The Mother Of Jesus Praising God

Luke 1:46-55

“And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord, [47] And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. [48] “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. [49] “For the Mighty One has done great things for me;  And holy is His name. [50] “And His mercy is upon generation after generation   Toward those who fear Him. [51] “He has done mighty deeds with His arm;  He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. [52] “He has brought down rulers from their thrones,  And has exalted those who were humble. [53] “He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed. [54] “He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, [55] As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever” (Luke 1:46-55, NASB).

The words of this text are found in a passage that is often called Magnificent.  These words were spoken by Mary, the mother of Jesus, to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. They were spoken in the home of Elizabeth, six months after she became pregnant with John the Baptist.  Mary went to the home of Elizabeth to share the good news concerning her pregnancy.  As soon as Mary greeted Elizabeth, John the Baptist leaped for joy in Elizabeth’s womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:39-41).

Elizabeth said to Mary that she was blessed among women and the fruit of her womb was blessed.  The verb “blessed” (perfect, passive, particle) speaks of an action that has been completed and does not need to be repeated.  This verb may also be used as a noun.  So whatElizabeth had said about Mary was not only speaking of what God had done for Mary, she was also speaking of what Mary had become.

The word “blessed” (eulogeo) means to speak well of someone.  It suggests invoking God’s blessings upon a person.  In this passage, it carries the idea of God’s intervention to accomplish his will in the life of Mary.  Elizabeth was saying to Mary that God had a work he was doing in her life.  Mary would be the instrument through which God would bring the Savior into the world.

The task God had in mind for Mary was unique.  No one could do what God had brought Mary into the world to do.  This was God’s unique assignment for her.  You will notice thatElizabeth did not become jealous because of what God had selected Mary to do and become. She said that Mary was blessed among women.  She would be spoken well of among women. Elizabeth was glad for Mary that she would be the mother of the Messiah.

47. Recognizing The Source Of Blessings, 46-47.

“And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord, [47] And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.”

Mary was quick to tell Elizabeth that her blessings were not self-contained or self-generated.  Her blessings had their origin in the Lord.  Mary said that her soul exalted the Lord. The word “soul” (psuche) speaks of the inner person.  It has reference to the essence of life.  It includes the thinking, feeling, willing, and desiring of a person.  So all that Mary was exalted the Lord.

The word “exalt” (megaluno) suggests making or declaring great.  Here it speaks of magnifying, glorifying, or praising.  Since Mary was speaking to Elizabeth and not God, she was elevating God in the heart and mind of Elizabeth.  Mary was bragging on God to Elizabeth.  This was a testimony to the fact that God was doing something in Mary and through Mary that only God could do.  Because of the character and conduct of God in Mary’s life, Mary was making God enlarged in the heart and mind of Elizabeth.

Mary was enlarging God in the heart and mind of Elizabeth because God had demonstrated his omniscience and omnipotence.  God knows all whom he will save and he has the power to save.  Mary called God her Savior.  He is Mary’s Savior and the Savior of all the world.  Mary’s spirit rejoiced in God her Savior.  The word “Savior” (soter) speaks of a deliverer or preserver.

In the New Testament, this word speaks of God the Father and God the Son as Savior. God is the Savior in that he planned salvation and Jesus is Savior because he provided it.  It was for this that Mary rejoiced in her spirit.  The word “rejoiced” (agalliao) means that she leaped for joy in her spirit.  Her inner being was jumping for joy.

48. God Considering The Humble, 48.

“For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.”

Mary saw herself in a way most people do not like looking at themselves.  The word “humble” (tapeinosis) speaks of low estate or low status.  In humility, there is no pride or arrogance.  This is the way Mary viewed her past and her presence.  She did not see herself nor her family as being worthy of being the channel through which the Savior would enter the world.  Although Mary would be the bride of a carpenter, more importantly, she would be the mother of the Messiah.  It was because of the honor God gave her to be the mother of the Messiah that she would be honored from that day forward.

The word “regarded” (epiblepo) means that God looked upon Mary with favor.  This word means that the way God looked at Mary meant that he was looking at her with the intent of doing something about her position.  God regarding Mary meant that he was about to change her position.  The idea of favor is that of grace.  This means that Mary did not deserve what God was doing for her and through her.  God was being partial toward Mary.  He was taking special notice of her.  God’s selection of Mary proves that God does not need human merit to do his work.  All he needs is commitment and availability.

III.  God’s Worthiness Of Praise, 49-55.

“For the Mighty One has done great things for me;  And holy is His name. [50] “And His mercy is upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him. [51] “He has done mighty deeds with His arm;  He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. [52] “He has brought down rulers from their thrones,  And has exalted those who were humble. [53] “He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed. [54] “He has given help to Israel His servant,  In remembrance of His mercy, [55] As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever.”

It is important for us to know that praise always focuses on God’s attributes.  I want to close by looking at some of the attributes Mary was focusing on in her praise of God.  The things she knew about God she told Elizabeth about.  The conduct Mary saw out of God was because of characteristics within God.  You will notice in verses forty-nine and fifty, Mary lifted up God’s holiness and mercy.  God’s mercy comes out of his holiness.  It was because of God’s holiness and mercy that he acted as he did toward Israel.

You will notice that God acted in Israel’s life by providing for them and protecting them. God’s arm scattered the proud and brought help to Israel (51, 54).  Mary spoke about and praised God for his arm because God does not need both arms to defeat the enemy of his people.  God had provided and protected Israel from one generation to another.  There was never a time when God was unfaithful to his people.  Mary was telling Elizabeth that God would continue to be faithful even now.  God had been faithful to Mary as an individual and he had been faithful to Israel as a nation.  This made God worthy of praise.

God had also shown his worthiness of praise by bringing down rulers from their throne’s and lifting up the humble.  This can be seen in David going from a shepherd to a king.  David was not the most likely of the sons of Jesse to be king of Israel but he was God’s choice. Based on human standards, Israel was not the nation who should produce the King of Kings. But because of the omnipotence of God, Jesus was born of May to be the King at whose feet every knee shall bow.

Mary was suggesting to Elizabeth that God has a way he of reversing circumstances. She said that God, through his sovereignty, has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty-handed.  People who have had confidence in themselves and their achievements have been brought down and God has elevated the humble. God had worked inIsrael as he had because of his covenant and commitment to Abraham and his descendents. Mary was a part of that covenant and commitment and she praised God for his faithfulness.

In her praise of God, Mary celebrated God.  She sounded the praises of God.  Mary boasted in God.  If Mary lived today, she would probably say with the songwriter (Thomas Ken, Isaac Watts, and William Kethe)-

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below,

Praise Him, above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.