Mary’s Magnificat
TRANSLATION
(38) At that time, Mary got up and hurried to the hill country to a town in Judah (40) where she entered the house of Zachariah and greeted Elizabeth. (41) And when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby jumped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit (42) and with a loud voice exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! (43) And am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (44) For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. (45) And blessed is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her.”
(46) Then Mary responded, “My soul magnifies the Lord, (47) and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, (48) for he has been mindful of the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed, (49) for the mighty one has done great things for me, and holy is his name! (50) And his mercy belongs to those who fear him from generation to generation. (51) He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered those whose hearts were proud in their inmost thoughts. (52) He has brought down princes from their thrones and has exalted those of humble estate. (53) He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. (54) He has helped his servant, Israel, in remembering to be merciful as he promised our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
(56) And Mary stayed with her about three months and then returned to her home.
OBSERVATIONS
This passage records the declarations made by two women, the first, a greeting from Elizabeth when Mary first arrived at her home, and the second, Mary’s expression of praise to Yahweh in response. Several repeated words should be noted. First we see the key players in this drama identified with the names, “Mary” (vss. 39, 41, & 46) and “Elizabeth” (three times in vss. 40 & 41). We also find two phrases associated with “womb” (vss. 41 & 44) where Elizabeth described her baby “jumping” in her womb for joy (vss. 41 & 44), four uses of “blessed” (vss. 42, 45, & 48), and several names used for deity: Holy Spirit (vs. 41), “Lord” (three times in vss. 43, 45, & 46), “God my Savior” (vs. 47), and “mighty one” (vs. 49).
OUTLINE
I. Elizabeth joyfully greeted Mary when she first arrived at her home. (39-45)
II. Mary praised God for what he would accomplish through the birth of her son. (46-56)
IDEA STATEMENT
Both Elizabeth’s greeting and Mary’s expression of praise gave glory to God for what he would accomplish through the births of both their sons.
APPLICATION
Mary’s expression of praise, called the Magnificat because that was the first word of her response in Latin (vs. 46), has over many centuries become one of the chief ways the faithful have exalted Jesus’ mother for her submission to God’s calling on her life. However, focusing attention on her godliness was likely the last thing that Mary had in mind when she offered praise to the Lord for what he would accomplish through her. Her psalm might be outlined according to the following pattern:
I. Mary expressed personal praise to God for his work in her. (46-49)
II. Mary expressed praise to God for his work in all who fear him. (50-53)
III. Mary expressed praise for God for his work in Israel. (54 & 55)
One detail in the opening sentence of this psalm should be noted. There Mary called God “my savior” (1:47). Her words contradict a doctrine that has gained many adherents, the idea of Mary’s “immaculate conception.” This teaching asserts that Mary was preserved from the stain of sin both in her birth and throughout her life so that, as a sinless virgin, she would give birth to a sinless savior. Many are confused by the words, “immaculate conception,” mistakenly applying them to Jesus’ sinless birth rather than to Mary’s. While Pope Pius IX declared the “immaculate conception” to be an official dogma (teaching) of the Roman Catholic Church in 1854, we should remember that by Mary’s own testimony, namely that God was her savior (vs. 47), the issue of her sinlessness was forever settled. She, like every other son or daughter of Adam, needed cleansing from sin which only God’s Son could provide by his atoning death.