The Magnificat of Mary

Mary Visits Elisabeth

Luk 1:39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; Luk 1:40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. Luk 1:41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: Luk 1:42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Luk 1:43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Luk 1:44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Luk 1:45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

I love how Luke interweaves the two storylines in this chapter between the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus until the two storylines intersect here for this amazing moment. The two mothers come together.

Elisabeth is filled with the Spirit, and by extension, John the Baptist becomes filled with the Spirit just as Gabriel had foretold in Luk 1:15 …and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And now filled with the Spirit, John leaps for joy being near the presence of the Son of God. John’s leaping joy foreshadows life in the kingdom, the endless joy even from babies for being in the presence of the Son of God, the Creator of the Universe.

Plus, Elisabeth, now also filled with the Spirit, greets her with blessings. I would argue that this is not similar to Peter speaking at Pentecost and filled with the Spirit. So much of what Elisabeth says here is personal. She says, “And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy” (Luke 1:43-44). That’s very different kind of dialogue than when someone is filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking the words of God to the people.

Elisabeth is filled with the Spirit but she’s speaking for herself, and she speaks her mind loudly. She says, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Let’s not forget that at this stage, Zacharias is still mute. Elisabeth had to give the blessing Zecharias would have normally given.

Then she says, “And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luk 1:43) So beautiful how the elder is humbled by the presence of the younger because she’s carrying the Lord of all. Because of who Mary is carrying, by sheer degree of honor, Elisabeth is like, “I should be traveling to you!”

We don’t know where Elisabeth and Zacharias lived exactly. We can only assume that it’s probably near Jerusalem because of his priestly responsibilities, which means that Mary made a long journey from Nazareth in Galilee all the way to somewhere near Jerusalem in Judea to see Elisabeth.

I love how Elisabeth says, “And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord” (Luk 1:45). Believed what? Mary was always a believer, but Elisabeth is talking about believing Gabriel when he spoke to her. She’s saying this right in front of Zacharias who is mute because he didn’t believe the angel who spoke to him. In other words, Mary is already ahead of the game. She’s already blessed, compared to her dumb husband, because Mary wisely believed all the things the angel told her, and all those things shall be performed.

Then Mary responds with a salutation to Elizabeth in the form of a doxology, now famously called the Magnificat, which is Latin for “My soul magnifies the Lord.”

The Magnificat of Mary

Luk 1:46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, Luk 1:47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Luk 1:48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Luk 1:49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. Luk 1:50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. Luk 1:51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. Luk 1:52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. Luk 1:53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. Luk 1:54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; Luk 1:55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. Luk 1:56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

First, we’re told that Elisabeth was filled with the Spirit. We are never told that Mary was filled with the Spirit. We’re only told that the Holy Spirit would overshadow her in the act of conception (Luke 1:35). Well, Elisabeth was filled with the Spirit and she’s carrying John the Baptist. So, surely, Mary would also be filled with the Spirit because she’s carrying the Son of God. Absolutely! I believe she was filled with the Spirit. Christ isn’t going to be separated from the Spirit, even in His conception.

But I suspect God didn’t tell us that Mary was filled with the Spirit for a reason. He didn’t want us to be mistaken in how we interpret Mary’s Magnificat. If we were told she was filled with the Spirit and then we read her Magnificat, we might conclude wrongly that was God speaking through Mary. Or we might mistake much of what Mary is saying as new prophecy. She is not prophesying. God is not speaking directly through her.

Mary is speaking for herself.

She crafted this Magnificat herself.

She is pulling from the OT prophecies, but mostly she’s drawing inspiration from Hannah’s song, which we’ll go over. But essentially, she’s reinforcing the truth of everything Israel had already been promised about their Messiah and that every word will still come to pass.

All the lines of this amazing doxology of praise are truly Mary’s thoughts. This was Mary’s mind. This was Mary’s heart. These were Mary’s feelings. The fact that this Magnificat is so breathtaking speaks to Mary’s extraordinary spiritual maturity at such a young age. But that’s not to say that she was this perfect being as the Catholics make her out to be with the immaculate conception, trying to claim that from the moment of her conception Mary was by God’s grace kept free from all sin. That’s nonsense.

Mary said in vs. 47, “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” She needed a savior like everybody else. She said so herself.

This doxology of praise she gives the Lord is stunning on many levels.

First, her praise is filled with OT concepts and phrases, which speaks to the fact that she was well-versed in Scriptures. Some have said that Mary cites twelve different OT passages in addition to Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. To me, Mary draws from similar concepts found in Hannah’s prayer, but she makes it her own. What she does is similar but different to Hannah’s prayer.

There’s nothing unusual about someone like Mary, a faithful woman living in a rural town away from the big cities, to be so well-versed in Scripture that she’d be able to compose something as great as her Magnificat. That was probably a long trip to see Elisabeth. Mary had a lot of time to think. Mary was known for her deep meditations within her heart.

Her understanding of Scripture was so good, she would instinctively see her connection to Hannah and that she needed to reflect the humility of Hannah. At the same time, she also understood the distinctions between what’s happening with her and what happened with Hannah.

Do you remember the story of Hannah? She was without a child. She was mocked. After years of praying, she was given a child. She gave birth to Samuel. After that, Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord and gave him to Eli the high priest. When she did that, she sang a song in 1 Sam. 2:1-10, and that song turned out to be a kind of song of prophecy. It’s the first time the Lord described as a Messiah figure in His advent, the exalted horn of His anointed.

Whereas Hannah gave birth to Samuel, and sang a song of prophecy about the Lord, Mary would actually be giving birth to the Lord and carry the concepts in Hannah’s song over into the establishment of the kingdom. It’s natural for Mary to see her connection to Hannah and draw from Hannah’s song while at the same time, make a new song that is her own.

What Mary does here is poetic and beautiful. Comparing Mary’s Magnificat with Hannah’s song, you’ll notice quite a few similar concepts: the hungry being fed, the low raised up, the high are brought low. Hannah spoke of the poor being raised to sit with nobles (1 Sam 2:8), but Mary would instead describe the nobles being pulled down from their positions of power by Christ in vs. 52. Hannah spoke of the timeless ways of the Lord. Mary spoke with a view to the kingdom.

Hannah’s Prayer

1Sa 2:1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 1Sa 2:2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 1Sa 2:3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 1Sa 2:4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 1Sa 2:5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 1Sa 2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 1Sa 2:7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 1Sa 2:8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them. 1Sa 2:9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 1Sa 2:10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

Let’s read again Mary’s Magnificat.

Luk 1:46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, Luk 1:47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Luk 1:48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Luk 1:49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. Luk 1:50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. Luk 1:51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. Luk 1:52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. Luk 1:53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. Luk 1:54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; Luk 1:55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. Luk 1:56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

Do you see the similarities?

Hannah says My heart rejoiceth in the LORD. Mary says My soul doth magnify the Lord. Hannah says, I rejoice in thy salvation. Mary says And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, which is fascinating. Whereas Hannah speaks of their general deliverance, Mary pins all of their deliverance to the Jesus Himself. Hannah would talk about the uniqueness of the Lord, His holiness, His consistency, His immutability.

She says, “There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.” Mary would also speak of His holiness, but she would focus on the Lord’s consideration of His lowly handmaiden. She says, “For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.” She is not less of a person. She is just acknowledging her humble social standing. She’s not humiliated. She’s humble. Then she speaks of His strength evidenced by the miracle of the Lord’s conception in her. She says, “For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.” It’s amazing that she would connect the mightiness of God to the miracle of His conception. Then she says, “and holy is his name.” God’s name has always been the embodiment of his whole reputation or character, all of which is summed up in the attribute of holiness. Holiness is the capstone of His divine essence.

Hannah would seem to be more focused on the timeless ways of God, the rightness of God, the justice of God, the sovereignty of God, and how the Lord will preserve His saints. She says, “The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.” Mary would highlight some of those same points in vs. 52-55. She’d say, “He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy.” Whereas Hannah spoke of timeless ways of the Lord, Mary would be looking forward with a view to life in the kingdom. When Mary speaks of pulling down the mighty from their seats and exalting them of low degree, she’s anticipating the establishment of the kingdom for which He is being born through her. She’s anticipating the things that the Lord will accomplish in the near future, even though the things He’ll do are part of the timeless ways of God, of which Hannah spoke.

The amazing thing is that Mary keeps saying, He hath, He hath, when He hasn’t even been born yet. Why? Because His presence right now in her womb on this Earth makes everything she said a current reality. His presence in her already brings low the mighty and already raises up the lowly. It’s already a done deal because the Lord is already here. That which He has always done, He will do in the establishment of His kingdom, because He is already here. The miracle of the conception proves that what He will do is already guaranteed, already a done deal.

But unlike Hannah, Mary makes the centerpiece of her Magnificat all about the mercies of the Lord. Mary says, literally in the middle of all her praise that “his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.” Mercy is often overlooked when His power and holiness are being emphasized. It’s unique how she pairs His power to His mercy.

Why does Mary talk about mercy? I suspect that Mary is referring to the if/then principle in their covenant relationship with God. God is merciful to His people who fear Him, who revere Him, who are faithful toward Him, and that mercy is consistent from generation to generation. God’s mercy is also evidenced by the fact that God chose to use Mary for His extraordinary good even though she is a sinner. His willingness to use Mary in this way demonstrates His mercy, and even grace, toward those who revere Him.

I found it interesting, as well, that Mary says in vs. 51, “He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.” Hannah had also spoken of arrogance. You remember how she said, “Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed” (1Sa 2:3) Hannah basically says, don’t be proud, because God knows everything and He’s going to judge your works. Mary touches upon this same topic from a different point of view. She says, “He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts” (Luk 1:51). For Mary, God has already showed His strength in the miracle of His conception, and by virtue of His presence here on Earth, He will demolish the pride in the vain imaginations of their hearts.

Hannah spoke of timeless principles. Mary spoke with a view to the coming kingdom. And it’s with that view of the coming kingdom that Mary speaks of the powerful and the wicked being pulled down from their positions, those who were humble servants in past lives will be given exalted positions in the kingdom. The hungry will be fed. The rich who had everything but God will now have nothing. Only because of His mercy is God willing to deliver His servant Israel from all her enemies, and everything will come to pass just as the Lord hadsaid“to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”

Mary isn’t speaking new prophecies. She is reinforcing all the prophecies that already existed.

The final verse here is interesting. Luk 1:56 And Mary abode with her about three months and returned to her own house. I’ll bet she stayed with Elizabeth all the way up until the birth of John the Baptist. Then she went home.

For a deep dive into when Jesus was born, click here.