ACC ~ Luke 1 v46 - 56

OVERVIEW:

“The Magnificat is like an aria in opera; the action almost stops so that the situation may be savored more deeply.” [1] The visitation marks the physical coming together of the mothers of these two final salvation figures (ORIGEN), but the Magnificat provides the theological significance of this meeting as Mary sums up her place in salvation history as she proclaims the new kingdom (EPHREM THE SYRIAN).

Mary does not add anything to God by her song, but through the Magnificat, Christ is magnified in us through our image of him in our soul (ORIGEN). Mary is struck with a desire to sing a hymn of praise because she believes these things will happen despite the lowliness of her condition, “because he has regarded [literally, “looked upon”] with favor the low estate of his servant” (BEDE). In the Scriptures, humility is one of the virtues (ORIGEN).

Lowliness or the great reversal is accented by the theme of mercy for the generations and generations of those who fear the Holy One (ORIGEN) because he is not a respecter of persons. There are two general descriptions of how that mercy has been shown to Israel: the mighty arm of God scatters the proud and arrogant (BEDE), a clear reference to the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt [2] and to the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). God’s “mighty ones” receive their strength from him, and their humility is a grace given (BEDE). Jesus gives a wonderful example of the rich and the hungry, the proud and the humble in the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector (AUGUSTINE).

By calling Israel a servant, Mary recalls the meaning of the name Israel—a man seeing God (BEDE). God comes in the suffering Servant to rescue his servant Israel, thereby remembering his promises to be merciful to his creation by giving the seed of Abraham a Savior (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). The Seed of Abraham now rests in Mary’s womb, the fulfillment of the covenant God promised, and through Mary’s Son, God will give birth to the church—Abraham’s eternal seed (BEDE).

[1] R. Tannehill, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts, vol. 1, The Gospel According to Luke (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1986), p. 31.

[2] See Ex 6:1-6; 15:6, 12, 16-17.

1:46-49 | Mary’s Hymn of Praise

SALVATION BEGINS WITH WOMEN

ORIGEN: Elizabeth prophesies before John. Before the birth of the Lord and Savior, Mary prophesies. Sin began from the woman and then spread to the man. In the same way, salvation had its first beginnings from women. Thus the rest of women can also lay aside the weakness of their sex and imitate as closely as possible the lives and conduct of these holy women whom the Gospel now describes. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 8.1. [1]

[1] FC 94:33.

MARY PREACHES THE NEW KINGDOM

EPHREM THE SYRIAN: [Mary] revealed to Elizabeth what the angel spoke to her in secret, and that he called her blessed because she believed in the realization of the prophecy and the teaching that she heard. Then Mary gently brought forth the fruit of what she heard from the angel and Elizabeth: “My soul bless the Lord.” Elizabeth had said, “Blessed is she who has believed,” and Mary replied, “From henceforth all generations will call me blessed.” It was then that Mary began to preach the new kingdom. “She returned home after three months,” so that the Lord whom she was carrying would not begin service before his servant. She returned to her husband to clarify the matter, for if she had become pregnant through human fruit, it would have been appropriate for her to flee from her husband. COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON 1.28. [1]

[1] ECTD 56-57*.

THE LORD IS MAGNIFIED IN OUR IMAGE OF HIM

ORIGEN: Let us consider the Virgin’s prophecy. She says, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” Two subjects, “soul” and “spirit,” carry out a double praise. The soul praises the Lord, the Spirit praises God—not because the praise of the Lord differs from the praise of God but because he who is God is also Lord, and he who is Lord is also God.

We ask how a soul can magnify the Lord. The Lord can undergo neither increase nor loss. He is what he is. Thus, why does Mary now say, “My soul magnifies the Lord?”… My soul is not directly an image of God. It was created as the image of an Image that already existed. … Each one of us shapes his soul into the image of Christ and makes either a larger or a smaller image of him. The image is either dingy and dirty, or it is clean and bright and corresponds to the form of the original. Therefore, when I make the image of the Image—that is, my soul—large and magnify it by work, thought and speech, then the Lord himself is magnified in my soul, because it is an image of him. Just as the Lord is thus magnified in our image of him, so too, if we are sinners, he diminishes and decreases.

But surely the Lord is not diminished, nor does he decrease. Rather, we create other images in ourselves instead of the Savior’s image. Instead of being the image of the Word, or of wisdom, justice and the rest of the virtues, we assume the form of the devil. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 8.1-3. [1]

[1] FC 94:33-34*.

MARY PROCLAIMS HER HUMILITY AND GOD’S HOLINESS

BEDE: In the following words she teaches us how worthless she felt of herself and that she received by the heavenly grace that was lavished on her every sort of good merit that she had. She says, “For he has considered the humility of his handmaid. For behold from this time on all generations will call me blessed.” She demonstrates that in her own judgment she was indeed Christ’s humble handmaid, but with respect to heavenly grace she pronounces herself all at once lifted up and glorified to such a degree that rightly her preeminent blessedness would be marveled at by the voices of all nations. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.4. [1]

[1] CS 110:36-37**.

GOD DOES POWERFUL THINGS FOR THE HUMBLE

ORIGEN: “For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.” If I take “all generations” literally, I apply it to believers. But, if I search for something more profound, I will notice how valuable it is to join to it, “because he who is powerful has done great things for me.” For “everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.” God looked upon the blessed Mary’s humility, and on account of it “he who is powerful did great things for her, and holy is his name.” HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 8.6. [1]

[1] FC 94:36*.

1:50-53 | God’s Mighty Acts of Mercy

MERCY FOR ALL BELIEVERS WHO FEAR GOD

ORIGEN: “And his mercy extends to generations of generations.” God’s mercy is not for one generation, nor for two, nor for three. It is not for five. It stretches “from generation to generation.” “To those who fear him he has shown strength in his arm.” You may approach the Lord as a weak man. If you fear him, you will be able to hear the promise the Lord makes to you on account of your fear of him. …

So, if you fear the Lord, he gives you courage or authority. He gives you the kingdom, so that you might be placed under the “king of kings” and possess the kingdom of heaven in Christ Jesus, to whom is glory and power for ages of ages. Amen. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 8.6-7. [1]

[1] FC 94:36.

GOD’S MERCY IS NOT A RESPECTER OF PERSONS

BEDE: She adds, more clearly, “And his mercy is for generations and generations to those who fear him.” She names “generations and generations,” referring either to both of the two peoples, namely, the Jews and the Gentiles, or alternatively to all the countries throughout the world which she foresaw would believe in Christ. For, as Peter said, “God is not a respecter of persons, but in every nation one who fears him and works justice is acceptable to him.” [1] HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.4. [2]

[1] Acts 10:34-35.

[2] CS 110:37*.

GOD’S STRENGTH DESTROYS HUMAN PRIDE

BEDE: Because the venerable mother of God taught that his mercy would come to be present for all those who feared him throughout the world, it remained for her to also suggest what those who were proud and who despised the warnings of truth would deserve. “He has shown … might in his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart.” “In his arm” signifies “under the control of his own strength.” For he did not stand in need of any outside help, since, as was written with reference to him, the strength is at hand when he wishes to do something. [1] This is said in contrast to our working of good, since we perform deeds of virtue not by the power of our own freedom to act, but in God. [2] And as it is written in another place, “And their arm did not save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the illumination of your countenance.” [3] HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.4. [4]

[1] Wis 12:18.

[2] Ps 60:12 (59:14 LXX).

[3] Ps 44:3 (43:4 LXX).

[4] CS 110:38*.

MARY FORESEES THE PRIDE OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The arm enigmatically signifies the Word that was born of her. By the proud, Mary means the wicked demons who with their prince fell through pride; the Greek sages, who refused to receive the folly, as it seemed, of what was preached; and the Jews who would not believe and were scattered for their unworthy imaginations about the Word of God. By the mighty she means the scribes and Pharisees, who sought the chief seats. It is nearer the sense, however, to refer it to the wicked demons. When openly claiming mastery over the world, the Lord by his coming scattered them and transferred those whom they had made captive unto his own dominion. COMMENTARY ON LUKE. [1]

[1] CGSL 39**.

GOD’S MIGHTY ONES ARE HUMBLE

BEDE: Those whom he earlier calls “the proud” he here names “the mighty.” Undoubtedly they are called proud because they extol themselves beyond measure as mighty with regard to their condition—not, however, because they are truly mighty, but because they trust in their own strength and scorn to seek their Maker’s assistance. They, however, are truly mighty who know how to say with the apostle, “We can do all things in him who strengthens us, the Lord Jesus Christ.” [1] Concerning them it is written, God does not cast off the mighty since he himself is mighty. [2] … However, this can also be properly understood to mean that sometimes those who had been rightly cast down by the Lord because of their self-glorification may in turn return to the grace of humility when he has mercy on them. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.4. [3]

[1] Phil 4:13.

[2] Job 36:5.

[3] CS 110:39*.

RICH AND HUNGRY—PHARISEE AND TAX COLLECTOR

AUGUSTINE: Who are the hungry? The humble, the needy. Who are the rich? Proud and self-important people. I will not send you far to find them. I will show you now, in one and the same temple, one of those rich who are sent away empty, and one of those poor who are filled with good things.

“Two men went up into the temple to pray. One a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.” [1] … Observe the rich man burping his undigested food, breathing out the fumes of his intoxication—with pride, though, not with justice. “God,” he says, “I thank you because I am not like other men, robbers, unjust, adulterers, like this tax collector here.” …

Come, poor men—come along, hungry tax collector. Rather, stand there, where you are standing. The tax collector, you see, “was standing a long way off,” but the Lord was drawing near to the humble. He did not dare to raise his eyes to heaven; yet where he did not raise his eyes, that is where he had his heart. SERMON 290.6. [2]

[1] :1–24:53 PRELIMINARY REMARKS | ON THE GOSPEL

[2] WSA 3 8:128**.

1:54 | Mercy and Aid for Israel

MERCY FOR ISRAEL, A MAN SEEING GOD

BEDE: Through all the time of this transitory age, the just and merciful Creator is willing to oppose the proud and give grace to the humble.

After her general commemoration of the divine benevolence and justice, she did well to turn the words of her confession to the special divinely arranged plan of the unheard-of incarnation, by which God deigned to redeem the world, as she said, “He has taken his child Israel under his protection, being mindful of his mercy.” Indeed, Israel means “a man seeing God,” by which name is designated every society of redeemed human beings. On their account, God himself appeared in visible form among human beings, so that they might be capable of seeing God. He took Israel under his protection as a physician takes a sick person for whom he is caring. Or as a king, he defends the people from the invasion of enemies. Moreover, he returns them to liberty when the enemy has been overthrown and allows them to reign with him perpetually. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.4. [1]

[1] CS 110:40**.

1:55-56 | Abraham’s Eternal Seed

GOD FULFILLS HIS PROMISE TO ISRAEL AND ABRAHAM

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: He has taken hold of Israel—not of the Israel according to the flesh, who prides himself on the bare name, but of him who is so after the Spirit, in accordance with the true meaning of the appellation. The latter comprises those who look to God, believe in him and obtain through the Son the adoption of sons, according to the Word that was spoken and the promise made to the prophets and patriarchs of old. It has, however, a true application also to the carnal Israel, for many thousands and ten thousands of them believed. But he has remembered his mercy as he promised to Abraham and has accomplished what he said to him: that in his seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed. [1] This promise was not in the act of fulfillment by the impending birth of our common Savior Christ—who is the seed of Abraham, [2] in whom the Gentiles are blessed. For he took on him the seed of Abraham, according to the apostles’ words, and fulfilled the promise made unto the fathers. COMMENTARY ON LUKE. [3]

[1] Gen 22:18.

[2] Heb 2:16.

[3] CGSL 40-41**.

THE CHURCH IS ABRAHAM’S ETERNAL SEED

BEDE: When blessed Mary was making mention of the memory of the fathers, she properly represented them by naming Abraham in particular. Although many of the fathers and holy ones mystically brought forward testimony of the Lord’s incarnation, it was to Abraham that the hidden mysteries of this same Lord’s incarnation and of our redemption were first clearly predicted. Also, to him it was specifically said, “And in you all the tribes of the earth will be blessed.” [1] None of the faithful doubts that this pertains to the Lord and Savior, who in order to give us an everlasting blessing deigned to come to us from the stock of Abraham. However, “the seed of Abraham” does not refer only to those chosen ones who were brought forth physically from Abraham’s lineage, but also to us. … Having been gathered together to Christ from the nations, we are connected by the fellowship of faith to the fathers, from whom we are far separated by the origin of our fleshly bloodline. We too are the seed and children of Abraham since we are reborn by the sacraments of our Redeemer, who assumed his flesh from the race of Abraham. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.4. [2]

[1] Gen 12:3.

[2] CS 110:41*.