The Magnificat is so called because of the Latin translation of v. 47 which begins with the word "magnificat." Verses 46 and 56 include it within the context of Mary's visit to Elizabeth. Specifically, with v. 46, the Magnificat becomes a response to the question of Elizabeth in v. 43. I divide it into four stanzas:
- Stanza 1 -- vv.47-48a
- Stanza 2 -- vv. 48b-50
- Stanza 3 -- vv. 51-53
- Stanza 4 -- vv. 54-55
Stanza 1 has Mary stating her intention in the hymn (proclaim the greatness of God, rejoice in HIm) and the reason for it. In stanza 2, Mary declares why she will be called blessed by all generations and the reason for it: because God has done great things for her. Stanza 3 is a recitation of the things that God does throughout history "with his strong arm." Finally, the last stanza is about what God is doing with Israel. The hymn brings into close relationship the actions of God for Mary and for Israel. In fact, it would not be wrong to think that in the favor done for Mary, God is also showing his fidelity to the promises he made to the fathers.
Mary's Rejoicing
"My soul", "my spirit" are semitisms referring to the pronoun "I", the subject for the verbs "proclaim the greatness" and "rejoice", of which the object is "God, my savior."1 Until now, we are not given any clue as to the interior disposition of Mary after she received the message of Gabriel. We know that after she pronounced her "Fiat", she made haste to go to Elizabeth her relative (syngeneis) whom she learned was to give birth. It was Elizabeth's comment to her greeting of peace that Mary discloses the reason for her arrival: to tell her the good news of God's visitation. She -- God's maidservant -- has been favored Remember that the angel greeted her with a new name "Highly Favored One", "Full of Grace", "Kecharitomene". It is the name of one who has been privileged, "thoroughly graced." And we know what this "grace" is: she who was virgin has been given the privilege of bearing in her womb "the Son of the Most High" (vv. 34-35.42).
Mary's Blessed-ness and God's Mercy
Mary declares that all generations will call her blessed (48b). Elizabeth has just called her and the fruit of her womb blessed (42.45). In verse 45, Elizabeth gives the reason for this: "because she believed that what was spoken to her would be fulfilled." In 11:27 we find this exchange between Jesus and an unnamed woman:
As he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!"
But he replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!"
The point of the exchange is that in the kingdom, blood ties are not as important as hearing and doing the will of God. Jesus' response applies first and foremost to Mary who became His mother in obedience to God's will. Far from eradicating the importance of Mary's motherhood, Jesus points to the more important aspect of it.
The reason for which she will be called blessed are the great things that has been done for her. In 49b-50, Mary identifies the one who does great things as
The Almighty,
Holy is HIs Name
His mercy is upon those who fear Himfrom generation to generation.
Three of God's names are given here: the Almighty for whom nothing is impossible (v. 37), Holy and Merciful One. This latter derives from texts similar to Exodus 34:6-7
The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.
In Luke's Gospel, the theme of God's mercy will be highlighted to the point that the command "Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy" (Matthew) becomes "Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful." In recalling God's mercy, Mary will also point out later in v. 55 God's mercy in fulfilling the promises to the fathers.
The Reversal of Fortunes
From the consideration of God's favor lavished on her (behold, v. 48b), Mary moves on to what God does for those who like Mary are lowly and particularly those who are downtrodden and hungry. The reversal of fortunes found in verses 51-53 anticipate the Blessings and Woes pronounced by Jesus (6:20-26) and the parable about Dives and Lazarus (16:19-31). The verb "to make, to do" in v. 51 extends God's action in v. 49 of doing "great things". Scholars find the aorist verbs problematic here since this tense normally describes a past action. It has been suggested that these be taken as a special use of the aorist: gnomic in that these describe characteristic acts of God and inceptive, God begins to perform them now with the conception of Jesus 2 Thus the things done for Mary (v. 49) reveal what God will do beginning with the new stage of salvation history in Christ.
God's Fidelity
The action of God's powerful arm (v. 51) described in the preceding stanza reaches a climax in v. 54 when He "takes hold" of Israel, His "pais". The verb here refers to the help extended by God to Israel. The noun "pais, paidos" means "servant-boy" and was used to describe Joshua (servant-boy of Moses), Moses (servant-boy of God), David (Acts 4:25) and of Israel in Isaiah's Book of Consolation (Is. 41:8; 42:1; 44:1, etc.). In this sense, it is used of the centurion's servant (Matt 8:5). However, It is also used of Jesus as a child (Luke 2:43); and in the feminine, it is used in reference to the daughter of Jairus (Luke 8:54). In both these two latter uses, "pais" refers to a child, whether boy or girl. In Acts 4:30, Jesus is called "pais" both in the sense of servant and "Son." This rapid survey of the nuance of the noun "pais" in Luke 1:54 points us to a moment of divine favor where God once more takes hold of his "kid", Israel as he fulfills his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the new stage of salvation history that Mary announces to Elisabeth.
- 1.
In the Dake's Annotated Bible, one finds this comment on "God, my savior"
This disproves the theory of the immaculate conception or the total absence of original sin in Mary. If God was her Savior, then she must have have been a sinner in order to be saved. Not one scripture ever hints that Mary was sinless. (p. 100).
First "the immaculate conception" is not a theory; it is a dogma. Second, the dogma as defined states:
We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful. (Innefabilis Deus)
The idea is that Mary was granted the privilege of being conceived without original sin "in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior". Thus, there is no contradiction between Mary calling God her Savior and her privilege of being immaculately conceived. See also this article on the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption
- 2. Karris, NJBC, 681
