Even this is a manifestation of Gods grace, for at this early point in time such knowledge would only have caused Mary unnecessary and premature pain. The same principle applies on a different level. God has not just singled Mary out for blessing, leaving others in their miserable estate. h. [1:17] Sir 48:10; Mal 3:1; 3:2324; Mt 11:14; 17:1113. g. [1:15] 7:33; Nm 6:121; Jgs 13:4; 1Sm 1:11 LXX. This would put her departure very close to the time of Johns birth, and reasons have been suggested for identifying the time of her departure either just before or just after the birth of John. (6) Elizabeths praise suggests that she may have possessed a greater depth of spiritual and scriptural insight than her husband. 39 Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could into the hill country to a town in Judah. In all of these cases we must remember that Luke purposefully chose, under the guidance and control of the Holy Spirit, either to include or to exclude various details. 98% of our readers don't give; they simply look the other way. We would expect Mary to be taken with the fact that she will have a baby, and that this baby will be the Son of God. a city of Juda.--The description is too vague to be identified with any certainty. There is no mention in this account of how Messiah will come to earth. Luke 1,39-56. by Fr. It is so strong that some are tempted to view Elizabeth as the composer of the Magnificat, and not Mary. While bearing the Messiah was a distinct privilege for Mary, that for which she is most highly praised is her faith and her obedience. (2) Mary is a model disciple in the depth of her familiarity with the word of God. He is cast, moreover, in the role of the Old Testament fiery reformer, the prophet Elijah, who according to Mal 3:23 (Mal 4:5) is sent before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.. (3) Elizabeths praise is not for her personal fulfillment and blessing in the bearing of a child, but in the blessing bestowed on her by the visit of Mary. 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. Thus, James has some very strong words on the subject of discriminating against the poor and showing partiality to the rich (cf. Thus Mary quickly prepared and left to visit her relative living in an unnamed village17 in the hill country of Judah (v. 39). ', 61 They said to her, 'But no one in your family has that name,'. 53 He has filled the starving with good things, sent the rich away empty. Verses 39-56. Catholic Online. My opinion is that deliverances which are described have already been demonstrated in Israels history, to some degree, but that they will finally and fully be realized in the future, as a result of Messiahs coming. 17He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah* to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.h 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. There is no such thing as a purely 'spiritual' love. It's easier for you to praise Jesus this Palm Sunday. 56And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among . Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited. First, our text has much to teach us on the subject of women, their spirituality, and their worship. It seems to me that this is a very significant fact. "May your word to me be fulfilled.". We must first very candidly admit that we are not told how Elizabeth learned what she affirmed by divine inspiration. 62 and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.f His self-righteousness is evident in the psalm of chapter 2, which dwells on his dilemma, his danger, and his deliverance, but not on God. We will explore the basis for Elizabeths blessing of Mary later, but for now let us simply observe that the arrival of Mary is the occasion for Elizabeths praise, not the soon arrival of John. * [1:59] The practice of Palestinian Judaism at this time was to name the child at birth; moreover, though naming a male child after the father is not completely unknown, the usual practice was to name the child after the grandfather (see Lk 1:61). get to know the Bible better! Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were both descendants of Aaron (v. 5), and were righteous in the sight of God (v. 6). Luke 1:39-56: Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. 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. Yet the worship of both of these women is such that they are models for all true disciples of our Lord. 36And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived* a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; Composition Narrative. 31n Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 17 With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to reconcile fathers to their children and the disobedient to the good sense of the upright, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him. God looked upon her humble estate with compassion; consequently she will be esteemed blessed by all future generations (v. 48). Again like Marys canticle, it is largely composed of phrases taken from the Greek Old Testament and may have been a Jewish Christian hymn of praise that Luke adapted to fit the present context by inserting Lk 1:7677 to give Zechariahs reply to the question asked in Lk 1:66. While we are not specifically told that Mary was filled with the Holy Spirit when she spoke these words, we may surely assume so. Start for FREE. 39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,(A) 40where she entered Zechariahs home and greeted Elizabeth. Now, it would appear that both mother and child were both filled with the Holy Spirit simultaneously. 12:46-50; Luke 8:19-21). Women seemed only fit for fixing meals and bearing children. Thus there is a kind of criss-crossing effect in the praise of both women, for each expresses ones personal praise, but edifies the other. Mary, too, was a humble peasant girl. 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. (H)From now on all generations will call me blessed,(I)49for the Mighty One has done great things(J) for meholy is his name. The narrative uses early Christian traditions about the birth of Jesus, traditions about the birth and circumcision of John the Baptist, and canticles such as the Magnificat (Lk 1:4655) and Benedictus (Lk 1:6779), composed of phrases drawn from the Greek Old Testament. 37for nothing will be impossible for God.r 45Blessed are you who believed* that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.u, The Canticle of Mary. The Lord is with you.m 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. Announcement of the Birth of John. 24After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, Daily Bible Readings, Podcast Audio and Videos and Prayers brought to you by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. 56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. John spoke as it were by leaping in the womb (1:41), while Elizabeth seems almost to speak for John. Q. The bore the added social stigma of having no children. . Elizabeth is a magnificent woman of God, in Lukes opinion. How encouraging the greeting of Elizabeth must have been to Mary. Luke 1:56 Catholic Bible * [1:78] The daybreak from on high: three times in the LXX (Jer 23:5; Zec 3:8; 6:12), the Greek word used here for daybreak translates the Hebrew word for scion, branch, an Old Testament messianic title. . She must have been very devastated upon seeing Jesus died but she understood the truth. And they were all astonished. The marginal references in our Bibles indicate the many other allusions and parallels. 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. 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). First, it should be noted that there are several things which Luke has not told us, which we might like to know, but will not find in this inspired account. Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were thus occupied were not benefited (Heb. I must confess to you that I often become overly absorbed in what isnt said, rather than to concentrate on what is reported. She may have been rehearsing what she would say to Elizabeth when she first saw her. These include the following: Whether or not Mary was yet pregnant. The Conspiracy Against Jesus. 4 so that your Excellency may learn how well founded the teaching is that you have received. Thus, Elizabeths praise served as further confirmation of Gabriels words. An aged priest has less faith than a young peasant girl, and thus Elizabeths blessing of Mary for her faith in Gods promise contains a mild rebuke for her doubting husband, who did not believe Gabriels words. 69 and he has established for us a saving power in the House of his servant David. There are many today who seem to think that they can live according to the standards and principles of the Bible by setting their minds to it. 41 Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 2:11-21). 59* When they came on the eighth day to circumciseh the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, Mary: The Expecting Momma. 14 He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth. 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 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. While Elizabeth spoke with a loud voice (1:42), Mary is perhaps more sedate. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. Here is, writing to tell Elizabeth that she was coming and what the angel Gabriel had told her regarding her becoming the mother of Messiah). 32o He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,* and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 8 Now it happened that it was the turn of his section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God. 1. The Bible requires that men live a life which is miraculous, a life that is humanly impossible (cf. Luke 1:38 And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word. 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