WITH the news of Elizabeth's child, Mary goes to her without the mention of Joseph. If they were betrothed Joseph might not be along. The trip was dangerous, as robbers were well known to be along the way. Maybe this is why Luke says--Mary arose and went with haste to the hill country, 1.39.


Zacharias and Elizabeth are there in the house. When Mary enters, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaps. Elizabeth is then filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke writes this as if the Holy Spirit in Mary was so great it filled the house and Elizabeth like an overflow, as in Ezekiel 10.3,4. Elizabeth cries with a loud voice--an ecstasy--a livid leap of the soul to bless Mary, just as Gabriel had blessed Mary in 1.28.

Mary is not the first woman to be said to be 'blessed among women'. In Judges 5.24 Jael is called blessed--most blessed is she of women in the tent. This is because Jael killed an enemy of Israel, Judge 4.17-21. I assume that Jael is most blessed of women in the tent means in the OT covenant. Mary was not in a tent but a manger.

Elizabeth seems to know by the Holy Spirit which is filling her house that Mary's child is the Lord, 1.43. Not only that, but through Elizabeth the Holy Spirit says from Elizabeth to Mary--Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord. This is believing by the Word of God.


Now comes Mary's magnificat. It is poetry in the style of an OT prophet like Isaiah. It begins with what God has done for Mary and ends with what God will do through Israel as Abraham's offspring.

Luke 1.46-49 mention the Spirit of God and Mary, when she uses a personal pronoun for herself: My soul magnifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God, all generations will count me blessed, the Mighty One has done great things for me... These verses are Mary's song of gratitude and humility of heart.

Then in 1.50 Mary says God will do the same for everyone who fears Him.

And in 1.51 Mary says God the Son (His arm) will bring down those who are proud in the thoughts of their heart, Deuteronomy 10.16. The Jew has expressions like thoughts of their hearts because the Hebrew language had no word for brain or mind. Calling God the Son as the right arm is a common expression in the OT, as in Isaiah 59.16.

Then in 1.52-55 Mary expands the thought to rulers, to the humble of heart, to Israel His servant, to the fathers, to Abraham and his offspring.

This magnificat is quite Jewish in tone and mood. Verses 46-49 could easily be a psalm. It could only be in the context of a covenant with God that Mary knew she was blessed; after all only the God of Israel pours out blessings upon the soul. Her soul exalts the Lord, something a Jewish soul could do; her soul magnifies the Lord, something associated with the devotion of a priest in the tabernacle or the temple of Solomon. Her spirit rejoices that God is her savior, implying she knew she needed a savior, as in Psalm 35.9, 9.14.

After telling Elizabeth of her soul's embrace of God, she then tells what God has done, as if it were already accomplished, in verses 48-55. He has regard for Mary, He--has done great things for me...1.49. Then in v. 51 and following Mary tells of what the Lord has done for Israel. Notice the past perfect tense, as if these things were known and accomplished. He comes as judge who has brought down the rulers, scattered the proud, sent away the rich empty-handed.

For Israel He has given help, He has filled the hungry, He has shown mercy to Abraham's offspring.

We can notice that bringing down the rulers and the proud is an aspect of His holiness, His justice, His rule as perfect king.

Mary spent three months there with Elizabeth and Zacharias. They must've had many conversations in the day when the men were out working. They shared meals, did the washing together, felt their babies move, and slept under the same stars God made in the beginning. Mary returned home.