He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
In her song of rejoicing at the angel's announcement, Mary praises God for aiding Israel his servant by remembering his mercy. That aid fulfills what was spoken and promised to the fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever. It is his visiting and redeeming his people and raising up a horn of salvation in the house of David to save from enemies, remember his holy covenant and oath to Abraham, and grant deliverance to serve in holiness and righteousness, with the dayspring from on high guiding feet into the way of peace through remission of sins, fulfilled in Christ's birth at Bethlehem. The mercy remembered is the oath and covenant made with Abraham, which is the gospel covenant and everlasting covenant confirmed in Christ, whose blood is its blood, with Christ and all of faith counted as Abraham's seed and children. That promise to Abraham and his Seed is the everlasting inheritance of the whole earth in righteousness, begun in Christ's birth but completed at his coming and the resurrection, when all who belong to Christ as heirs receive it.
Setting in Luke's Narrative
Luke 1:54 stands within Mary's outburst of rejoicing and praise to God. It is her joyful response to the angel's announcement, showing that she accepted the honor bestowed on her. It belongs to her Magnificat, which she sings among the songs of the blessed in heaven, celebrating God's help to Israel and His remembrance of mercy.
The verse belongs to the incidents connected with the birth of John the Baptist. More specifically it belongs to the visit of Mary to Elizabeth following the angel's annunciation and its results. This occurred about B.C. 5 as part of the whole first chapter of Luke.
The verse also belongs to the account of Jesus' birth in Luke 1-2 that fulfills the prediction that a child is born and proves He was a real human being. That account shows He was begotten by the power of the Highest and was born of Mary in Bethlehem of Judea in the reign of Augustus Caesar. Luke's record of Jesus' birth marks the fulfilment of the Gospel promises of the Old Testament.
The first chapter of Luke gives the background to be kept in mind for the birth of Christ in Bethlehem and for the announcement to the shepherds and the presentation in the temple in Luke 2:8-33. The verse is part of the record of the birth of Christ to be carefully studied together with Matthew 1, John 1:1-18, and the account of the wise men at Bethlehem.
Covenant Mercy Fulfilled in Christ
He has helped Israel his servant in keeping with his mercy, and that help is itself an act of mercy in which he remembers and fulfills his merciful commitment and covenant kindness toward his people. This help fulfills what he promised and spoke to the fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.
He helps his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy by visiting his people and working redemption for them and raising up a horn of salvation in the house of his servant David, as spoken by the holy prophets since the world began. That redemption gives salvation from enemies and from all who hate them, in order to show mercy toward the fathers and to remember his holy covenant and the oath sworn to Abraham. It grants deliverance from enemies to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, and in tender mercy sends the dayspring from on high to shine on those in darkness and the shadow of death and to guide feet into the way of peace through the knowledge of salvation in remission of sins. All this was fulfilled in the birth of Christ at Bethlehem.
The promised mercy is his oath to Abraham and his covenant, which is the gospel covenant fulfilled in Christ, Abraham's seed. His help to Israel is remembrance of the covenant promises made to Abraham and his descendants, connected with the everlasting covenant and its enduring law. The new covenant is identified with the gospel.
His helping of his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy is his performing of the mercy promised to the fathers by remembering his holy covenant, which is the oath sworn to Abraham and spoken to the fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. The covenant made with Abraham is the holy covenant and is identical with the gospel, the gospel covenant, the everlasting covenant confirmed before of God in Christ. Christ's blood is the blood of the everlasting covenant, and Christ and all who are of faith are counted as the children and seed of Abraham to whom the promise was made.
The promise to Abraham and his seed thus kept was an everlasting inheritance of the whole earth in righteousness, which is the gospel, involving Christ as the promised Seed and surety of the covenant. Christ's birth began its fulfillment but did not complete it, and the promise will be fulfilled at his coming and the resurrection. The hope of this promise was shared by Paul and the true Israelites, and all who belong to Christ are heirs of it. God's oath to Abraham gives strong assurance that it will be fulfilled, and faith in Christ can grasp it as already accomplished.
His help to his servants in remembrance of his mercy is experienced as restoration to peace and hope, and as good things given to the poor.
In her song of rejoicing at the angel's announcement, Mary praises God for aiding Israel his servant by remembering his mercy. That aid fulfills what was spoken and promised to the fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever. It is his visiting and redeeming his people and raising up a horn of salvation in the house of David to save from enemies, remember his holy covenant and oath to Abraham, and grant deliverance to serve in holiness and righteousness, with the dayspring from on high guiding feet into the way of peace through remission of sins, fulfilled in Christ's birth at Bethlehem. The mercy remembered is the oath and covenant made with Abraham, which is the gospel covenant and everlasting covenant confirmed in Christ, whose blood is its blood, with Christ and all of faith counted as Abraham's seed and children. That promise to Abraham and his Seed is the everlasting inheritance of the whole earth in righteousness, begun in Christ's birth but completed at his coming and the resurrection, when all who belong to Christ as heirs receive it.
Setting in Luke's Narrative
Luke 1:54 stands within Mary's outburst of rejoicing and praise to God. It is her joyful response to the angel's announcement, showing that she accepted the honor bestowed on her. It belongs to her Magnificat, which she sings among the songs of the blessed in heaven, celebrating God's help to Israel and His remembrance of mercy.
The verse belongs to the incidents connected with the birth of John the Baptist. More specifically it belongs to the visit of Mary to Elizabeth following the angel's annunciation and its results. This occurred about B.C. 5 as part of the whole first chapter of Luke.
The verse also belongs to the account of Jesus' birth in Luke 1-2 that fulfills the prediction that a child is born and proves He was a real human being. That account shows He was begotten by the power of the Highest and was born of Mary in Bethlehem of Judea in the reign of Augustus Caesar. Luke's record of Jesus' birth marks the fulfilment of the Gospel promises of the Old Testament.
The first chapter of Luke gives the background to be kept in mind for the birth of Christ in Bethlehem and for the announcement to the shepherds and the presentation in the temple in Luke 2:8-33. The verse is part of the record of the birth of Christ to be carefully studied together with Matthew 1, John 1:1-18, and the account of the wise men at Bethlehem.
Covenant Mercy Fulfilled in Christ
He has helped Israel his servant in keeping with his mercy, and that help is itself an act of mercy in which he remembers and fulfills his merciful commitment and covenant kindness toward his people. This help fulfills what he promised and spoke to the fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.
He helps his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy by visiting his people and working redemption for them and raising up a horn of salvation in the house of his servant David, as spoken by the holy prophets since the world began. That redemption gives salvation from enemies and from all who hate them, in order to show mercy toward the fathers and to remember his holy covenant and the oath sworn to Abraham. It grants deliverance from enemies to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, and in tender mercy sends the dayspring from on high to shine on those in darkness and the shadow of death and to guide feet into the way of peace through the knowledge of salvation in remission of sins. All this was fulfilled in the birth of Christ at Bethlehem.
The promised mercy is his oath to Abraham and his covenant, which is the gospel covenant fulfilled in Christ, Abraham's seed. His help to Israel is remembrance of the covenant promises made to Abraham and his descendants, connected with the everlasting covenant and its enduring law. The new covenant is identified with the gospel.
His helping of his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy is his performing of the mercy promised to the fathers by remembering his holy covenant, which is the oath sworn to Abraham and spoken to the fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. The covenant made with Abraham is the holy covenant and is identical with the gospel, the gospel covenant, the everlasting covenant confirmed before of God in Christ. Christ's blood is the blood of the everlasting covenant, and Christ and all who are of faith are counted as the children and seed of Abraham to whom the promise was made.
The promise to Abraham and his seed thus kept was an everlasting inheritance of the whole earth in righteousness, which is the gospel, involving Christ as the promised Seed and surety of the covenant. Christ's birth began its fulfillment but did not complete it, and the promise will be fulfilled at his coming and the resurrection. The hope of this promise was shared by Paul and the true Israelites, and all who belong to Christ are heirs of it. God's oath to Abraham gives strong assurance that it will be fulfilled, and faith in Christ can grasp it as already accomplished.
His help to his servants in remembrance of his mercy is experienced as restoration to peace and hope, and as good things given to the poor.