Luke 1:48, commentary and pictures

God looked upon Mary in her humble, lowly condition as His handmaid and did great things for her, so she rejoiced in God her Saviour and from that time every generation calls her blessed for what He had done for her. Her low estate was literal poverty, and the honor laid upon her was to be chosen to give birth to the Saviour of the world and to be mother of the Child. Her part in the birth account fulfills the prediction that unto us a child is born and proves Jesus was a real human being, begotten by the power of the Highest and born of Mary in Bethlehem of Judea in the reign of Augustus Caesar, born in a poor and mean condition when His family was reduced to a very low estate. She is not set apart alone among humanity to be worshiped, for though the mother of the Lord was greatly blessed, her blessing came through Jesus, and it is through Jesus alone that others also may be blessed. As God regarded Mary in her low estate, the humble worker can rejoice in God's mighty acts and give Him the credit for them.

Words and Setting

God regarded Mary in her humble, lowly condition as his handmaid and did great things for her, so she rejoices in God her Savior and from then on every generation calls her blessed because of what God had done for her. The lowly condition noticed in her is her humble position as his handmaid. The generations that call her blessed do so because of what God had done for her.

The phrase for low estate means his humble handmaiden, with the descriptive word applying directly to the handmaiden and not to a separate low estate belonging to her. Her low estate means literal poverty, shown when she brought only two pigeons at the presentation of Jesus, which signified inability to bring a larger offering. The verse rejoices over the honor bestowed on Mary in being chosen to give birth to the Saviour of the world and to be the mother of the Child. She recalls that honor while grieving that she has failed her sacred trust by losing him.

The verse is part of the virgin Mary's song, the Magnificat in Luke 1:46-55, described as a beautiful holy hymn that still triumphs. It belongs to the Christmas story as a true account planned and told by God, with meaning simple enough for a child to understand. The hymn hallows daily work with prayer when sung at evening worship, and its ascent to heaven depends not on strong, clear, tuneful voices but on music of the heart. It is pictured as sung in heaven with the virgins joining in.

The verse belongs to Mary's visit to Elizabeth in the earlier part of Luke 1, counted among the incidents connected with the birth of John the Baptist with the angel's annunciation and its results. That setting occurred about B.C. 5 and is to be studied with the whole of Luke 1 before the prophecy of Zacharias in Luke 1:67-79. Luke's account gives the early history of the mission of Jesus, including the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus, dwelling far more largely upon this early history than do any of the other evangelists. The first chapter leads to Jesus being born in Bethlehem and being called Jesus. It prepares for the announcement to the shepherds with angelic praise, the visit of the shepherds who publish the news, and the circumcision and naming of Jesus, his presentation in the temple, and Simeon's thanksgiving. The verse belongs to Luke 1's record of the birth of Christ, to be carefully studied with Matthew 1 and John 1:1-18, showing his birth about four years before the time known as A.D. 1.

Prophecy Doctrine and Application

The birth account to which the verse belongs fulfills the prediction that unto us a child is born and proves Jesus was a real human being, begotten by the power of the Highest and born of Mary in Bethlehem of Judea in the reign of Augustus Caesar. Mary's low estate proves Messiah was to be born in a poor and mean condition when his family was reduced to a very low estate, fulfilled on both his father's and his mother's side in being of very low and mean appearance though descended from illustrious ancestors. Though quoted in connection with honoring Mary, the verse does not say she alone among humanity was permitted to receive that description or establish the worship of Mary. Mary the mother of the Lord was greatly blessed, but her blessing came through Jesus, and it is through Jesus alone that others also may be blessed.

As God regarded Mary in her low estate and because of what God had done for her future generations would call her blessed, a humble worker can rejoice in God's mighty acts and give him the credit for them. The verse shows Mary of Nazareth as one of many women named in the New Testament records, giving woman a conspicuous place in the primitive church, standing with Anna, Elizabeth, Martha, Mary of Bethany, Mary of Magdala and many others. With unnamed women who received signal favors and who served Jesus, they show that the womanly element largely prevails in the four Gospels in the life of Jesus Christ.