39 Soon afterward, Mary hurried to a city in the mountain region of Judah. 40 She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard the greeting, she felt the baby kick. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have. 43 I feel blessed that the mother of my Lord is visiting me. 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, I felt the baby jump for joy. 45 You are blessed for believing that the Lord would keep his promise to you.”
46 Mary said,
“My soul praises the Lord’s greatness!
47 My spirit finds its joy in God, my Savior,
48 because he has looked favorably on me, his humble servant.
“From now on, all people will call me blessed
49 because the Almighty has done great things to me.
His name is holy.
50 For those who fear him,
his mercy lasts throughout every generation.
51 “He displayed his mighty power.
He scattered those who think too highly of themselves.
52 He pulled strong rulers from their thrones.
He honored humble people.
53 He fed hungry people with good food.
He sent rich people away with nothing.
54 “He remembered to help his servant Israel forever.
55 This is the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his descendants.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.
Read Luke 1:39-56 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
Often the details surrounding an event are just as interesting as what actually happened.
While reading the passage in Luke that we often call “Mary’s Song”, a phrase near the end of it stood out to me as being interesting. As Mary concludes this song, she finishes off by singing, “He remembered to help his servant Israel forever. This is the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants.” (v. 54-55)
This stands out to me because Mary sees Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise God gave to Abraham, and to the Jewish nation. This is very true. God had promised Abraham that the Messiah would be one of his descendants.
What is fascinating though is not what it said, but what is implied by what is not said. The promise God gave to Abraham was not the first promise God gave regarding sending a Messiah. Immediately following God kicking Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, He promises them a Messiah would come to restore the connection they broke when they sinned.
I wonder if many of the Jews had minimized this reference or dismissed it in their minds. The Messiah God promised to Adam and Eve was a Messiah for all of humanity, but the one they liked focusing in on was one that built up the Jewish nation exclusively. The messiah the Jews were waiting for was one who would come and overthrow the Romans and make their nation independent again.
With this in mind, I also wonder if Mary had this idea in her mind during Jesus’ growing up years – and if so, I wonder what she might have thought as He was arrested, tried, and ultimately crucified.
Mary’s song was a high point in her life as Jesus’ mother, and while there would be many more high points coming, she was ultimately going to face the event no parent wants to face – and that event is watching your child die.
But Jesus’ death wasn’t just for the Jewish nation; Jesus died for all humanity, and He made a way for not only Jews to have a restored connection with Jesus, but gentiles as well!
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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