notes

Main point summary

Mary magnifies the Lord by rejoicing in Him as God and her Savior because of His acts of great mercy.

Arc

NT

Luke 1:46-55

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mine

And Mary said,

Καὶ εἶπεν Μαριάμ•

And Mary said:

And Mary 146 said, 147

y “My z soul a magnifies the Lord,

Μεγαλύνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν κύριον,

“ a My soul 1 b exalts the Lord,

“My soul exalts 148 the Lord, 149

b and my z spirit rejoices in c God my Savior,

καὶ ἠγαλλίασεν τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ τῷ σωτῆρί μου,

And a my spirit has rejoiced in b God my Savior.

and my spirit has begun to rejoice 150 in God my Savior,

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for d he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

ὅτι ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης αὐτοῦ.

“For a He has had regard for the humble state of His 1 bondslave;

because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. 151

For behold, from now on all generations e will call me blessed;

ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν μακαριοῦσίν με πᾶσαι αἱ γενεαί,

For behold, from this time on all generations will count me b blessed.

For 152 from now on 153 all generations will call me blessed, 154

for f he who is mighty g has done great things for me,

ὅτι ἐποίησέν μοι μεγάλα ὁ δυνατός.

“For the Mighty One has done great things for me;

because he who is mighty 155 has done great things for me,

and h holy is his name.

καὶ ἅγιον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ,

And holy is His name.

and holy is his name;

ideaexplanation

And i his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

καὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεὰς τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν.

“ a And His mercy is 1 upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him .

from 156 generation to generation he is merciful 157 to those who fear 158 him.

j He has shown strength with his arm;

Ἐποίησεν κράτος ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ,

“ a He has done 1 mighty deeds with His arm;

He has demonstrated power 159 with his arm;

k he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

διεσκόρπισεν ὑπερηφάνους διανοίᾳ καρδίας αὐτῶν•

He has scattered those who were proud in the 2 thoughts of their heart.

he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance 160 of their hearts.

j he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

καθεῖλεν δυνάστας ἀπὸ θρόνων

“He has brought down rulers from their thrones,

He has brought down the mighty 161 from their thrones,

l and exalted those of humble estate;

καὶ ὕψωσεν ταπεινούς,

And has a exalted those who were humble.

and has lifted up those of lowly position; 162

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he has filled m the hungry with good things,

πεινῶντας ἐνέπλησεν ἀγαθῶν

“ a He has filled the hungry with good things ;

he has filled the hungry with good things, 163

and the rich n he has sent away empty.

καὶ πλουτοῦντας ἐξαπέστειλεν κενούς.

And sent away the rich empty-handed.

and has sent the rich away empty. 164

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He has o helped p his servant Israel,

ἀντελάβετο Ἰσραὴλ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ,

“He has given help to Israel His servant,

He has helped his servant Israel,

q in remembrance of his mercy,

μνησθῆναι ἐλέους,

1 In remembrance of His mercy,

remembering 165 his mercy, 166

ground

r as he spoke to our fathers, q to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

καθὼς ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

a As He spoke to our fathers, b To Abraham and his 1 descendants forever.”

as he promised 167 to our ancestors, 168 to Abraham and to his descendants 169 forever.”

comparison

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discourse

Phrase

Luke 1:39-56

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In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,

Ἀναστᾶσα δὲ Μαριὰμ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις ἐπορεύθη εἰς τὴν ὀρεινὴν μετὰ σπουδῆς εἰς πόλιν Ἰούδα,

and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον Ζαχαρίου καὶ ἠσπάσατο τὴν Ἐλισάβετ.

Blessedness of Mary

And

καὶ

when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary,

ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσεν τὸν ἀσπασμὸν τῆς Μαρίας ἡ Ἐλισάβετ,

Temporal

the baby leaped in her womb.

ἐσκίρτησεν τὸ βρέφος ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ αὐτῆς,

And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

καὶ ἐπλήσθη πνεύματος ἁγίου ἡ Ἐλισάβετ,

Cause

and she exclaimed with a loud cry,

καὶ ἀνεφώνησεν κραυγῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ εἶπεν•

“Blessed are you among women,

εὐλογημένη σὺ ἐν γυναιξὶν καὶ εὐλογημένος ὁ καρπὸς τῆς κοιλίας σου.

Content 1

and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

Content 2

And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

καὶ πόθεν μοι τοῦτο ἵνα ἔλθῃ ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ κυρίου μου πρὸς ἐμέ;

Content 3

For behold,

ἰδοὺ γὰρ

Ground

when the sound of your greeting came to my ears,

ὡς ἐγένετο ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ ἀσπασμοῦ σου εἰς τὰ ὦτά μου,

the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

ἐσκίρτησεν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει τὸ βρέφος ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ μου.

Content

And blessed is she

καὶ μακαρία ἡ πιστεύσασα ὅτι ἔσται τελείωσις τοῖς λελαλημένοις αὐτῇ παρὰ κυρίου.

Content 4

who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Mary's Response

Mary's Response

And Mary said,

Καὶ εἶπεν Μαριάμ•

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

Μεγαλύνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν κύριον,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

καὶ ἠγαλλίασεν τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ τῷ σωτῆρί μου,

Manner

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

ὅτι ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης αὐτοῦ.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν μακαριοῦσίν με πᾶσαι αἱ γενεαί,

Restatement

for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

ὅτι ἐποίησέν μοι μεγάλα ὁ δυνατός. καὶ ἅγιον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ,

Ground 1

And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

καὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεὰς τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν.

Ground 2

He has shown strength with his arm;

Ἐποίησεν κράτος ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ, διεσκόρπισεν ὑπερηφάνους διανοίᾳ καρδίας αὐτῶν•

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

Manner 1

he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

καθεῖλεν δυνάστας ἀπὸ θρόνων καὶ ὕψωσεν ταπεινούς,

Contrast

and exalted those of humble estate;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

πεινῶντας ἐνέπλησεν ἀγαθῶν καὶ πλουτοῦντας ἐξαπέστειλεν κενούς.

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,

ἀντελάβετο Ἰσραὴλ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ, μνησθῆναι ἐλέους,

Manner 2

as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

καθὼς ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

Reference

And Mary remained with her about three months

Ἔμεινεν δὲ Μαριὰμ σὺν αὐτῇ ὡς μῆνας τρεῖς,

and returned to her home.

καὶ ὑπέστρεψεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς.

Ἀναστᾶσα δὲ Μαριὰμ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις ἐπορεύθη εἰς τὴν ὀρεινὴν μετὰ σπουδῆς εἰς πόλιν Ἰούδα,

καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον Ζαχαρίου καὶ ἠσπάσατο τὴν Ἐλισάβετ.

καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσεν τὸν ἀσπασμὸν τῆς Μαρίας ἡ Ἐλισάβετ, ἐσκίρτησεν τὸ βρέφος ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐπλήσθη πνεύματος ἁγίου ἡ Ἐλισάβετ,

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καὶ ἀνεφώνησεν κραυγῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ εἶπεν• εὐλογημένη σὺ ἐν γυναιξὶν καὶ εὐλογημένος ὁ καρπὸς τῆς κοιλίας σου.

καὶ πόθεν μοι τοῦτο ἵνα ἔλθῃ ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ κυρίου μου πρὸς ἐμέ;

ἰδοὺ γὰρ ὡς ἐγένετο ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ ἀσπασμοῦ σου εἰς τὰ ὦτά μου, ἐσκίρτησεν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει τὸ βρέφος ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ μου.

καὶ μακαρία ἡ πιστεύσασα ὅτι ἔσται τελείωσις τοῖς λελαλημένοις αὐτῇ παρὰ κυρίου.

Καὶ εἶπεν Μαριάμ• Μεγαλύνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν κύριον,

καὶ ἠγαλλίασεν τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ τῷ σωτῆρί μου,

ὅτι ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης αὐτοῦ. ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν μακαριοῦσίν με πᾶσαι αἱ γενεαί,

ὅτι ἐποίησέν μοι μεγάλα ὁ δυνατός. καὶ ἅγιον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ,

καὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεὰς τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν.

Ἐποίησεν κράτος ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ, διεσκόρπισεν ὑπερηφάνους διανοίᾳ καρδίας αὐτῶν•

καθεῖλεν δυνάστας ἀπὸ θρόνων καὶ ὕψωσεν ταπεινούς,

πεινῶντας ἐνέπλησεν ἀγαθῶν καὶ πλουτοῦντας ἐξαπέστειλεν κενούς.

ἀντελάβετο Ἰσραὴλ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ, μνησθῆναι ἐλέους,

καθὼς ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

Ἔμεινεν δὲ Μαριὰμ σὺν αὐτῇ ὡς μῆνας τρεῖς, καὶ ὑπέστρεψεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς.

phrasing

Introduction

Our passage today is a very popular one, as it is one of the proof text of Roman Catholics in their veneration of Mary. Now it is true that Luke shows some admiration for Mary, but not because of some kind of exalted position but because of her lowliness and her response to Elizabeth's praise by pointing to and magnifying God. The main point of this passage is the exaltation of God, and not Mary.

Exposition

Blessedness of Mary(vv. 41-45) It is quite clear from this passage and else where that Mary was in fact uniquely blessed by God since there's only one person chosen by God to bear the Son of God. This fact was recognized by Elizabeth and John the Baptist. We can see this in how both of them responded in the arrival of Mary. First in verse 41, John as a baby, still in his mother's womb, leaped when she heard the greeting of Mary. Second in verses 42-45, Elizabeth exclaimed celebration and praise for Mary. This joy and praises expressed by Elizabeth and John was caused by none other than the third person of the Godhead, namely the Holy Spirit in verse 41. John's leaping and Elizabeth's exclamation were results of the filling of the Holy Spirit. The Content of Elizabeth's Exclamation Now we can see here four things that Elizabeth says about Mary: 1. Mary is blessed among women(vv. 42). 2. Blessed is the fruit of her womb(vv. 42). 3. Mary's visitation is in itself a blessing(vv. 43). 4. Then she repeats that Mary is blessed(vv. 45). But I want you to take note of two other things, namely the reasons why Elizabeth considered Mary as blessed and that her coming was in itself a blessing: 1. Verse 44 tells us that John leaped for joy when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting. 2. In verse 45, the very reason why Mary was considered blessed is because she believed the promise of the Lord. Both of these reasons point us to God and his Son Jesus Christ, and not to Mary. The Lord is now fulfilling his promises both John and Mary has indispensable roles in this plan of God. John is the prophet who will prepare the way for the Lord, and Mary is the virgin who will bear the promised messiah. This is why what follows is a fitting response of Mary to the good words she received from Elizabeth. Mary's Response(vv. 46-55) So how did Mary respond? She immediately points to God's glory. She sings praises to the Lord in verse 46-55. This is the main point of this entire passage. Now we can divide this hymn in at least two parts; (1) Mary's magnifying God in verses 46-47, (2) and the ground for exalting God in verses 48-55. Magnifying God by Rejoicing in Him(vv. 46-47) The first part of Mary's hymn is an expression of praise to God. She said, "My soul magnifies the Lord". Now there are two ways we can magnify a thing according to John Piper. First is through a microscope, by which we show tiny things bigger than they really are. Second is through a telescope and show distant seemingly tiny things how big they really are. Applied to God, the former is blasphemous, the latter is God honoring. In the reasons given by Mary you will see that God is in fact big and great in just a moment. Before we go there I just want to ask you first how does a "soul" magnifies the Lord? Our mouths magnify Him by singing praises to Him or by declaring his manifold glories right? The reason I asked is because in verse 47 Mary mentioned that her spirit rejoices in God her savior. These are not two responses but one. Notice that the words "spirit" parallels "soul", "rejoices" to "magnifies" and "God my Savior" is to the "Lord". verse 47 is the manner by which a soul magnifies the Lord. Mary magnifies God by rejoicing in Him as her savior. In fact no one can lovingly and willingly magnify God without rejoicing in Him. Void of delight in God, it's just hypocrisy, because the soul magnifies what it rejoices in. Also it is worth noting that she didn't just rejoice in God, Mary also recognize that she's in need of a savior and she's exulting over that reality that God is her savior. Greatness of God(vv. 48-55) We can now to turn to the motivation behind Mary's exalting God. She states it in verse 48 saying "for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant." Then she goes on to restate it in verses 48b-55. She said in verse 48b, "For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed". She then gave two reasons for saying that: 1. Personally she experienced the greatness of God. In verse 49 she said, "for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." 2. She saw God's greatness generally in verses 50-55, "And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever." This stands as the basis also in some ways of her personal experience of God's greatness. The point of these two reasons is to show that God chose to display his greatness to the lowly, to those who fear him by exalting them, and not to the proud and rich. God chose to do this freely. What this implies then is that we too can be called blessed and exalted, not because we deserve it but because God is gracious and he's able to demostrate in through us his great power. In conclusion, Mary is not to be worshipped, neither any saint, God alone deserves our worship. Mary instead is a model of humilty and heart felt worhip of God. Just like Mary, Elizabeth and John, we are to rejoice ultimately in Christ who is our God and savior. As we look forward in celebration of the birth of Lord Jesus Christ, may we magnify Him by rejoicing in him more than his gifts.