Luke 1:39-56 · Read 5 min · think and write 15 min
Before the angel left, he told Mary: “Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren” (Luke 1:36). Mary said: “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). This is in Lesson 1.
This lesson reads what she did next.
39Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
40and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!
45Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”
46Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.
47My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
48for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
49For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.
50His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.
51He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52He has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.
53He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
54He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
55as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.”
56Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
With haste. “Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah” (v. 39). She “entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth” (v. 40). In Lesson 1 the angel had spoken of Elizabeth, and Mary went to her.
Filled with the Holy Spirit. “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 41). “She called out with a loud voice and said, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!’” (v. 42). Then she said: “Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (v. 43). These are Elizabeth’s words.
She who believed. “Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!” (v. 45). When Elizabeth called her blessed, what she spoke of was that Mary ‘believed’.
My soul magnifies the Lord. “Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior’” (vv. 46–47). Her song speaks first of God: “for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed” (v. 48); “For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name” (v. 49). In the song she calls herself ‘his servant’; in Lesson 1 she also said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord” (Luke 1:38).
Generations and generations. “His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him” (v. 50). The song goes on: “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” (vv. 52–53). What the song sings of is what God has done.
Remember mercy. “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” (vv. 54–55). By its end, the song has gone from Mary herself all the way to the fathers of Israel.
Three months. “Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house” (v. 56). The passage records only this.
Afterwards. Elizabeth gave birth to a son (Luke 1:57). Some time later, Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem. The next lesson begins in Bethlehem.
Long before, after Hannah had given Samuel to the LORD, “Hannah prayed, and said, ‘My heart exults in the LORD! My horn is exalted in the LORD’” (1 Sam 2:1). This is in Hannah, Lesson 3.
Readers can see this: in Elizabeth’s house, what Mary said was, “My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (vv. 46–47).
Perhaps you often feel small: at home, at church, at work, no one particularly notices you, and you do not feel you have anything to offer.
This lesson does not say that God will surely lift you up and turn your life around; nor does it say that you need to feel blessed before you can sing to God. What it shows you is this: Mary called herself ‘his servant’, and her song says God “has looked at the humble state of his servant” (v. 48); her song begins, “My soul magnifies the Lord” (v. 46), and most of it is about what God has done (vv. 49–55).
This week: Choose a day this week to write a few lines to God, beginning with one thing God has done for you. When you have written them, read them to God; if you like, read them to the group next time.
Scripture: World English Bible.