Luke 1:39-45 – The Birth of Jesus, the Son of God is foretold – Part 3

Luke 1:39-45 (ESV Strong’s Bible)
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 

After Gabriel the Angel left Mary, she without a waste of time hurried to meet Elizabeth at her house, in a town called Judah. Although not stated, I beleive that the reason was that Mary had just heard from the Angel that her relative who was much elderly was six months pregnant. This might be because she wanted to go and help or she wanted to see for herself the miracle that God had done to Elizabeth who was barren. We can rule out that she wanted to see if the Angel was telling the truth because of what Elizabeth says in verse 45 below that, she believed what the Angel said. Therefore it is more likely that she wanted to see the miracle that God had done.

41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 

According to verse 15 of this same chapter, it is stated by the Angel to Zachariah that John would be filled by the Holy Spirit even while still unborn. I beleive that because the unborn John was already filled with the Holy Spirit, on sensing somehow that Mary who was to be the mother of Jesus was present, he leaped with joy in the womb. John sensed that salvation had finally arrived and God was going to save His people. This brough him great joy. John’s leaping with joy was followed by Elizabeth’s own filling with the Holy Spirit. 

42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 

The word translated as “blessed”, is the greek word “ευλογεω” pronounced “eulogeo”. This word in the context of this verse means uniquely and graciously favored or preferred by God. Elizabeth shouted  when Mary greeted here and said that Mary was uniquely and graciously preferred by God among women and the fruit of her womb is just as uniquely and graciously preferred by God, and that refers to our Lord Jesus Christ, His son.

43 And why is this granted to me 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 leaped for joy. 

Elizabeth, being filled with the Holy Spirit was able to tell that a miracle has happened to Mary and that she had conceived our Lord Jesus Christ. She is so humble to ask why she was granted the honor of being visited by the mother of her Lord. She told Mary that when she greeted her and she heard it, John leaped for joy in her womb. 

45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

The word translated blessed in this verse, it is the greek word “μακάρια” pronounced as “makaria” which means to be happy, to have religious joy. It is used here to describe Mary as the object of God’s grace and full of joy. Mary is blessed and full of joy not only because she was uniquely and graciously preferred by God to be the mother of Jesus but, also because she beleived that, what was spoken by God through the Angel to her, would be fulfilled. She beleived and she was blessed. Just like Abraham who beleived God and was declared righteous, Mary also beleived and recieved God’s blessing.
Posted in Gospel of Luke, Luke 1, The Birth of Jesus.

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