Mary's Visit And Elizabeth's Praise

Introduction

Mary heard amazing words from the angel Gabriel that she would give birth to the Son of the Most High God through the power of the Holy Spirit and that she should name him Jesus. And as proof, Mary's relative Elizabeth, who was known to be barren, also conceived a son in her old age, and he revealed that she was already six months pregnant. After hearing these amazing words from the angel, Mary responded, “I am the Lord's servant, May it be to me as you have said” (v. 38), and she immediately obeyed.

I. Mary Visits Elizabeth (vv. 39~41a)

Mary made a great decision, but she wanted to strengthen her faith even more. Because although Mary made a great decision and became pregnant by the Holy Spirit, her belly would soon swell, and she would become an object of ridicule, scoff, and fluttering from the world. Although she was determined to obey God's word as a servant of the Lord, Mary must have felt fear and trembling because the price of her obedience was her taking enormous risks.

So Mary went to Elizabeth to see for herself the evidence of what the angel had said. And she may have wanted the two miraculously pregnant women to come to a consensus. And Mary would have needed encouragement from Elizabeth about the many dangers that might arise due to the fact that her virginity was pregnant. Although it was about 100 miles from Nazareth in Galilee, where Mary lived, to Jerusalem, Judea, where Elizabeth lived, Mary did not mind going to see Elizabeth.

Look at verses 39 and 40. “At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. She came to a town in Judea and entered the house of Zechariah. She greeted Elizabeth.” As soon as Mary heard the words of the angel Gabriel, she did not delay and quickly went to Elizabeth, who lived in a town in the hill country of Judea. At that time, it was a long way, taking about three or four days to walk. We do not know whether Mary went alone, or with whom she went, or on foot, or on a donkey. What is important is that Mary did not hesitate to take the long journey, and she diligently went looking for it.

When Mary entered Zechariah’s house, she greeted Elizabeth. Greeting in Korean means asking how someone is doing. However, the word greeting used in the Bible is somewhat different from the customary greeting. It involves in-depth conversations between one another. Mary bowed to Zechariah and Elizabeth as the Jews did, and she kissed them. She would then go into her house together and she would tell Elizabeth everything that had happened to her. When Mary greeted Elizabeth, she said that Elizabeth could have believed what Mary was saying. Because she, too, had miraculously become pregnant.

She wasn't the only one. Look at the beginning of verse 41. “When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb …” When Elizabeth heard that Mary had greeted her, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb was leaping. Mothers can usually feel the bay moving within the womb starting around the fifth month of pregnancy. It is called fetal movement. Elizabeth was now six months pregnant. So, it is very natural for a child to be born in the womb. However, the meaning of this fetal movement was completely different. Verse 44 states that at this time, the baby for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. So, the reason the baby leaped in the womb at this time was not simply because he was tossing and turning his body, but because he was joyful.

At that time, Elizabeth had a baby growing up in her womb who would become a great prophet. Who is it? It was John the Baptist. John the Baptist's mission was to come before Jesus, prepare the way for Jesus, and testify to everyone that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ. For this purpose, Luke 1:15 says that John the Baptist would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Why did John the Baptist need to be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb? The reason is revealed in today’s text. John the Baptist had the mission of a prophet. Therefore, as in today's text, he had to testify of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, even while in the womb. For this purpose, John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb. Now that John the Baptist was in Elizabeth's womb, he could not speak at all. Therefore, the only way he could testify about Jesus Christ, the Son of God in Mary's womb, was by leaping for joy in the womb.