76 And you, little child, you shall be called Prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare a way for him. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, He will drink neither wine nor strong drink, He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, You will be speechless and unable to talk, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. * [1:76] You will go before the Lord: here the Lord is most likely a reference to Jesus (contrast Lk 1:1517 where Yahweh is meant) and John is presented as the precursor of Jesus. CHAPTER 22. Since Hannahs circumstances more closely parallel those of Elizabeth, some have drawn the hasty conclusion that it was she, rather than Mary, who composed this hymn of praise. Elizabeth is a magnificent woman of God, in Lukes opinion. 10 And at the hour of incense all the people were outside, praying. He will be called John.i If Catholic Online has given you $5.00 worth of knowledge this year, take a minute to donate. It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. 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 honour that Elizabeth gave to Mary at their meeting was symbolic of the honour that John would give to Jesus ( Luke 1:39-45 ). Not so with Mary. I must confess to you that I often become overly absorbed in what isnt said, rather than to concentrate on what is reported. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you shall name him John. (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.. 61But they answered her, There is no one among your relatives who has this name. (39) The hill country . In the course of performing his duty, the angel Gabriel appeared to him while he was inside the holy place. 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth. (6) Elizabeths praise suggests that she may have possessed a greater depth of spiritual and scriptural insight than her husband. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord. 46And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord,47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,48for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;49for he who is mighty has done great things for me,and holy is his name.50And his mercy is on those who fear himfrom generation to generation.51He has shown strength with his arm,he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,52he has put down the mighty from their thrones,and exalted those of low degree;53he has filled the hungry with good things,and the rich he has sent empty away.54He has helped his servant Israel,in remembrance of his mercy,55as he spoke to our fathers,to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.[b]. Our praise, like that of Elizabeth and Mary, should not only seek to exalt God, but also to edify those who may hear it. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law. 6 Both were upright in the sight of God and impeccably carried out all the commandments and observances of the Lord. The prophecy of Elisabeth and of Mary, concerning Jesus. She looks backward, to the covenants which God has made with Abraham and with His people in the Old Testament. Ignatius Catholic Bible (RSV): Compact Edition - Imitation leather, Burgundy with Zipper, The Revised Standard Version Catholic Bible, Compact Ed. 20 Look! That which she speaks far surpasses what we are told Gabriel said to Zacharias. 74 that he would grant us, free from fear, to be delivered from the hands of our enemies. (3) Mary is a model disciple in her grasp of the grace of God, and in her gratitude toward God for bestowing grace on her. Marys praise began with her own experience, but quickly linked this with Gods character and actions in the past (His ways) and then with His covenant and promises regarding the future. I doubt that Mary way aware of the fact that Christ would come to earth twice, to achieve two distinct purposes. Indeed, it would seem that in the case of Elizabeth, if not also Mary, her spirituality surpassed that of her husband. Mary Visits Elizabeth. Even if not composed by Luke, it fits in well with themes found elsewhere in Luke: joy and exultation in the Lord; the lowly being singled out for Gods favor; the reversal of human fortunes; the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. The poor will be helped, but the rich will be sent away (v. 53). 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. Mary left almost immediately for the home of Elizabeth and Zacharias, and the journey may have taken some time. 4 He approached the chief priests and the . Gal. 41When Elizabeth heard Marys greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. It seems to me that this is a very significant fact. 51 He has used the power of his arm, he has routed the arrogant of heart. 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. What is your spiritual relationship to God? 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. Thus, it is used with reference to Nazareth (1:26), which was but a village. 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.. 49The Mighty One has done great things for me, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.b, 52He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones. The Lord is with you.m 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 Since you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.'. Matthew 23). The things which Luke does not tell us ought not to be our primary concern, to deal with them as unsolved mysteries, for which we must have an answer. but has lifted up the humble. Instead, we must focus on the things which Luke has included, for these point to the thrust of his argument. There is no provincialism to be found in her praise. 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. 49 for the Almighty has done great things for me. When Gabriel announced the miraculous virgin birth of Messiah through Mary to this young16 peasant girl, he informed her of Elizabeths pregnancy, indicating that this was a sign of Gods ability to achieve the impossible (Luke 1:36-37). This is clearly seen to be in blatant disregard for the teaching of our text. Mary seems immediately to respond to the praise of Elizabeth by offering her own praise to God. This includes the immediate goal of redemption and salvation, but it especially includes the setting right of those things which are unjust and evil. [1:49] Dt 10:21; Ps 71:19; 111:9; 126:23. She may have been rehearsing what she would say to Elizabeth when she first saw her. It not only employs the terminology of the psalms, but the theology. Romans chapter 7). We cannot say for certain, but we can affirm at this moment that all that she said was divinely inspired. . Mary understood that Israels hope was rooted in the Abrahamic Covenant, not in the Mosaic. Let us ponder them. There is no mention in this account of how Messiah will come to earth. These were the themes of the Old Testament prophets. Marys praise was addressed to God, but in adoring God she also encouraged and edified Elizabeth, just as Elizabeths praise encouraged her. It is my opinion that the town in which Elizabeth and her husband lived was merely a village, too. 10Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, We must seek to dwell much more on the character of God, of His covenant promises, and of His working in history, as well as in the future. n. [1:31] Gn 16:11; Jgs 13:3; Is 7:14; Mt 1:2123. Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE), Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. There are a number of ways in which the worship of these two women relate to contemporary Christians. 9according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.e The Birth of John. (1) Elizabeth seems to praise Mary before Mary has had any opportunity to explain anything to her. To press the matter further, I doubt that Mary understood that the redemptive purpose of Christs first coming would be accomplished by His death on a cross, death at the hands of wicked men. The angel had not commanded Mary to go to the house of Elizabeth, but had only stated that Elizabeth was pregnant in her old age, which showed that nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:36-37). Luke 1:38 And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word. Second, the praise of Elizabeth and Mary provide us with a model for our own worship and praise. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. h. [1:17] Sir 48:10; Mal 3:1; 3:2324; Mt 11:14; 17:1113. * [1:6879] Like the canticle of Mary (Lk 1:4655) the canticle of Zechariah is only loosely connected with its context. 41When Elizabeth heard Marys greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit,s Elizabeths immediate response to Marys arrival might be explained by some previous communication between the two (e.g. One wonders how much that Elizabeth came directly from the Spirit of God, and how much originated from her own grasp of the Scriptures. While Christs coming meant more than saving men from their sins, this was the beginning, the prerequisite for all that He would accomplish. And so, too, will the greatness of Messiah and His ministry surpass that of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Messiah. This would serve as further testimony to the divine origin of the Christ-child. 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. 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.'. 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. Do Those Who Commit Suicide Go To Hell? 29But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Luis A. Zazano May 30, 2021. written by Fr. Mary understood that the good news of Messiahs coming would result in great social reversals. 24After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, Throughout the Old Testament, the miraculous ministries of Gods chosen instruments often began by a miraculous or unusual birth. Much, perhaps most, of these things will be fulfilled in the second coming of Messiah, rather than in His first coming. 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. James 2:1-13; 5:1-12). Salvation does not result from our efforts, which God miraculously blesses. Get the app {{#signedIn}} . NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Zacharias returned home to his wife, who kept herself in seclusion for five months (vv. (5) Mary is a model disciple in her grasp of the purposes and promises of God. 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