07: Luke 1:46-56: Mary’s Magnificat

After the peculiar yet affirming moments at the meeting of Elizabeth and Mary, the younger woman bursts out in a song that continues to reverberate through the corridors of time. Her song echoes the song and life situation of another mother of a prominent Jewish leader: the prophet Samuel (1 Sam). Here are some of the echoes:

-in both events, it is the sons who are central to the respective biblical books (Samuel and Luke), and the mothers play dramatic ad vital roles.

-a common feature is that the roles of both women are centered on their motherhood (especially in the case of Mary, whose divine maternity is foundation for her spiritual maternity and her other titles), and not directly the salvation of a people, as with Esther or Deborah.

-both glorify God with hymns of praise which bear great similarity to each other (see chart below). It’s not impossible that Mary had Hannah’s song in the back of her mind as she sang her hymn of praise to God.

Mary’s song of praise

The Magnificat (the first word of the Latin translation) begins:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (vv. 46-47).

This Hebrew poetry and often in such the second line of a stanza parallels and sometime adds a bit to the thought of the first line. Here the second line parallels and adds a bit: God is both Lord (YHWH God’s personal covenant name) and Savior. This dual role of God evokes Mary’s praise.

After her experience with Elizabeth Mary knows something is up. Something big. God’s evident faithfulness to Elizabeth further strengthens her faith in the angelic promise to her of being Messiah’s mom! Thus Mary effuses in embracing this truth which will turn her life upside down.

“for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name” (vv. 48-49).

Mary’s song, like Hannah’s is not just a thanksgiving for personal favor from God. Her praise quickly ripples out to include all who trust in God to faithfully fulfil his promises and plans for them. The intelligentsia, who trust in their “inmost thoughts” will be mystified and driven from their “ivory towers.”

“His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts” (vv. 50-51).

The humble, on the other hand, will have their lack filled while the rich and/or rulers with receive a major downgrade for their inattention to God. A similar contrast is seen in verses 52-53, with another balanced structure—the rich, the poor; the poor, the rich:

“He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.” (vv.52-53)

God embodies this coming great reversal (as it were) in that God did not send his Son into the palaces of royalty, but he honored the working poor of Galilee with her birth among them. Salvation comes not from human power, but from when and where and with whom God intervenes. Often not those considered the most likely or qualified for such a thing. Mary, as she has earlier, continues to symbolize all who trust in God to do what he has promised.

Mary ends her song of praise by dovetailing it back in the story line Luke unfolds: the promise to Abraham for descendants, bless, and the blessing of everyone else.

“He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers” (vv. 54-55).