My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior — Luke 1:46 ![]()
Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Mary's Song of Jesus' Coming Birth ![]() Editors note: Did you know that Mary's song of Jesus' coming birth in the book of Luke echoes some of the same themes as Hannah's song upon the birth of the her son, the prophet Samuel, in the Old Testament?
Let's examine the passage and enjoy this fascinating article from the Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, which features over 300 in-depth articles and more than 375 full-color photos, illustrations and images to help you gain a deeper understanding of Scripture by understanding the context in which it took place.
Mary's Song 46 And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord — Luke 1:46-55
Mary's Allusions to Hannah's Song
Elizabeth's pregnancy with John the Baptist evokes that of aged Sarah in Genesis ("they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old." – Luke 1:7). Mary's evokes a wider range of miraculous births in the Old Testament, though of course her virgin birth is unique. Mary's song has special resonances with Hannah's song in 1 Samuel 2:1-10, when Hannah celebrates the birth of her son Samuel. Just as Hannah's humility and faith bring her greater blessing than the aged priest Eli in 1 Samuel 1, Mary's humility and faith bring greater blessing than Zechariah's in Luke 1:11-38 (though Zechariah is a less disobedient character than Eli).
Following are some possible connections between the song of Mary and that of Hannah, though Mary's song also draws on a much wider range of Biblical language: 1 Samuel 2:1-10
*This chart is adapted from Craig S. Keener, Acts: An Exegetical Commentary (4 vols.; Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012-2014), 1:557. Luke 1:46-55
Adapted with permission from the Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, copyright Zondervan. Your Turn
What verses speak to you the most from Mary's song? How does seeing the similarities with Hannah's song give you new perspective on this passage? We'd love to hear you thoughts in the comments!
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