rwp - Luke:1:39-45

rwp@Luke:1:39 @{Arose} (\anastsa\). Luke is very fond of this word, sixty times against twenty-two in the rest of the N.T. {Into the hill country} (\eis tn orinn\). Luke uses this adjective twice in this context (here and strkjv@1:65|) instead of \to oros\, the mountains. It is an old word and is in the LXX, but nowhere else in the N.T. The name of the city where Zacharias lived is not given unless Judah here means Juttah (Joshua:15:55|). Hebron was the chief city of this part of Judea.

rwp@Luke:1:40 @{Saluted} (\spasato\). Her first glance at Elisabeth showed the truth of the angel's message. The two mothers had a bond of sympathy.

rwp@Luke:1:41 @{Leaped} (\eskirtsen\). A common enough incident with unborn children (Genesis:25:22|), but Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit to understand what had happened to Mary.

rwp@Luke:1:42 @{With a loud cry} (\kraugi megali\). A moment of ecstatic excitement. {Blessed art thou} (\eulogmen\). Perfect passive participle. A Hebraistic equivalent for the superlative.

rwp@Luke:1:43 @{The mother of my Lord} (\h mtr tou Kuriou mou\). See strkjv@Psalms:110:1|. Only by the help of the Holy Spirit could Elisabeth know that Mary was to be the mother of the Messiah.

rwp@Luke:1:45 @{For} (\hoti\). It is not certain whether \hoti\ here is "that" or "because." It makes good sense either way. See also strkjv@7:16|. This is the first beatitude in the New Testament and it is similar to the last one in the Gospels spoken to Thomas to discourage his doubt (John:20:29|). Elisabeth wishes Mary to have full faith in the prophecy of the angel. This song of Elisabeth is as real poetry as is that of Mary (1:47-55|) and Zacharias (1:68-70|). All three spoke under the power of the Holy Spirit. These are the first New Testament hymns and they are very beautiful. Plummer notes four strophes in Mary's Magnificat (46-48|,49,50|,51-53|,54,55|). Every idea here occurs in the Old Testament, showing that Mary's mind was full of the spiritual message of God's word.