Power Love & Miracles
The Bible Unplugged Podcast
Mary Greets Elizabeth
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Mary Greets Elizabeth

We don't usually celebrate this part of the Christmas story, but Mary's words provide a beautiful backdrop to the birth of the Messiah

TBU 16- The Magnificat

December 24, 2024

Welcome

• Hi. I’m Brent and this is The Bible Unplugged podcast.

• We’re continuing the series “Advent Unplugged” series by circling back to the time when Mary went to visit Elizabeth.

• We don’t usually celebrate this part of the Christmas story, but meaning of this passage illuminates and gives a beautiful backdrop to the rest of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus.

When Gospels Collide

• Let you know about one of my books that can be helpful as you follow along with the Advent Unplugged.

• When Gospels Collide combines the four Gospels into one continuous narrative. As you read through the book you get the details from all of the sources without having to flip back and forth through different books of the Bible.

• This may be especially helpful in this series since the complete story of Jesus’s birth is in more than one gospel

• When Gospels Collide is available on Amazon. Here is a link: When Gospels Collide

Where are we in the story

• In Luke chapter 1, Gabriel visits Zacharias, to tell him the good news that he would be a father. Zacharias has trouble believing the message and suffers some consequences for it

• Gabriel visits Mary and tells her she will be the mother of the Messiah. She believes and accepts the message, but knows there would be some severe consequences for her for being found pregnant before her marriage to Joseph.

• Gabriel told Mary that her relative Elizabeth was supernaturally pregnant. Mary runs away from home to Elizabeth knowing she would find a kind and supportive environment there.

Elizabeth

• Elizabeth is the Greek version of the Hebrew name Elisheba which means God is my abundance. I can imagine that Elizabeth and Zacharias may have seen the meaning of her name in a rather cynical light given that they had no children all those years leading up to this story.

• Her namesake was Elisheba, the wife of Moses’ brother Aaron, the original priest. She is honored as The mother of all priests in Jewish culture.

• Elizabeth’s message to Mary speaks of her excitement and joy at being with the mother of the Messiah; but there are other deeper meanings in this message.

• Luke says in 1:41 that Elizabeth’s baby leaped in her womb when she heard Mary’s greeting. It’s interesting that Luke pointed out the detail that the baby reacted to the sound of Mary’s voice. I know from personal experience that before they are born, babies hear and respond to sounds and voices. The baby’s reaction foreshadows and echoes his role in the birth of the Messiah. Malachi 4:5-6 say that the prophet Elijah will be the one who announces the Messiah’s arrival. Jesus refers to this child, called John the Baptist, as Elijah in Matthew 11:14

• Elizabeth expresses how favored she is that she should be in the presence of the Messiah. This echoes King David’s experience in 2 Samuel 6:9 when the Ark of the Covenant was recovered from the Philistines. David feared and revered the ark.

• There is a comprehensive list of Old Testament references at the end of the show notes.

Mary

• Luke records Mary’s response to Elizabeth in Luke 1:46-56. We commonly refer to this passage as Mary’s Song, but these words have been enshrined in church history as The Magnificat which is the Latin word for magnify in verse 46.

• Mary’s song has also inspired music and stories throughout history.

• Bach, Vivaldi, and Mozart composed musical versions of this song.

• John Milton’s Paradise Lost and T.S. Eliot’s A Song for Simeon reflect themes from the Magnficat as well

• Mary’s song is an echo of what Hannah, another prominent mother, said in the Old Testament, said about her child.

• In 1 Samuel 2:1-11, we have the words of Hannah’s prayer when she dedicated her son, Samuel, to the Lord.

• Some Bible commentators have criticized Mary’s prayer saying it is just a warmed-over version of Hannah’s prayer. I disagree.

• Growing up in a devout Jewish household, Mary would have been familiar with Hannah’s song. After meeting Gabriel and her journey to see Elizabeth, Mary could well have thought through the similarities between Hannah’s Song and her personal experience.

• The message and structure of both are very similar, but Mary’s prayer includes references to themes in the Old Testament that reinforce her expression of wonder. This shows that Mary has a deep understanding of the Bible and the role she plays in the Messiah’s birth.

• Mary’s song isn’t just an expression of joy and wonder, but a message to those who believe in Jesus as the Messiah. Mary’s song includes how God:

• Has blessed her with her role in the birth of the Messiah

• Shows mercy and love for his people

• Protects and gives strength to those who love him

• Provides for the needs of his people and fulfills his promises throughout history

• And, how God confronts and confounds those who believe they are strong or wise due to their status or authority

What do we learn from this

• Mary focused a lot of attention and thought on her role in God’s plan. We should take time in prayer and meditation to remember how God has carried us through the difficult times in life.

• Mary had extensive knowledge of the Bible and the themes in Jewish history. She tied those themes to the radical change in how God would relate to his people after the birth of the Messiah. We should focus attention on how God works within us to bring about his will.

• Mary emphasized humility as a characteristic of God’s people. Humility before God reduces our pride and ego allowing God to work in us.

• The parallels with Hannah’s Song and other Old Testament themes shows that God is consistently and persistently completing his plan for our lives and for all of humanity.

What do we do with this

• Take time in prayer to put yourself under the God’s authority. Ask God to show you how your pride and ego may get in the way as you go about your day.

• Study the Old Testament allusions and references in show notes to gain a deeper understanding of how God has worked through his people in the past and how he wants to work through you in the future.

• When life gets difficult, remember that God has always fulfilled his promises throughout history and is working through the details of your life to show you how powerful he is and how much he loves you.

The conclusion

• Well, the music in the background means I have run out of things to say, but I’m not out of topics to discuss.

• I hope this has been helpful. If so, give this podcast a high rating and share it with others.

• This is the last episode in our advent series. Future episodes will focus on how God worked through 4 different people, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, to give us a complete view of the life and work of Jesus.

• My prayer for you is that you will see that God showed love and mercy to his people throughout history, and actively loves you now.

• Have a blessed week

The disclaimers

• Just to let you know

• All opinions are my own. If you agree, keep listening. If you don’t… keep listening, you may learn something

• All Bible quotations come from the World English Bible which is a public domain work

• Our show theme song is “Awesome Call” by Kevin MacLeod and is available under a Creative Commons license

• The content of this podcast is copyrighted 2024 by J. Brent Eaton

• This has been a Power Love and Miracles production

Comparing Mary’s Song to Hannah’s Song

1. Luke 1:46-47
"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."

  • Parallel to Hannah’s Song (1 Samuel 2:1):

    • “My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high.”

    • Both express personal joy in the Lord’s intervention and deliverance.

  • Psalm 34:2-3:

    • “My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me.”

2. Luke 1:48
"For he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant."

  • 1 Samuel 1:11 (Hannah’s vow):

    • “Remember me, and do not forget your servant.”

    • Both refer to God noticing and honoring humble individuals.

  • Psalm 138:6:

    • “Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly.”

3. Luke 1:49
"For the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name."

  • Psalm 126:3:

    • “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”

  • Isaiah 57:15:

    • “For this is what the high and exalted One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy.”

4. Luke 1:50
"His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation."

  • Psalm 103:17:

    • “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him.”

  • Exodus 20:6:

    • “Showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

5. Luke 1:51
"He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts."

  • Exodus 15:6 (Song of Moses):

    • “Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy.”

  • Isaiah 40:10:

    • “See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm.”

  • Psalm 89:10:

    • “You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.”

6. Luke 1:52
"He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble."

  • Daniel 4:37:

    • “Those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”

  • 1 Samuel 2:7-8 (Hannah’s Song):

    • “He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes.”

7. Luke 1:53
"He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty."

  • Psalm 107:9:

    • “For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”

  • 1 Samuel 2:5 (Hannah’s Song):

    • “Those who were hungry are full, but those who were full hire themselves out for food.”

8. Luke 1:54-55
"He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors."

  • Genesis 17:19:

    • “But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”

  • Micah 7:20:

    • “You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago.”

  • Psalm 98:3:

    • “He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel.”

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