49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me holy is his name. Whether or not Mary was present when John was born. I doubt that Mary way aware of the fact that Christ would come to earth twice, to achieve two distinct purposes. 13But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid,* Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. There is no provincialism to be found in her praise. ', 46 And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. As we compare Lukes account which introduces Zacharias, this elderly (and godly) priest is not put in nearly as favorable light as is his wife, Elizabeth. 39. 55 -according to the promise he made to our ancestors -- of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever. Luke 1:65 And fear came upon all their neighbours: and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea. 11 Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense. Romans chapter 7). 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones. In this parallelism, the ascendency of Jesus over John is stressed: John is prophet of the Most High (Lk 1:76); Jesus is Son of the Most High (Lk 1:32). Luke 1:39-56. To press the matter of Marys obedience even further, Mary was not only obedient to the imperatives of Gods word, but also to the inferences of His word. Elizabeth already knew, believed, and rejoiced in the truth of God, spoken through Gabriel. (B) 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: Blessed are you among women,(C) and blessed is the child you will bear! It's easier for you to praise Jesus this Palm Sunday. Because of this, the practices of our church stand out, and are considered very offensive to many women, and some men. This is evident in the blessing pronounced by Elizabeth, which subtly contrasts the belief of Mary with the unbelief of Zacharias: And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord (Luke 1:45). In His second coming, Messiah will come to set things straight, to bring justice to the earth and judgment to the wicked. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you shall name him John. * When we look back at Lukes report of what Zacharias was told by Gabriel, it was simply that the son God was giving him and his wife would be the forerunner of Messiah. Priestly division of Abijah: a reference to the eighth of the twenty-four divisions of priests who, for a week at a time, twice a year, served in the Jerusalem temple. John will go before the Lord (Lk 1:1617); Jesus will be Lord (Lk 1:43; 2:11). Chapter 9 . Indeed, it would seem that in the case of Elizabeth, if not also Mary, her spirituality surpassed that of her husband. (2) Marys praise begins with her grateful response to the grace God has shown to her, a humble servant of the Lord. 22But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. We should strive to be students of Gods Word, meditating on its terms and theology, seeking to be obedient to its imperatives and its implications. You shall name him John: the name means Yahweh has shown favor, an indication of Johns role in salvation history. It is not at all surprising to find that the births of both John and Jesus are miraculous, for the lives of both are miraculous. (N)52He has brought down rulers from their thronesbut has lifted up the humble. 27to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgins name was Mary.l 39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 56Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. First, our text has much to teach us on the subject of women, their spirituality, and their worship. Bridgeway Bible Commentary. The gospel in Luke 1:39-56 is the manifestation of the feast of the assumption. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. Start for FREE. Regardless, these are some of the most beautiful words in all the word of God. Mary is not a model for disciples in being the mother of Messiah. The connection of the phrase with the house of David gives the title messianic overtones and may indicate an allusion to a phrase in Hannahs song of praise (1Sm 2:10), the horn of his anointed.. 21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he stayed in the sanctuary so long. 13-17). Simeons words in chapter 2 (v. 35) allude to this pain, but do not explain what its cause will be. The narrative of Johns circumcision also prepares the way for the subsequent description of the circumcision of Jesus in Lk 2:21. Gal. 5 In the days of King Herod of Judaea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron. 52 He has pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly. In verse 48 her blessedness is viewed as the result of Gods grace. 80 Meanwhile the child grew up and his spirit grew strong. Study Notes - Luke 1 39-56. 56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. 12Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. This would serve as further testimony to the divine origin of the Christ-child. As I have studied Marys psalm of praise it occurred to me that her theology was like that of her Son, and likewise, that it was very different from that of the scribes and Pharisees. 2just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,b BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. gain access to 50+ premium resources to enhance your study of Scripture. 41When Elizabeth heard Marys greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. If Luke was writing to Gentiles, the name of this village would not have had any meaning, and thus was omitted as non-essential to his purpose. * 3 I in my turn, after carefully going over the whole story from the beginning, have decided to write an ordered account for you, Theophilus. In His rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus constantly referred to these great themes, and to the fact that legalistic Judaism violated them (cf. Some thoughts on today's scripture. Q. The Lord is with you.m Announcement of the Birth of John. 1Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us,a Mary visits Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56) With the time drawing near when Elizabeth would give birth, Mary travelled south to visit her. These were the themes of the Old Testament prophets. Elizabeths words are not as reflective, but seem almost to explode from her lips unexpectedly. She is a woman who grasps the Word of God, who meditates upon it, and who is obedient to it, both in its imperatives and in its inferences. There is no hint that she thinks God has chosen her to be the mother of Messiah due to her blessedness, but rather that her blessedness is the result of Gods sovereign and gracious choice to use her as His instrument. 39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. While this is true, this must be kept in its proper perspective. While Elizabeth spoke with a loud voice (1:42), Mary is perhaps more sedate. Now, it would appear that both mother and child were both filled with the Holy Spirit simultaneously. The other, Mary, responds to this word of prophecy in her song saying: "All generations will call me blessed" (Lk 1 : 48). "For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;". These include the following: Whether or not Mary was yet pregnant. It seems to me that this is a very significant fact. ', 61 They said to her, 'But no one in your family has that name,'. Second, the praise of Elizabeth and Mary provide us with a model for our own worship and praise. Nevertheless she assumes throughout that He has indeed been promised her. We know now that this includes both His first and His second comings. I believe that the similarity of the Magnificat to Hannas praise has the effect of encouraging Elizabeth, whose personal praise focuses on Mary, and not on her own joy in having a son in her old age. 76And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord* to prepare his ways,r, 77to give his people knowledge of salvation, 78because of the tender mercy of our Gods, by which the daybreak from on high* will visit ust. 14:26a). Marys age, then, is not a significant issue to Luke. He would be the Son of the Most High, who would be given the throne of His father David, from which He would rule (vv. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1975 [reprint]), p. 84. Mary was totally free to share the details of the angels revelation, without any hesitation. Elizabeth was not restricted to the level of spirituality of her husband, nor did the fact that the public expression of her worship was limited keep her from experiencing the greatest intimacy with her God. Free Reading Plans and Devotionals related to Luke 1:39-56. At the end of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 21:20; 22:3; 23:69; 24:1416; 26:28, 2223) he will argue that Christianity is the direct descendant of Pharisaic Judaism. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. The did not have any children, however, and now that they were advanced in age, it would take a miracle for them ever to do so. Women seemed only fit for fixing meals and bearing children. but has lifted up the humble. In this, Luke agrees with the Marcan parallel (Mk 3:31-35), although by omitting Mk 3:33 and especially Mk 3:20-21 Luke has softened the Marcan picture of Jesus' natural family. Show the volunteers who bring you reliable, Catholic information that their work matters. The honour that Elizabeth gave to Mary at their meeting was symbolic of the honour that John would give to Jesus ( Luke 1:39-45 ). 19 The angel replied, 'I am Gabriel, who stand in God's presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Mary also understood the purposes of God as a plan which He had been carrying out throughout Israels history. 70 just as he proclaimed, by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times. 31n Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. The loose connection between the hymn and the context is further seen in the fact that a few Old Latin manuscripts identify the speaker of the hymn as Elizabeth, even though the overwhelming textual evidence makes Mary the speaker. Is Divorce And Remarriage After Abuse, Neglect, Financial, Or Emotional Issues Okay. Not only does she think biblically, she also expresses herself in biblical terms. Herod the Great, the son of the Idumean Antipater, was declared King of Judea by the Roman Senate in 40 B.C., but became the undisputed ruler of Palestine only in 37 B.C. . 32-33). This would even be true in the Jewish world of those days when our Lord added humanity to His deity and manifested Himself to men. When one thinks of the women of the ancient world, our first emotional response is usually pity. he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. It is a happy thing when those who are joined to each other in marriage are both joined to the Lord; and it is especially requisite that the priests, the Lord's ministers, should with their yoke-fellows be righteous before God, that they may be examples to the flock, and rejoice their hearts. Luke . How gracious God is in what He does not tell us, as well in what He does. Mary saw her blessing as but an illustration, one instance of Gods grace, which leads her to praise God for His grace to all those who fear Him, from one generation to generation. By alluding to Old Testament themes in Lk 1:17, 19 such as the coming of the day of the Lord and the dawning of the messianic era, Luke is presenting his interpretation of the significance of the births of John and Jesus. They were not, however, the themes of the scribes and Pharisees. and to grant us that, 74rescued from the hand of enemies, without fear we might worship him 75in holiness and righteousness. 9according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.e I believe that Elizabeth knew from the Scriptures that Messiah would be both human and divine, and that He would be born of a virgin. The first to speak, Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cries out in a loud voice and utters words which we could only consider prophetic: "Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb" (Lk 1 : 42). Copyright 2019-2023 USCCB, please review our Privacy Policy. 29 She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean. The scribes and Pharisees, however, seemed only to grasp a few of the particulars, but missed the plan. Luke does tell us that Mary arose and went with haste to the hill country (1:39), which would suggest that there was not sufficient time for any communication to have occurred. In His ministry the Lord Jesus would expand on he social themes of Marys Magnificat: And turning His gaze on His disciples, He began to say, Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 2. 1 Seeing that many others have undertaken to draw up accounts of the events that have reached their fulfilment among us, 2 as these were handed down to us by those who from the outset were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, 3 I in my turn, after carefully going over the . Yet the worship of both of these women is such that they are models for all true disciples of our Lord. She views this event in terms of the distant past, in terms of the covenant promises of God, in terms of the history of Israel, where Gods mercy was shown on generation after generation, and in terms of the distant future, when at His second coming Messiah will set things straight. The Worship of Two Women (Luke 1:39-56) Introduction When one thinks of the women of the ancient world, our first emotional response is usually pity. Salvation does not result from our efforts, which God miraculously blesses. Get the app {{#signedIn}} . Gabriel had informed Zacharias that the child would be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mothers womb (Luke 1:15). Making use of a formal, literary construction and vocabulary, the author writes the prologue in imitation of Hellenistic Greek writers and, in so doing, relates his story about Jesus to contemporaneous Greek and Roman literature. 24-25). 11the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. ii. Mary got the point, however, and without having to be told to do so, went immediately to Elizabeths house, even though it was apparently some distance away and involved considerable inconvenience. 10Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, (O)53He has filled the hungry with good things(P)but has sent the rich away empty.54He has helped his servant Israel,remembering to be merciful(Q)55to Abraham and his descendants(R) forever,just as he promised our ancestors.. In the course of performing his duty, the angel Gabriel appeared to him while he was inside the holy place. (6) Mary is a model disciple in her evident reflection and meditation on the things of God. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; 33 he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end. This is not so. * [1:34] Marys questioning response is a denial of sexual relations and is used by Luke to lead to the angels declaration about the Spirits role in the conception of this child (Lk 1:35). Elizabeth also readily acknowledged the superior blessing bestowed on Mary, and rejoiced in it. 40 She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. (3) In verse 50 Marys praise broadens, viewing Gods grace to her as a reflection of His gracious purposes for His chosen people, Israel. writing to tell Elizabeth that she was coming and what the angel Gabriel had told her regarding her becoming the mother of Messiah). Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, . 64Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.j Zacharias faith wavered, and he consequently asked for some sign, some proof that the promise of the angel would be fulfilled. get to know the Bible better! In contrast to the psalm of Jonah in Jonah chapter 2, which we have recently considered,18 the psalm of Mary is a magnificent masterpiece. 24 Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived and for five months she kept to herself, saying, 25 'The Lord has done this for me, now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered in public.'. 65Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. (1) Mary is a model disciple in her faith in the word of God, and in her submission to the will of God. For less than $5/mo. Neither, Elizabeth, Mary, nor Luke refer to the fetus in Marys womb, while we are specifically told that John leaped in his mothers womb when Elizabeth heard Marys greeting (Luke 1:41). If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. Women may be limited so far as their public ministry is concerned, but not so far as their spirituality and intimacy with God is concerned. God has not just singled Mary out for blessing, leaving others in their miserable estate. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The naming of the child John and Zechariahs recovery from his loss of speech should be understood as fulfilling the angels announcement to Zechariah in Lk 1:13, 20. Response is usually pity not be afraid, * Zechariah, because prayer... To me that this is true, this must be kept in its proper perspective afraid, * Zechariah because... Has pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly days and traveled to promise. Israels history, or Emotional Issues Okay Lk 1:1617 ) ; Jesus will be Lord ( Lk 1:1617 ;. That the child grew up and his second coming, Messiah will come to twice. 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A very significant fact women seemed only fit for fixing meals and bearing children Reading Plans Devotionals!, her spirituality surpassed that of her husband will come to earth twice, to bring justice the... Salvation history ( Luke 1:15 ) text has much to teach us on the right the!
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