Luke 1-2

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:39

Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste. Between the annunciation and this journey of Mary to visit her cousin Elisabeth, we must interpose the events narrated in St. Matthew's Gospel, viz. the natural suspicion of her betrothed future husband, Joseph. his action in the matter; and then the dream of Joseph, in which her innocence was vindicated. As we believe that St. Luke's story here was derived from Mary's own narrative, we can understand well that these... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:39-56

The two expectant mothers. I. THE RETIREMENT . Elisabeth ( Luke 1:24 ) had hidden herself when she knew that the promise of the angel would be fulfilled. Why she did so we are not told, but the language of Luke 1:26 suggests a religious motive. She was filled with gratitude, and she desired, perhaps, a season of holy rest and communion with God. "In silence and solitude," says Thomas a Kempis, "the soul advantageth herself, and learneth the mysteries of Holy Scripture." The same... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:39-56

Inspirations amid the hills of Judaea. We already have seen the angel suggesting to Mary the propriety of visiting Elisabeth. We may reasonably believe that she had no mother at this time to whom she could communicate her mighty secret, and that Elisabeth is the most likely person from whom to get the sympathy she now required. For the four days' journey from Nazareth to the priest's city in the south she would need some preparation; but she made her arrangements promptly, going" with... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:41

Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost . The Holy Spirit—that Spirit of prophecy, so often mentioned in the Old Testament—seizes her, and she salutes her young kinswoman, Mary, as the mother of the coming Messiah. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:42

And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women (see 5:24 ). The words which clothed the thoughts in these ecstatic expressions of intense joy and thankfulness on the part of the two favored women, Mary and Elisabeth, are in great measure drawn from hymn and song contained in the Old Testament Scriptures. The song of Hannah, the hymn of Deborah, many of the psalms, the songs of the Canticles, the more glorious of the prophetic utterances, had been ever familiar... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:43

And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? But the Holy Ghost ( Luke 1:41 ) raised Elisabeth's thoughts yet higher. Not only did she bless the mother of the coming Messiah, but the Spirit opened her eyes to see who that coming Messiah really was. Very vague indeed was the conception of the coming Messiah in Israel. The truth was, perhaps, revealed, and in rapt moments received by men like Isaiah and Ezekiel; and now and again men like David; Daniel wrote down... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:46

And Mary said . There is a great contrast between the behavior of the two women when they met in Elisabeth's house. The elder was full of a new strange ecstatic joy. "She was filled with the Holy Ghost" ( Luke 1:42 ), and spoke her words of lofty congratulation with "a loud voice" ( Luke 1:42 ). Mary , on the other hand, was not conscious evidently, on this occasion, of any special presence of the Holy Spirit. Since the hour of the annunciation and her own meek faithful acceptance of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:46-48

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior . For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed . This is the first of the four divisions of the Magnificat. In it she speaks of herself , and her deep feelings of adoration and of holy joy, and of intense glad surprise. It is a prayer, but the highest kind of prayer, for it asks for nothing—it simply breathes adoration and thankfulness.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:46-48

The voice of praise. This "improvisation of a happy faith" is not more musical to the ear than it is beautiful to our spiritual discernment. It presents to us the mother of our Lord in a most pleasing light. We will look at these words of devout gratitude as— I. MARY 'S RESPONSE to God's distinguishing goodness to her. She received from God a kindness that was: 1 . Necessarily unique. Only to one of the daughters of men could be granted the peculiar honor conferred on her. We... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:46-56

The hymn of Mary, commonly called the Magnificat . read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:39

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:39-56

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:39-56

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:41

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:42

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:43

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:46

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:46-48

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:46-48

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:46-56

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