Luke 1:46-55
Introduction:
The First Chapter in the Gospel of Luke highlights and brings into the limelight of two godly women. They are Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, and Mary, the mother of Messiah. Both of them were great and godly women and had no social or economic standing.
Few scholars think that the Magnificat presented in Luke 1:46-55 was composed by Elizabeth than Mary because it has been adopted from 1 Samuel 2 (ref: bible.org). Mary’s psalm of praise reveals a repeated use of the terminology and theology of the Old Testament.
Mary’s praise begins with her grateful response to the grace God has shown to her, a humble servant of the Lord; broadens, viewing God’s grace to her as a reflection of His gracious purposes for His chosen people, Israel; focuses on the faithfulness of God to His promises and His purposes, especially His covenant with Abraham and his descendants. She does not focus on the immediate blessedness of her having this child but on the outcome of the coming of Messiah. Mary in this praise expresses who she was:
Humble
Hungry and Thirsty, and
Honored by God.
Mary was a Humble Girl (1:46. a-52)
God remembers the humble, simple, and deserving (Psalm 136:23-26). Humility is an attitude, character. It is always an adorable and rarest attitude to find. Always humble is not possible. Showing true humility always is not possible(Titus 3:2). Jesus Christ has set an example through his incarnation, and deeds (Philippians 2:5-9). Christ’s humility is described: He was equal, he was Almighty, He was Omnipotent. But, He decided to empty himself. He took the very nature of a servant. He made himself nothing and subjected himself to human nature. Human nature adheres to weakness, despondency, limitation, and subject to Time and energy. Christ accepted the fullness of Humanness. So, Peter writes in his First Epistle Cloth yourselves with humility (1 Peter 5:5).
Dr. Manmohan Singh was exalted as Prime Minister of India due to his humility and commitment to the Nation and the Party. Mr.Deva Gowda was exalted to the highest Minister of India due to his simple and humble life. Humility always attracts the grace of God. The mercies and grace of God are like raindrops, it finally reaches the lowest part of the earth. At first, the rain comes down on the top of a hill but never stays there, it rolls down and rolls down to the valley, and the low level and finally reaches and stays there.
Mary doubtless acknowledges her humility. But, she magnifies God for His thought on her. Even though she was of the family of David, but that family had for many years been broken and afflicted, and she was now espoused to a poor carpenter. God usually magnifies himself by choosing the lowly, and by exalting them as he has done with King David. So, Paul writes in his epistle to Corinthians “he chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, the weak things of the world to confound the mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen; that no flesh should glory in his presence” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).
Therefore, prophets warned Israel to “walk humbly with my God”. Nothing can please God. The word “Walk humbly” reminds us that we are human, we are temporary, we are like grass and flower, we are like smoke and ashes. So walk with humility also directs us to walk with dignity and self-respect, with sobriety and chastity, avoid an excess of action and passion towards anybody or anything. There is a limit for your expressions to others. All our patterns, modes, and means to worship God are irrelevant and non-satisfactory and boredom to God and worshippers. Real repentance, fear of God, a true commitment to his principles, and utter obedience to his voice in Secret and open please God. Obedient Love should precede the doing, giving, sacrifice to God. Mercy takes an upper hand and not the plentiful giving.
Mary was a Hungry Girl (1:53-55)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled (Matthew 5:6). Hungry for good and pleasant things. Hungry for grace and mercy. Blessed are the Pure in Heart they will see God, without holiness, no one could see God (Matthew 5:8, Hebrews 12:14). Mary was a pure Virgin (Luke 1:27). She was a favored girl and the Lord was with her (Luke 1:28). She was a woman of thought and senses (Luke 1:28). She was a committed servant-maid of God (Luke 1:38).
The Lord satisfies the Thirsty and fills the hungry with good things (Psalm 107:9). Jesus said “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry and he who believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35). Every soul is restless till it finds solace in Christ. Everyone was created with dignity and respect as God's creation. Respect one another. What we try to do to others and or try to pull them and disregard them reflects our standard, our place in society, our status. Then, how the self can be exalted by walking humbly before the Lord. By denying self, by crucifying self, by emptying the self. As the deer pants for water so my soul longs after you (Psalm 42:1-4).
Mary was an Honoured Girl (Luke 1:48. b.)
Mary and Elizabeth, two lowly and shamed ones through whom God has chosen to begin the transformation of the world. Both were overlooked or ignored both in society at large and in biblical narratives or vignettes. Mary’s first words prompt an immediate, silent, response from Elizabeth’s unborn child. She was the first preacher to unborn John. Mary is blessed not only for her status as the mother of the Lord but also for her trust in God’s promise. But she has also been blessed with divine joy, with beatitude. She has believed that God can do what God promises to do. (Ref:workingpreacher.org)
Adam Clark comments: God visited Mary in her humiliation with love and kindness though she had no excellence. She would call herself Blessed Mary but some would call her Queen of Heaven, Mother of God, etc., titles both absurd and blasphemous. Calvin Comments: The word ‘Humble state’ or Lowliness signifies that ‘she was unknown and despised in the society but that did not prevent God from stooping down to cast his eyes upon her. Origen said: Mary in her joyful mood maintained the modesty of being simple and humble even after knowing that she had been bestowed with the blessing of Messiah in her Womb, therefore she was a blessed Mary. (ref: studylight.org).
Mary started to sing with a joyful heart that generations would call her blessed. It’s true that ‘humility comes before the honor’ (Proverbs 15:33). God alerted Eli through little Samuel that ‘those who honor me I will honor them’ (1 Samuel 2:30). So the Word of the Lord tells us that we should ‘Honour the Lord with our wealth’ (Proverbs 3:9). We need to honor one another above ourselves (Romans 12:10). Therefore, honor God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:20). Mary honored God by her commitment, love, and submission to the greater Mission. Therefore, God has led her to greater honor among the woman.
