interpretation of her song. Out from under the shadows of western hills, she would come into full view of the whole country, quite across to Mount Carmel, on the desolate ridge of which Elijah defied and conquered the priests of Baal. Megiddo, where Josiah lay dying; Jezreel, where Ahab sinned; the brook Kishon, beside which Deborah sang, after Sisera was slain--these were close at her feet. Before long she would arrive at Shechem, and seem to hear the old burden of cursing and blessing echoing from Ebal and Gerizim. Perhaps she paused a moment beside Josephs grave; perhaps she sat to rest, and quenched her thirst at Jacobs well. A little further down she would reach Jerusalem, beautiful on the sides of the north, and catch glimpses of the golden-roofed temple shining in the sun. Diminutive Bethlehem next would have to be passed, and her tired feet would tread the lonely path that goes by Rachels tomb. Her eyes would roam over the verdured fields where David tended his fathers flocks, and caught the starry figures of the eighth and the nineteenth psalms. And while she lingered on such a spot, she would think of Ruth returning with Naomi after bidding Orpah farewell. Hard hills are those which now she would have to climb, before she could reach the cave of Machpelah, or discover the small houses of Hebron in the distance. Of this we have no detail. But it aids us much afterward to keep it in mind; for it shows how she went thinking all the way to her destination. We meet her first in the story in the presence of Elisabeth, dwelling, perhaps, almost beneath the shade of Abrahams oak in Mamre. (C. S. Robinson, D. D.)
The power of sympathy
The dialogue is brief; those two women talked together as only two women could talk who perfectly understood each other. Mary heard Elisabeth hay, Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Her troubles had been so hard, her joys had been so great, and her silent heart had been so full of both of them, that her relief must have been sudden and overwhelming. When the sweet face of that pure, unmarried maiden saw in the joyous countenance of that incorruptible Jewish matron the sign that she would be welcomed as faultless and true, oh, in that supreme moment, she could answer only with a song, and pour forth her gratitude in nothing less than the inspired numbers of a New Testament psalm! (C. S. Robinson, D. D.)
Religious intercourse
When serious persons are met together, the example of Mary and Elisabeth teaches them how they ought to be employed. Let not the time be wasted on trifles: but needful and becoming attention being paid to the demands of courtesy and common life, let the concerns of religion occupy a prominent place in their conversation. Such intercourse is most acceptable to God, and will be most advantageous to yourselves.
1. It will be the means of your being better informed, for the lips of the wise increase knowledge.
2. It will operate as a check on all that is evil, and as a stimulus to all that is good.
3. It will give an opportunity of comparing your experience, which will greatly encourage and edify you in the faith and obedience of the gospel.
4. It will elicit many a latent spark of affection and zeal.
5. It will support your mind under temptation, and steel your heart with resolution to act a decided part in life; for it will convince you and keep you in mind that there are some of the same sentiments with yourself, anxiously watching your conduct, and deeply concerned for your stability. Nor can you deem it a light matter that you will find those who will be safeguards to you in the time of prosperity, and will not forsake you in trouble. The hour of sorrow, sickness, dissolution, is drawing on apace--an hour in which worldly associates would withdraw, as conscious of their unfitness for such a scene; or, if they remained, would prove but miserable comforters; but an hour in which those who know and love the truth would delight to stand by you, to suggest comforting and edifying thoughts, and assist in cheering the last moments and smoothing the pillow of death. Seek the society of the pious, and you form a friendship which, although interrupted for a season by death, will be renewed with increased endearment, where infirmity no longer troubles, nor separation divides. (James Foote, M. A.)
Marys visit to Elisabeth
The next step taken by Mary is in accordance with the calmest practical good sense, and displays an energy and a control over other minds which must have been uncommon. She resolves to visit her cousin Elisabeth in the mountain country. The place was supposed to be near Hebron, and involved a journey of some twenty miles through a rugged country. For a young maiden to find means of performing this journey, which involved attendance and protection, without telling the reason for which she resolved upon it, seems to show that Mary had that kind of character which inspires confidence, and leads those around her to feel that a thing is right and proper because she has determined it. (Harriet B. Stowe.)
The subordination of personal joys
Remarkable that Elisabeth allowed herself to be swallowed up in the greater icy of Mary. Did not felicitate herself, but pronounced the mother of her Lord blessed among women. Her ecstatic reference to her own babe is in marked consistency with the whole tone of her spirit. These were some of the real blessings of the advent of Jesus Christ. Before He was yet born the promise of His coming sent gladness into human hearts. The mother rejoiced, and her coming child seemed already to share His mothers ecstasy. All this typical. The coming of Christ should always be associated with the creation of new and higher joys. The exclamation of Elisabeth shows how possible it is for all our tenderest interests and proudest hopes to be absorbed in noble Christian emotion. If ever a woman could be tempted to exalt her own comforts and expectations, so as to shut out from her view the condition of other people, Elisabeth was surely exposed to such a temptation. The case, however, was not one of each woman rejoicing in selfish anticipations of her own happiness; already there was a payment of homage when homage was the price of self-suppression--a beautiful proof this, that the work that was done in the case of Zacharias and Elisabeth was the work of the Holy Ghost. Probably there is no finer test of the religiousness of our spirit than the subordination of our personal joys to the gladness which is demanded by the presence and claims of Jesus Christ. (Dr. Parker.)
The speech of Elisabeth must be regarded as an inspired speech
St. Luke seems to assert as much when he says that she was filled with the Holy Ghost, and that she spake out with a loud voice and described the blessed virgin as the mother of her Lord. And observe that in this inspired speech Elisabeth addresses Mary in the very phrase which the angel had already used, Blessed, &c. Observe also the manner in which Elisabeth speaks of the blessed virgins faith. There is a peculiar emphasis in the phrase, Blessed is she that believed. It was her faith, in the one great instance in which it was tried, which made her, as it were, a fellow-worker with God, and gave her the high honour and privilege of being something more than a mere passive instrument in the great work of human redemption. (Bishop Goodwin.)
Happiness communicated doubles itself
The blessed maid, whom vigour of age had more fitted for the way, hastens her journey into the hill-country to visit that gracious matron whom God had made a sign of her miraculous conception. Only the meeting of saints in heaven can parallel the meeting of these two cousins: the two wonders of the world are met under one roof, and congratulate their mutual happiness. When we have Christ spiritually conceived within us, we cannot be quiet till we have imparted out joy. (Bishop Hall.)
Blest earth, whereon she trod,
Put forth your fragrance sweet:
Blest hills that felt her feet,
The mother with her God.
More blest ye friends, whose guest
She now doth silence break,
Of heavenly things to speak,
And where her footsteps rest.
(Parisian Breviary.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv39, 42, 46 39. Arose. In consequence of the angel's words. Went…
39. Arose. In consequence of the angel's words. Went into the hill country. The central plateau of Judea, containing the cities of Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hebron. Hebron was a Levitical city (Josh. 21:11). Whether the city was Hebron, Juttah, or some other, is only conjecture.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v39 Luk_1:39. City of Judah.—The city is not named. Probably…
CRITICAL NOTES
Luk_1:39. City of Judah.—The city is not named. Probably it was not Hebron, as a place so well known would most likely have been named. The conjecture that Judah is a corruption of Juttah, a priestly city (Jos_21:16), is unsupported by MS. authority. Probably the place referred to was to the south of Jerusalem and to the west of the Dead Sea.
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Luk_1:41. The salutation of Mary.—I.e. her salutation as she entered, and not the salutation addressed to her by the angel Gabriel, and now repeated to Elisabeth. The babe leaped in her womb.—This movement of the unborn child was evidently regarded by the Evangelist and by Elisabeth as something extraordinary; she took it as a recognition of the unborn Messiah on the part of His kinsman and forerunner.
Luk_1:42. Spake out, etc.—R.V. “she lifted up her voice with a loud cry.” Blessed art thou among women.—This might mean
(1) Blessed [or highly privileged] art thou beyond all other women, or
(2) Thou art blessed [praised] by other women (cf. Luk_11:27). The former rendering is the better of the two. The phrase used is indeed the Hebrew form of the superlative, as in Jer_49:15; Son_1:8.
Luk_1:43. The mother of my Lord.—This appellation “my Lord” as applied to the unborn babe is an acknowledgment of the Divine nature of Jesus. The title “mother of God” which came into use in the fifth century, is open to obvious objections.
Luk_1:45.—This may be rendered either, Blessed is she that believed, for, etc., or. “Blessed is she that believed that there shall be,” etc. The former is preferable. Elisabeth no doubt contrasts the faith of Mary with the unbelief of Zacharias.
Luk_1:46.—It is interesting to observe the close resemblance between the Magnificat and the song of Hannah in similar circumstances (1Sa_2:1-10). Soul.—The natural life with all its affections and emotions.
Luk_1:47. Spirit.—“The diviner and loftier region of our being” (1Th_5:23) (Farrar). My Saviour.—Not merely as the Deliverer from a state of degradation, but the Author of the salvation, for which His people were looking.
Luk_1:48. Low estate.—Lowly condition, not humility; there is a contrast between the present humiliation and the former glories of the house of David.
Luk_1:51.—The sense of the passage is, “He scatters their imaginations, frustrates their schemes, and brings their counsels to nought” (Bloomfield).
Luk_1:54. He hath holpen.—I.e. helped: the word properly means to lay hold of anything by the hand in order to support it when it is likely to fall.
Luk_1:55. As He spake unto our fathers.—These words are parenthetical; the sentence runs, “In remembrance of His mercy to Abraham, and to his seed for ever” (cf. Mic_7:20; Gal_3:16).
Luk_1:56. About three months.—That is, until Elisabeth’s delivery or until shortly before it. It seems probable that on Mary’s return to Nazareth the events narrated in Mat_1:18-24 took place.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Luk_1:39-56
The Communion of Saints with Each Other and with God.—It was not merely to obtain verification of the angel’s words that Mary travelled with haste into the hill country, but to hold communion with her kinswoman Elisabeth to whom God’s grace had been so signally shown. A common participation in the Divine favour drew them together. This is ever the way with those to whom God makes Himself known. They do not regard what they have received as a private possession of their own, but long to make it known, and they have especial delight in the society of those who share their faith. This communion of saints differs in a marked degree from mere friendly intercourse; for the bond that unites those who enter into it is not similarity of tastes and pursuits, but common allegiance to God. In the case before us we see this communion in its purest and most intense form. We observe—
I. The elevation of feeling by which it is characterised.—This is indicated by the holy salutations, the rapt outcry, and the inspired words that flow in rhythmical utterance from the lips of Elisabeth and of Mary. It is not mere excitement of mind that is displayed; but the special and unique circumstances in which they meet are fully realised by them, and the Holy Spirit prompts the words they speak. Such fervid feelings as theirs can be no example to us, since the experience which prompted them was unique in its character; but something akin to them may be known by us all as we join with our fellow-believers in celebrating the sacrament of the Supper—as we commemorate the most signal proof of the love of that Saviour whose advent to earth filled the hearts of these holy women with such exceeding joy.
II. The deep humility that distinguished these saints.—They have been the recipients of marked favour from heaven; future ages are thought of as celebrating their blessedness; and yet both meekly declare their personal unworthiness of the grace that has been shown them. They descend in humility before God, and magnify His name, and praise His loving-kindness and condescension towards them. They clearly recognise, too, that God has mankind in view in the revelation of His mercy that He has made to them, and they are free from every tinge of spiritual pride. This combination of sobriety with intensity of feeling is very remarkable, and distinguishes true elevation of spirit from unwholesome enthusiasm. If those who received such wonderful proofs of God’s favour were thus devoid of all spiritual pride and self-complacency, what excuse can we find for ourselves if ever these feelings take possession of our hearts?
III. A practical result of this communion is seen in the words in which Elisabeth confirms and blesses the faith of Mary (Luk_1:45).—The elder encourages the younger, and assures her that her trust in God will be rewarded by the fulfilment of His promises; and her words have weight, as coming from one who had faithfully served God all her life, and who had received undeniable proof of God’s power and love. The confirmation of faith, the encouragement of hope, and the awakening of deeper love to God and to each other, are all results for which we should look from the communion of saints. We can scarcely make any mistake in regarding the song of Mary as owing something of its intensity to the thoughts and feelings excited by the words of Elisabeth. As an act of communion with God, it has a character of its own which distinguishes it from those in which we ordinarily engage. In it acknowledgment of sinfulness and weakness, though not absent, is in the background, and the thoughts are fixed upon the glorious attributes of God: in it we see one Divine perfection after another rising into view, and receiving the homage of a devout and grateful heart.
No very rigid marks of division need be looked for as separating the four strophes of which this spontaneous song of praise is composed; but the following may be regarded as the main lines of thought in it:
1. Mary celebrates God’s condescension towards her, and the everlasting honour which He has conferred upon her (Luk_1:46-48).
2. She speaks of God’s dealings with her as proofs of His omnipotence, and holiness, and mercy, which He manifests to all who fear Him (Luk_1:49-50).
3. She extols the justice of God, as shown in the humiliation of the proud, the powerful, and the self-satisfied, and in the exaltation of the meek, the lowly, and the destitute (Luk_1:51-53).
4. She praises God for His faithfulness towards His people in fulfilling the promises made to their fathers.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON Luk_1:39-56
Luk_1:39. “Went … with haste.”—The haste with which Mary set out on her journey to Elisabeth shows us that her faith was no transient mood: she is eager
(1) to obtain the sign indicated to her as a confirmation of the angel’s words, and
(2) to celebrate with her kinswoman the love and condescension of God in the exceptional privileges He had bestowed upon them. In the meeting of these two holy women, as we see from what follows, gratitude to God rises to its highest pitch. As they communed together the grace of God manifested to them would shine forth with double lustre. Mary’s example teaches us that it is our duty to use all means within our power for strengthening our faith. “Surely the mountains of that ‘hill country’—the forest, and every tree therein—broke forth into singing, and earth was joyful; for the Lord had redeemed Jacob, and comforted His people. ‘How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings.’ ”
Luk_1:40. The Salutation.—Our salutations are often thoughtlessly given and trivial in character: this was a holy and sacramental action—a devout heart invoking God’s blessing upon one desirous of it and prepared to receive it. What Jewish salutations were we learn from Rth_2:4 : “The Lord be with you”; “The Lord bless thee.” The mingled joy and ecstasy of this meeting are unique in earthly history. “Only the meeting of saints in heaven can parallel the meeting of these two cousins: the two wonders of the world are met under one roof, and congratulate their mutual happiness.” In the intercourse between Mary and Elisabeth we have a beautiful example of the communion of saints. Those who truly love God will draw near to each other in holy fellowship to offer their united thanksgiving for His goodness, and to establish and strengthen each other in the faith by mutual exhortations and counsels. “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul” (Psa_66:16). “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another” (Mal_3:16)
Luk_1:41. “The babe leaped in her womb.”—Cf. Mat_11:25 : “Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”
Luk_1:42-45. The Canticle of Elisabeth.—When read in accordance with its structure, this beautiful canticle is seen to be a celebration of Mary’s faith; and, as leading up to this, every part of it takes its proper subordinate place. This faith, astounding in itself, the most supreme example probably of perfect trust in God, and absolute self-devotion to His will, that human flesh has ever given, was all the more striking to Elisabeth on account of its contrast with the unbelief of her own husband under a far less severe trial. No wonder that, when Mary appeared before her Spirit-illuminated eyes (Luk_1:41), she seemed the embodiment of Faith—that modest virgin with clasped hands, whom Hermas saw in vision, through whom the elect of God are saved, and from whom spring all the Christian graces, as fair daughters of a fair mother. Mary is thus, in Elisabeth’s eyes, the most blessed of women, because the most faithful; and it suits well that the first psalm of the New Testament should take the form of a praise of the fundamental evangelical virtue.—Warfield.
Luk_1:42. “Blessed art thou.”—At certain times devout feeling cannot be repressed, but will break forth, sometimes in a way that seems strange and extravagant to those who are not under the same influence. If Elisabeth had been silent, surely the very stones would have cried out. A still higher blessedness fell to the lot of Mary when she became a disciple and follower of Jesus. This is distinctly implied in His own words (see Luk_11:27-28).
Luk_1:43. “The mother of my Lord.”—Note the absence of anything like envy on the part of Elisabeth at the higher honour bestowed upon her kinswoman. She acknowledges the superiority of Mary as the mother of her Lord, and speaks of being unworthy to receive her under her roof. The more highly God exalts us in favour, the more humble in spirit should we become. Compare as kindred examples of humility, David (2Sa_7:18), John the Baptist (Mat_3:14), and the centurion (Luk_7:6).
“My Lord.”—The application of these words, which are equivalent to “Jehovah,” to an unborn child, can only be justified or explained by the fact of the divinity of Jesus. They were probably suggested to Elisabeth by Psa_110:1.
Luk_1:45. “Blessed is she that believed.”—Though the faith of Mary was tried in a special way, yet her case is an illustration of the great principle that those who place implicit confidence in God obtain the fulfilment of His promises. The greater the faith displayed, the greater is the reward it receives (cf. Joh_20:29; 1Pe_1:7-8). “God offers His benefits indiscriminately to all; but faith, so to speak, holds its lap to receive them; while unbelief allows them to pass away, so as not to reach us.”
Luk_1:46-55. The Magnificat.—The mother of our Lord was a poetess. The beautiful hymn which still has a frequent place in Christian worship is by her, and is another illustration of the meditative, reverential, mystical spirit whose steady fire burned within her. The Magnificat is the first Christian hymn—it is a hymn in the exact sense of the word; for a hymn originally means a poem sung in praise of the gods or of heroes. Augustine’s definition of a hymn is, “praise to God with a song.” The Magnificat is a type and model of what our hymns in church should be; its form is the old Hebrew form then passing away; its spirit is that of youth, of freshness of vision, of abounding bright-eyed energy. There is no pessimism in this morning hymn of Christianity.—Roberts.
“My soul doth magnify the Lord.”—Elisabeth sings the praises of Mary’s faith; Mary answers by a praise of God—His grace, might, mercy, justice, and faithfulness. The difference is significant—perhaps characteristic. The tone of the Magnificat is happy, though solemn—such as befitted one so highly honoured, and yet so unconscious of self. The ground of Mary’s praise to God is, that, in spite of her low estate, He has selected her as the vessel of His election for bringing the seed of Abraham into the world; and this is the mighty, holy, just, and faithful thing that He has done which commands her song.—Warfield.
The Magnificat.—In St. Luke’s Gospel the picture of Mary is clothed in flesh and blood. There is breath and there is poetry upon her lips. Her heart beats quicker at the angel’s salutation. Maiden modesty and saintly resignation to burning shame fill her brief but pregnant words. The hoarded music of her soul finds measured utterance of its serene and stately joy. The Magnificat, chanted in so many churches, is the highest specimen of the subtle influence of the song of purity, so exquisitely described by a great poet. It is the Pippa Passes among the liturgies of the world. It is a woman teaching in the Church for ever without usurpation of authority, but with a saintly quietness, that knows no end.
I. The historical framework in which the Magnificat is set (Luk_1:38-41).—Mary was misconstrued by the world. She was bearing a cross heavy to pure souls—a cross of shame. In Nazareth she could not remain. She turned to the spot towards which she seemed to be invited by an angel’s lips, and pointed by an angel’s finger (Luk_1:36). There must have been pathos in the quiet word of the gentle maiden as she saluted Elisabeth. Elisabeth, for her part, knew her cousin’s voice, even before she saw her pale and suffering face.
II. The Magnificat itself.—There is a noble quiet in the one word “said.”
1. The personal traits by which the hymn is pervaded. Humility is the chief of these. Mary does not profess humility; she practises it. Favoured, indeed, she is. Yet she has no thought of that which she is—only of that which, in God’s free grace, she has received. In the second line she counts herself among the lost whom God has brought into a state of salvation. Her joy and exultation repose upon that God who is her Saviour.
2. The religious principles by which the Magnificat is pervaded. Mary’s soul is full of faith in the tenderness and power of God—in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. She has the clear conviction that all which is sweetest and greatest in the attributes of God meet in the gift of His dear Son. Power, holiness, mercy, faith, and truth are there. And she believes intensely in the victory of that incarnation—in the sure triumph of God. With the instinct of a prophetess she sees an outline of all history, and compresses and crushes it into four strong, rugged words.
III. Some lessons, ecclesiastical and personal, from the Magnificat.—
1. This poem is retained in the Reformed Prayer Book. There are few Divine songs in the New Testament. But there are some; and surely they are there for good reasons. And it is a great thing to have some hymns in public worship whose permanence is ensured by their being strictly Scriptural.
2. Not without propriety is the Magnificat placed in the public service. It comes after the Old Testament lesson. Mary stood, as her song stands with us, between the two Testaments.
3. By using the Magnificat, we fulfil her own prophecy, “All generations shall call me blessed.” Some forget this. She is blessed—blessed, because consecrated as a temple for the eternal Word.
4. As to personal lessons. We may well apply Mary’s words to ourselves as a blessing common to us all. Her blessedness is ours: “For whosoever will do the will of God, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.” Again, praise should be our work. Once more, joy and peace are part of our purchased inheritance: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.” And the more we lean on Him, the more He loves us. When we read or join in the Magnificat, let us see to it that that peace is ours which will make its words true for us.—Alexander.
Luk_1:46. Compare the Magnificat with the Song of Hannah.
I. Points of similarity.—
1. Both express gratitude for God’s compassion and condescension.
2. Both rise from particular instances of Divine procedure to the principles that regulate the government of the world.
3. Both anticipate the glories of Christ’s kingdom.
II. Points of difference.—
1. Hannah’s words are animated by high-spirited exultation over her enemies, Mary’s by profound humility and self-restraint.
2. In the one Christ is “Jehovah’s King,” to whom He will “give strength”—His anointed, “whose horn He shall exalt”; in the other Christ is the help of Israel.
From Mary’s hymn of thanksgiving, which is filled with echoes from the writings of the psalmists and prophets of the Old Testament, we may see how she had delighted in the word of God, and how intimately she was acquainted with it. Perhaps we are even justified in concluding, from Luk_1:47-48, that she was acquainted with the Greek Version of the Old Testament, for the words there quoted agree with it rather than with the original Hebrew (cf. Psa_31:7 with the corresponding passage in the LXX: Psa_30:7). True piety will ever be found to lead believers to value the Holy Scriptures, and to appropriate for the expression of their devout feelings the words used by saints in old time.
“Magnify.”—To make great or to glorify. We cannot, indeed, add to God’s dignity or power, but the word “magnify” is an appropriate one for describing our giving God a larger place in our thoughts and feelings, and our publishing abroad the reasons we have for giving Him praise. “My soul doth magnify … my spirit hath rejoiced.”
1. True praise of God, with mind and heart as well as with tongue.
2. Cheerful praise of God in the full employment of every faculty.
Luk_1:47. “God my Saviour.”—It is the recognition of God in this character that alone dispels doubt and anxiety, and imparts a true and full joy. Mary refers, no doubt, to the name Jesus (i.e. Saviour) to be conferred upon her Son. Probably, like others, she anticipated a reign of material prosperity in connection with the coming of Christ, but her deeply religious cast of mind forbids us to suppose that her hopes were limited to it. The satisfaction of spiritual needs was doubtless equally looked for.
Luk_1:48. “Regarded.”—I.e. looked upon. It is a very beautiful fact, that in the Scriptures God’s regarding or looking upon is taken to be equivalent with having mercy upon. Cf. Luk_9:38 with Mat_17:15. And here we see a great difference between God’s thoughts and our thoughts: God, who is infinitely holy, is compassionate also; we who are sinful are harsh and unsympathetic in our judgment of our fellows.
“Low estate.”—The house of David, to which Mary, as well as Joseph, doubtless belonged, was now in obscurity and poverty; but it can scarcely be to this fact that the Virgin here alludes. In her humility she is unable to recognise any reason why she should be the object of the Divine compassion and condescension. She is convinced that she is unworthy of the high honour bestowed upon her. “All generations shall call me blessed.” The insight of Mary is true: it is from the Divine favour that the purest and most lasting fame springs. However the admiration of those in any particular generation may be fixed upon those who are high in rank, distinguished by wealth, learning, beauty, or natural gifts, the general instinct of mankind is true in cherishing the names of those who have been holy, and of those who have received honour from God, as entitled to the highest place on the roll of fame. For by general consent a higher dignity attaches to saintliness than to any other quality that distinguishes a man from his fellows.
Luk_1:49. “His name.”—In many parts of Scripture the “name” of God practically signifies God Himself. Cf. Psa_91:14; 2Ch_6:20. It is that which suggests to us His adorable majesty. Properly speaking, it is God as revealed to us, or as known by us.
Luk_1:50. “That fear Him.”—All through the word of God true piety is represented as fear of God. By this we are not to understand slavish dread, but that reverence which is due
(1) from children to a father,
(2) from servants to a master, and
(3) from subjects to a king—a reverence which leads (a) to obedience to His commandments, and (b) to submission to His will. In contrast with this “fear,” which is an attitude and state of heart, is hypocrisy, or mere outward pretence of reverence and service.
Luk_1:51. “He hath scattered the proud.”—With the mercy shown to the lowly is contrasted the severity with which God will chastise the arrogance of the mighty. Mary speaks of this as in the past instead of in the future; but this mode of speech is common in prophetic utterances. In the choice of the lowly (of Mary herself and of Elisabeth) God has already rejected the proud; and this principle of action will be carried through to the very end in the establishment of the Messianic kingdom. “The proud, the powerful, and the rich describe Herod and his court, Pharisees and Sadducees, as well as foreign tyrants, Cæsar and his armies and heathen powers.”
“Scattered.”—When God has for a time looked down in silent mockery on their splendid preparations, He unexpectedly scatters the whole mass: just as when a building is overturned, and its parts, which had formerly been bound together by a strong and firm union, are widely scattered in every direction.—Calvin.
Luk_1:52. “He hath put down the mighty.”—The humiliation of the mighty and the exaltation of the humble were facts remarked by the ancients; and the explanation they gave was, that the gods envied those who were too successful in life, and delighted in humbling them, and in raising up others in their place. Sheer caprice, and not moral principle, was supposed to govern the Divine procedure. The figure frequently used to present this capricious interference with human affairs is Fortune’s wheel. But in the Scriptures it is impiety and the abuse of power that lead to the degradation of the proud and mighty, while those who are raised to honour have already moral qualifications for the places they are called to occupy. Cf. the cases of Pharaoh, Saul, Nebuchadnezzar, and Belshazzar, and those of Joseph, Moses, David, and Daniel, respectively.
Luk_1:53. “He hath filled the hungry.”—By the hungry we are to understand mainly those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for here, as in Luk_1:48, we have an anticipation of the Beatitudes; but the destitute in the literal sense of the word are also probably kept in view. The latter as a class contained those who longed most eagerly for the blessings of Messiah’s kingdom. Just as those who were richly endowed with the world’s goods were apt to be self-satisfied and worldly-minded, those who were poor were in many cases prepared to receive the glad tidings of blessings which the world could neither give nor take away. Prosperity is indeed the gift of God; but if it leads to forgetfulness of Him, and if the sense of dependence upon Him is weakened, it becomes a snare.
Two Contrasted Classes.—Mary had here two classes of persons before her—the hungry and the rich; and she employs these words in the spiritual sense in which they are used in the Jewish Scriptures.
I. “The hungry” mean those who feel the sense of spiritual needs, who are dissatisfied with present attainments, who long for something beyond themselves, and to be something better than they are as yet. To be humble, to be dissatisfied with self and with our shortcomings, is to be on the road to improvement, and God helps those who know that they need His help. When Mary announces the reward of spiritual hunger, she touches on a principle of wide range, applicable alike to mental, moral, and physical life. If human beings are to benefit by nourishment, there must be appetite. Nothing is more repugnant to the physical nature than forcing food upon a reluctant patient. If knowledge is to do good, there must be an appetite for it. Religious truth forced on the soul when there is no desire for it does not illuminate it. Appetite is the condition for acquiring anything, whether for body, mind, or spirit.
II. “The rich” Mary regards as those who regard themselves as being just as they should be—the self-satisfied. To be satisfied with self is to believe that there is no capability of improvement; and God will not help those who have made up their minds that they can do without Him. Self-sufficiency is a fatal bar to spiritual attainment. The distinction between the two classes is seen in illustrative cases—Jacob and Esau, David and Saul. The same clearly marked distinction continues down to our own day. God gives to every man an endowment which creates in the soul a longing after Himself. On the use made of this endowment man’s spiritual destiny turns. Cultivate this hunger for spiritual things. It is strengthened by exercise; it is lost by neglect.—Liddon.
Luk_1:54. “He hath holpen his servant Israel.”—From general statements regarding Divine procedure Mary comes to the particular case of Israel at the time then present. What God had formerly promised He was now granting. He had, as it were, by allowing the nation to fall into disorder and misery, shown His displeasure at their sins; but now He is remembering the mercy towards them which He had pledged His word to bestow upon them. For a time He had seemed forgetful, but now He is mindful of His ancient covenant with Abraham and with his seed.
Luk_1:55. “As He spake … to Abraham.”—The promise to Abraham was one that embraced all the nations of the earth (Gen_22:18), so that in the thoughts of Mary far more than Divine mercy towards Israel is now to be revealed—even a blessing for all mankind in connection with the advent of Christ.
Luk_1:56. “About three months.”—Though it is not distinctly stated, it is probable that Mary stayed with Elisabeth until the birth of John. St. Luke is in the habit of rounding off the narrative without scrupulously adhering to the order of time (see Luk_1:65; Luk_3:19-20), so that we are not bound to take what is recorded here in Luk_1:56 as having happened before the events recorded in the paragraph beginning with Luk_1:57.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
Alexander MacLaren 1905 · Public Domain On v46 Luk 1:46 - Luk 1:55.
Luke
THE MAGNIFICAT
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Luk 1:46 - Luk 1:55.
Birds sing at dawn and sunrise. It was fitting that the last strains of Old Testament psalmody should prelude the birth of Jesus. To disbelievers in the Incarnation the hymns of Mary and Zacharias are, of course, forgeries; but if it be true nothing can be more ‘natural’ than these. The very features in this song, which are appealed to as proof of its being the work of some unknown pious liar or dishonest enthusiast, really confirm its genuineness. Critics shake their heads over its many quotations and allusions to Hannah’s song and to other poetical parts of the Old Testament, and declare that these are fatal to its being accepted as Mary’s. Why? must the simple village maiden be a poetess because she is the mother of our Lord? What is more likely than that she should cast her emotions into forms so familiar to her, and especially that Hannah’s hymn should colour hers? These old psalms provided the mould into which her glowing emotions almost instinctively would run, and the very absence of ‘originality’ in the song favours its genuineness.
Another point may be noticed as having a similar bearing; namely, the very general and almost vague outline of the consequences of the birth, which is regarded as being the consummation to Israel of the mercy promised to the fathers. Could such a hymn have been written when sad experience showed how the nation would reject their Messiah, and ruin themselves thereby? Surely the anticipations which glow in it bear witness to the time when they were cherished, as prior to the sad tragedy which history unfolded. Little does Mary as yet know that ‘a sword shall pierce through’ her ‘own soul also,’ and that not only will ‘all generations’ call her ‘blessed,’ but that one of her names will be ‘Our Lady of Sorrows.’ For her and for us, the future is mercifully veiled. Only one eye saw the shadow of the Cross stretching black and grim athwart the earliest days of Jesus, and that eye was His own. How wonderful the calmness with which He pressed towards that ‘mark’ during all His earthly life!
The hymn is sometimes divided into four strophes or sections: first, the expression of devout emotion {Luk 1:46 - Luk 1:48}; second, the great fact from which they arise {Luk 1:48 - Luk 1:50}; third, the consequences of the fact {Luk 1:51 - Luk 1:53}; fourth, its aspect to Israel as fulfilment of promise. This division is, no doubt, in accordance with the course of thought, but is perhaps somewhat too artificial for our purposes; and we may rather simply note that in the earlier part the personal element is present, and that in the later it fades entirely, and the mighty deeds of God alone fill the meek singer’s eye and lips. We may consider the lessons of these two halves.
I. The more personal part extends to the end of Luk 1:50.
It contains three turnings or strophes, the first two of which have two clauses each, and the third three. The first is Luk 1:46 - Luk 1:47, the purely personal expression of the glad emotions awakened by Elisabeth’s presence and salutation, which came to Mary as confirmation of the angel’s annunciation. Not when Gabriel spoke, but when a woman like herself called her ‘mother of my Lord,’ did she break into praise. There is a deep truth there. God’s voice is made more sure to our weakness when it is echoed by human lips, and our inmost hopes attain substance when they are shared and spoken by another. We need not attribute to the maiden from Nazareth philosophical accuracy when she speaks of her ‘soul’ and ‘spirit.’ Her first words are a burst of rapturous and wondering praise, in which the full heart runs over. Silence is impossible, and speech a relief. They are not to be construed with the microscopic accuracy fit to be applied to a treatise on psychology. ‘All that is within’ her praises and is glad. She does not think so much of the stupendous fact as of her own meekly exultant heart, and of God, to whom its outgoings turn. There are moods in which the devout soul dwells on its own calm blessedness and on God, its source, more directly than on the gift which brings it. Note the twofold act-magnifying and rejoicing. We magnify God when we take into our vision some fragment more of the complete circle of His essential greatness, or when, by our means, our fellows are helped to do so. The intended effect of all His dealings is that we should think more nobly-that is, more worthily-of Him. The fuller knowledge of His friendly greatness leads to joy in Him which makes the spirit bound as in a dance-for such is the meaning of the word ‘rejoice’-and which yet is calm and deep. Note the double name of God-Lord and Saviour. Mary bows in lowly obedience, and looks up in as lowly, conscious need of deliverance, and beholding in God both His majesty and His grace, magnifies and exults at once.
Verse 48 is the second turn of thought, containing, like the former, two clauses. In it she gazes on her great gift, which, with maiden reserve, she does not throughout the whole hymn once directly name. Here the personal element comes out more strongly. But it is beautiful to note that the ‘lowliness’ is in the foreground, and precedes the assurance of the benedictions of all generations. The whole is like a murmur of wonder that such honour should come to her, so insignificant, and the ‘behold’ of the latter half verse is an exclamation of surprise. In unshaken meekness of steadfast obedience, she feels herself ‘the handmaid of the Lord.’ In undisturbed humility, she thinks of her ‘low estate,’ and wonders that God’s eye should have fallen on her, the village damsel, poor and hidden. A pure heart is humbled by honour, and is not so dazzled by the vision of future fame as to lose sight of God as the source of all. Think of that simple young girl in her obscurity having flashed before her the certainty that her name would be repeated with blessing till the world’s end, and then thus meekly laying her honours down at God’s feet. What a lesson of how to receive all distinctions and exaltations!
Luk 1:49 - Luk 1:50 end this part, and contain three clauses, in which the personal disappears, and only the thought of God’s character as manifested in His wonderful act remains. It connects indeed with the preceding by the ‘to me’ of Luk 1:49; but the main subject is the new revelation, which is not confined to Mary, of the threefold divine glory fused into one bright beam, in the Incarnation. Power, holiness, eternal mercy, are all there, and that in deeper and more wondrous fashion than Mary knew when she sang. The words are mostly quotations from the Old Testament, but with new application and meaning. But even Mary’s anticipations fell far short of the reality of that power in weakness, that holiness mildly blended with tenderest pity and pardoning love; that mercy which for all generations was to stretch not only to ‘them that fear Him,’ but to rebels, whom it would make friends. She saw but dimly and in part. We see more plainly all the rays of divine perfection meeting in, and streaming out to, the whole world, from her Son ‘the effulgence of the Father’s glory.’
II. The second part of the song is a lyric anticipation of the historical consequences of the appearance of the Messiah, cast into forms ready to the singer’s hand, in the strains of Old Testament prophecy.
The characteristics of Hebrew poetry, its parallelism, its antitheses, its exultant swing, are more conspicuous here than in the earlier half. The main thought of Luk 1:51 - Luk 1:53 is that the Messiah would bring about a revolution, in which the high would be cast down and the humble exalted. This idea is wrought out in a threefold antithesis, of which the first pair must have one member supplied from the previous verse. Those who ‘fear Him’ are opposed to ‘the proud in the imagination of their hearts.’ These are thought of as an army of antagonists to God and His anointed, and thus the word ‘scattered’ acquires great poetic force, and reminds us of many a psalm, such as the Second and One hundred and tenth, where Messiah is a warrior.
The next pair represent the antithesis as being that of social degree, and in it there may be traced a glance at ‘Herod the King’ and the depressed line of David, to which the singer belonged, while the meaning must not be confined to that. The third pair represent the same opposites under the guise of poverty and riches. Mary is not to be credited with purely spiritual views in these contrasts, nor to be discredited with purely material ones. She, no doubt, thought of her own oppressed nation as mainly meant by the hungry and lowly; but like all pious souls in Israel, she must have felt that the lowliness and hunger which Messiah was to ennoble and satisfy, meant a condition of spirit conscious of weakness and sin, and eagerly desiring a higher good and food than earth could give. So much she had learned from many a psalm and prophet. So much the Spirit which inspired psalmist and prophet spoke in her lowly and exultant heart now. But the future was only revealed to her in this wide, general outline. Details of manner and time were all still blank. The broad truth which she foretold remains one of the salient historical results of Christ’s coming, and is the universal condition of partaking of His gifts. He has been, and is, the most revolutionary force in history; for without Him society is constituted on principles the reverse of the true, and as the world, apart from Jesus, is down-side up, the mission of His gospel is to turn it upside-down, and so bring the right side uppermost. The condition of receiving anything from Him is the humble recognition of emptiness and need. If princes on their thrones will come to Him just in the same way as the beggar on the dunghill does, they will very probably be allowed to stay on them; and if the rich man will come to Him as poor and in need of all things, he will not be ‘sent empty away.’ But Christ is a discriminating Christ, and as the prophet said long before Mary, ‘I . . . will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick; and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment.’
The last turn in the song celebrates the faithfulness of God to His ancient promises, and His help by His Messiah to Israel. The designation of Israel as ‘His servant’ recalls the familiar name in Isaiah’s later prophecies. Mary sees in the great wonder of her Son’s birth the accomplishment of the hopes of ages, and an assurance of God’s mercy as for ever the portion of the people. We cannot tell how far she had learned that Israel was to be counted, not by descent but disposition. But, in any case, her eyes could not have embraced the solemn facts of her Son’s rejection by His and her people. No shadows are yet cast across the morning of which her song is the herald. She knew not the dark clouds of thunder and destruction that were to sweep over the sky. But the end has not yet come, and we have to believe still that the evening will fulfil the promise of the morning, and ‘all Israel shall be saved,’ and that the mercy which was promised from of old to Abraham and the fathers, shall be fulfilled at last and abide with their seed for ever.
Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (1904–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain On v39 J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [VII. Mary Visits…
J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [VII. Mary Visits Elisabeth].
VII. MARY, FUTURE MOTHER OF JESUS, VISITS ELISABETH, FUTURE MOTHER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. (In the Hill Country of Judæa, B. C. 5.) cLUKE I. 39-56.
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c39 And Mary arose in these days [within a week or two after the angel appeared to her] and went into the hill country [the district of Judah lying south of Jerusalem, of which the city of Hebron was the center] with haste [she fled to those whom God had inspired, so that they could understand her condition and know her innocence--to those who were as Joseph needed to be inspired, that he might understand-- Mat_1:18-25], into a city of Judah [where Zacharias dwelt--see Luk_1:15]; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit [sufficiently to have a supernatural knowledge of things and to utter prophecy]; 42 And she lifted up her voice with a loud cry [Indicating intense, ecstatic joy. What joy must have filled the hearts of these two women as they realized that one was to be the mother of the long-expected Messiah, and the other of his Elijah-like forerunner!], and said, Blessed [see Luk_1:28] art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me [why am I thus honored?-- Mat_8:7, Mat_8:8], that the mother of my Lord [This word imported sometimes divinity, and sometimes mere superiority. The Jews employed this term in connection with the Messiah; but in which sense can not [17] now be determined. Inspired writers employ it in the higher sense when applying it to Jesus ( Mat_22:41-45), and in that sense it is no doubt used here] should come unto me? 44 For behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy 45 And blessed i is she that believed [Elisabeth may have here remembered how her own husband failed to believe]; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord. 46 And Mary said [She speaks in poetic strain. Her song closely resembles that of Hannah-- 1Sa_2:1-10], My soul doth magnify [Mary's song is called "The Magnificat" from this word] the Lord, 47 and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath looked upon the low estate [this refers to the contrast between her present condition and that of the former glories of David's house, from which she sprang] of his handmaid: For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. [Here ends the first section of her song. In it she speaks of herself, and her adoration toward God for his condescending blessing. Mary was blessed in her motherhood, Abraham in his covenant and promises, Paul in his apostleship, etc., but none of these human beings are to be worshiped because of the blessings which they received. Rather should we bestow the more worship on God, from whom these their blessings flow-- Jam_1:17.] 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name. [ Exo_20:7.] 50 And his mercy is unto generations and generations. [that is, it is unceasing-- Exo_20:6] On them that fear him. [Here ends the second division of her song. In it Mary glorifies God for his power, holiness and mercy.] 51 He hath showed strength with his arm. ["God's efficacy is represented by his finger ( Exo_8:19); his great power by his hand ( Exo_3:20); and his omnipotence by his arm-- Exo_15:16"]; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart. 52 He hath put down princes from their thrones, And hath exalted them of low degree. [18] 53 The hungry he hath filled with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away. [These expressions are hyperboles for the disappointment of the proud, the princely, and the rich, in whose families the Messiah was expected. God has passed these by, and exalted a lowly one. Here ends the third section or verse of the hymn. It speaks of the changes which the Messiah should work as if he had already worked them.] 54 He hath given help to Israel his servant, That he might remember mercy; 55 (As he spake unto our fathers) Toward Abraham [ Mic_7:20, Gal_3:16] and his seed for ever. [The hymn closes with an expression of gratitude to God for his faithfulness in keeping his covenants.] 56 And Mary abode with her about three months [or until John was born], and returned [a favorite word with Luke, used twenty-one times in his Gospel] unto her house.
[FFG 17-19]
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v47 (See Scofield "Rom 1:16")
Saviour
(See Scofield "Rom 1:16")
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On vv39, 46 Mary’s Visit to Elisabeth.
Mary’s Visit to Elisabeth.
The salutation of Mary and Elisabeth’s answer:
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v. 39 And Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda,
v. 40. and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
v. 41. And it came to pass that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost;
v. 42. and she spake out with a loud voice and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
v. 43. And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
v. 44. For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
v. 45. And blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a performance of those thing’s which were told her from the Lord.
In those same days Mary got ready for a visit to her kinswoman, for the news of the angel had filled her with joy. She lost no time in journeying up into the mountainous country of Judea, where the city of priests was situated in which Zacharias lived with his wife Elisabeth. Note the expression "with haste. " "Quickly; as a chaste, fine, pure maid that did not let her foot rest. Such a maid or woman is one that takes hold of a thing and brings it about. Then again there are lazy, slothful women, busybodies, that neglect everything at home, sleep, and permit damage to be done, only think of eating, only do harm. But of Mary the evangelist says that she was vigorous and did not seek meddlesomeness to babble about this or that, as young and old women now commonly do: when they come together, they govern and reform with their talk the entire city, slander the people, want to run every house. If therefore a young or old woman nowadays is energetic, she is worthy of all honor. But she is seldom found and is a rare bird. " When Mary thus, with characteristic energy and haste, had completed her journey and came to the house of Zacharias, she saluted Elisabeth, gave her the greeting of a dear relative and friend. But then a miracle happened. The mother’s joy and the urging of the Holy Ghost produced in the unborn son of Elisabeth a supernatural, joyful movement, for John, even at this time, was filled with the Holy Spirit. And upon Elisabeth the Spirit acted in a miraculous way, filling her with the gift of divination and prophecy. Her words, therefore, were an unrestrained utterance under the influence of irrepressible feeling. Her statement is a fine bit of exalted poetry. She calls Mary, the mother, blessed among all women, on account of the high distinction conferred upon her, and she calls the babe that was to be born of her blessed. The most wonderful mother of the most wonderful Son! The prophetic Spirit urges her to unfold the future. She considers herself unworthy of receiving, in her modest home, the mother of her Lord. She knew that Mary was to be the mother of the Messiah; she knew that her Lord would be born a true human being, and that her trust in Him would bring her salvation. She was one of the few in Israel that understood the prophecies concerning the Seed of the woman, the Child of the virgin, in their right sense. She tells Mary about the miraculous movements which she experienced when she heard the voice of her greeting. She declares her to be happy, to be in a state of the highest felicity, because Mary had believed the angel’s message, because the things she hopes for will surely come to pass. It was an outpouring of sublime enthusiasm which Elisabeth here gave utterance to, and it must have done much to strengthen still more the faith of Mary in the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning her Son.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv39, 42, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
Mary goes to visit her relative Elizabeth, who is going to give birth to John. (See: Introduction of a New Event)
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arose
This idiom means she not only stood up, but also "got ready." AT: "started out" or "got ready" (See: Idiom)
the hill country
"the hilly area" or "the mountainous part of Israel"
She went
It is implied that Mary finished her journey before she went in to Zechariah's house. This could be stated clearly. AT: "When she arrived, she went" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Now it happened
The phrase is used to mark a new event in this part of the story.
in her womb
"in Elizabeth's womb"
jumped
moved suddenly
translationWords
Mary
Judea
Zechariah (NT)
Elizabeth
womb
filled with the Holy Spirit
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv39, 41, 46, 48, 51, 54 1:39 The hill country of Judea was 80–100 miles…
1:39 The hill country of Judea was 80–100 miles away from Nazareth, at least a four-day journey.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.