Luke 1:45

Luk_1:45

And blessed is she that believeth,--

Blessedness of firmly believing

Doubting nothing! That is the secret of liberty, of efficiency, of success in every work which is undertaken by men: a confidence in the practicability, in the value of the work, in the Divine authority which imposes it upon us as an obligatory work, and in the Divine providence and power which will bring it to a successful performance.

It is the secret of success, of enthusiasm in any secular enterprise. You see it in the inventor who is perfectly certain of the combination of instruments by which he is to accomplish a certain result--a result which is of value and importance to mankind. Nothing can hinder his endeavour, nothing can obscure or damp his enthusiasm, because he is certain of ultimate success. You see it in the teacher who knows that he has a truth to communicate to men, a truth which it is of importance to them to apprehend and to understand, who is not groping among uncertainties as he speaks it, who is not vaguely feeling after conjectures while he utters it, who is able to affirm it to others, because he has it affirmed in his own intelligent and intuitive spirit--the principle which he is declaring to the world. Kepler said: God has waited so many centuries for an observer of the heavens, I can wait for years for an interpreter of those observations. And every man who as certainly knew that he had apprehended truth and had it conveyed to others has been reinforced, inspired by this confidence, and gone to his work doubting nothing. See it in the soldier who knows, because he knows the commander, that the order which has been given is wise, practicable, needful; that no life will be wasted which can be saved, and no endeavour commanded which is not indispensable to the great result. See it in the sailor who trusts his clock and his compass, and is absolutely certain that the sun, of which he takes the meridian observation, will not tell him a lie, but will point out exactly the point on the ocean where the ship at that moment is; and he goes on his course, after his observation, doubting nothing, knowing where he is as exactly as if the commerce of nations had built at that very spot a beacon and had labelled it in immense letters of light in all the languages of the world: This is at such a point on such a meridian. He knows as certainly as he could know then, when he has caught the ray of the sun upon his instrument, where he is on the ocean, which to others seems pathless and intricate. Everywhere, then, this confidence is the condition of enthusiasm and of success, and in Christian enterprises, precisely as in secular enterprises, it is a confidence not merely in the usefulness of the work, but in the Divine authority which connects itself with that work, and the Divine care and the Divine affection, the Divine impulse which attend us in our endeavours to perform it. (R. Storrs.)

Saving faith

I. IN THE SIMPLICITY OF ITS NATURE.

II. IN THE IMPORTANCE OF ITS OBJECTS.

III. IN THE SUFFICIENCY OF ITS GROUNDS.

IV. IN THE PROPRIETY OF ITS ACTS.

V. IN THE BENEFITS OF ITS EXERCISE. Blessed is she that believeth; for there shall be a performance, and only a performance when we believe. (William Dawson.)

Trust in God

Marys faith, astounding in itself, the most supreme example probably of perfect trust in God and absolute self-devotion to Him that human flesh has ever given, was all the more striking to Elisabeth on account of its contrast with the unbelief of her own husband under a far less severe trial. No wonder that when Mary appeared before her spirit-illuminated eyes, she seemed the embodiment of Faith--that modest virgin, with clasped hands, whom Hermas saw in vision, though whom the elect of God are saved, and from whom spring all the Christian graces as fair daughters of a fair mother. Mary is thus, in Elisabeths eyes, the most blessed of women, because the most faithful; and it suits well that the first psalm of the New Testament should take the form of a praise of the fundamental evangelical virtue. (Professor Warfield.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 1:45. Μακαρία, blessed) This is evident from the instance of Zacharias on the opposite side.—πιστεύσασα, who hath believed) Luk 1:38.—ὅτι ἔσται) that [but Engl Vers. for) there shall be.—αὐτῇ, to her [in particular]) This has an emphatic reference to ἡ πιστεύσασα, who hath believed, and is put instead of, to thee: just as in ch. Luk 13:34.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 1:45 . μακαρία , here, as elsewhere, points to rare and high felicity connected with heroic moods and achievements. ὅτι , because or that , which? great conflict of opinion among commentators. The former sense would make ὅτι give the reason for calling Mary blessed = blessed because the things she hopes for will surely come to pass. The latter makes ὅτι indicate the object of faith = blessed she who believes that what God has said will come to pass, with possible allusion to her own husband’s failure in faith.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

An additional benediction on the Virgin for her implicit faith, in tacit and delicate contrast with her own husband.

for--rather, as in the Margin, "that."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 45. Blessed is she that believed; for there shall be, &c.] Or, Blessed is she who hath believed that there shall be, &c. This I believe to be the proper arrangement of the passage, and is thus noticed in the marginal reading. Faith is here represented as the foundation of true happiness, because it receives the fulfilment of God's promises. Whatever God has promised, he intends to perform. We should believe whatever he has spoken-his own authority is a sufficient reason why we should believe. Let us only be convinced that God has given the promise, and then implicit faith becomes an indispensable duty: in this case not to believe implicitly would be absurd and unreasonable - God will perform his promise, for HE cannot lie.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(45) Blessed is she that believed.—The two renderings, “for there shall be,” and “that there shall be,” are equally tenable grammatically. On internal grounds there seems a balance in favour of the latter, as the other interpretation appears to make the fulfilment of the promise dependent upon the Virgin’s faith.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

45. blessed is she that believed] Perhaps Elizabeth had in mind the affliction which had followed her husband’s doubt. Comp. Joh_20:29.

for there shall be a performance] The words may also mean ‘she that believed that there shall be,’ &c.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And blessed is she that believed..... Meaning Mary, a woman, a very young woman, and who had had things very incredible to nature and reason told her; and yet she believed, without objecting thereto, or requiring a sign; tacitly referring to the unbelief of Zacharias, who was a man, a man in years, a priest by office; and yet had been very incredulous, in a thing that was much more possible; because there had been instances of it before, in Sarah, Hannah, and Manoah's wife; than what was related to the virgin, of which there had been none; and which to reason, and with men, was impossible: and happy indeed is every one, that has true faith in any degree; for faith is the faith of God's elect, and is both a fruit and evidence of electing grace, which is the source of all blessings; it is the gift of God, and the operation of his Spirit, and can never be lost: many are the blessings such as believe are in the possession of, and openly entitled to; as the justification of their persons, the remission of their sins, their adoption into the household of God, liberty at the throne of grace, and a right to the eternal inheritance; they enjoy much solid peace, joy, and comfort in their own souls; bring much glory to God, and shall be saved in the Lord, with an everlasting salvation:

for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord: these words may be considered, either as the subject matter of her faith, and be rendered in connection with the former, thus, "blessed is she that believed, that there shall be a performance, &c", being fully persuaded, that what the angel had told her, concerning the conception and birth of a son, concerning his name, and the greatness of his person, and the nature, extent, and duration of his kingdom, should be certainly and punctually fulfilled; or as a reason of her happiness, because there should be a sure accomplishment of them. Whatever God has spoken to any of his people, whether it be with respect to things temporal, spiritual, or eternal, shall be performed; as may be strongly concluded from the veracity of God, who cannot lie; and from his power, who is able to do all things; and from his faithfulness, which he will never suffer to fail; and from instances, and matters of fact; from the experience of the saints in all ages, who know, and are conscious to themselves, that not one of the good things the Lord God has spoken to them, has ever failed, but that all have come to pass; see Jos 23:14.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

Ver. 45. Blessed is she, &c.] Mary believed, so did not Zacharias, though a man, a priest, aged, learned, eminent, and the message to him of more appearing possibility. This, Elisabeth here seems to have an eye to.

Believed that there shall be, &c.] The same may be said of every believer. It is true also in cases ordinary. A persuasion that God will help and keep us, will indeed help and keep us, Mar 9:23.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Blessed is she that believed - That is, “Mary” who believed what the angel spoke to her. She was blessed not only in the act of believing, but because the thing promised would certainly be fulfilled.

From these expressions of Elizabeth we may learn:

That the spirit of prophecy had not entirely ceased among the Jews. That the Holy Spirit is the source of light, comfort, and joy. That everything about the birth of Jesus was remarkable, and that he must have been more than a mere man. That the prospect of the coming of the Messiah was one of great joy and rejoicing to ancient saints; and, That it was a high honor to be “the mother” of him that should redeem mankind.

It is from “that honor” that the Roman Catholics have determined that it is right to worship the Virgin Mary and to offer prayers to her - an act of worship as idolatrous as any that could be offered to a creature. Because:

It is not anywhere commanded in the Bible. It is expressly forbidden to worship any being but God, Exo 34:14; Exo 20:4-5; Deu 6:13-14; Isa 45:20. It is idolatry to worship or pray to a creature. It is absurd to suppose that the Virgin Mary can be in all places at the same time to hear the prayers of thousands at once, or to aid them. There is no idolatry more gross, and of course more wicked, than to worship the creature more than the Creator, Rom 1:25.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Some will have this given as a reason why Elisabeth pronounced her blessed, because she believed that what God had said should have its effect; as, Luk 11:27,28, when the woman blessed the womb that bare Christ, and the paps that gave him suck, Christ saith, Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Mary was blessed not in this so much, that she brought forth Christ, as in this, that she believed in him. The words are certainly a great confirmation of what the angel had before told her, and it must needs be a great satisfaction to her to hear to her kinswoman, by the Spirit of prophecy, coming extraordinarily upon her, confirming what the angel had before told her.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

45. She that believed—The believing Mary, whose faith stood in contrast with Zacharias’s unbelief, and should be rewarded with the performance.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Happy is she that believed - Probably she had in her mind the unbelief of Zacharias.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

45. μακαρία ἡ πιστεύσασα. Perhaps Elizabeth had in mind the affliction which had followed her husband’s doubt. Comp. Joh 20:29.

ὅτι ἔσται τελείωσις. The words may also mean ‘she that believed that there shall be,’ &c.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

45.] Either (as E. V., Vulg., Erasm., Beza, Meyer) blessed is she that believed, for, &c., or blessed is she that believed that there shall be, &c. The last is maintained by Bengel and De Wette, and supported by Act 27:25. But I own it seems to me very improbable here; the sense and the period would both suffer;—and the usage of these first chapters is to render a reason by ὅτι: see vv. 37, 48, 49, 68.

De Wette and Bleek urge against it, that we should thus look for σοί and not αὐτῇ. But surely the preceding ἡ πιστεύσασα, rendering the sentence axiomatic, would prepare the way for the demonstrative pronoun of the third person, on either view of ὅτι. I much prefer the former rendering, as agreeable likewise to the analogy of Scripture, where faith, in the recipient of the divine purposes, is so often represented as a co-ordinate cause of the fulfilment of those purposes. Lightf. well suggests, that there may have been present to the mind of Elisabeth the unbelief of her husband, as contrasted with Mary’s faith.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

45. μακαρία ἡ πιστεύσασα ὅτι. Latin texts, both of Lat. Vet. and of Vulg., vary much between beata quæ credidit quoniam and beata quæ credidisti quoniam. English Versions are equally varied, even Wic. and Rhem. being different. “Blessed is she that believed” is probably right. This is the first beatitude in the Gospel; and it is also the last: μακάριοι οἱ μὴ ἰδόντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες (Joh 20:29). In Mk. μακάριος does not occur; and in Jn. only 13:17 and 20:29. It is specially common in Lk.

This verse is one of many places in N.T. in which ὅτι may be either “that” or “because”: see on 7:16. There can be little doubt that Luther, Erasmus, Beza, and all Latin and English Versions are right in taking the latter sense here. The ὅτι introduces the reason why the belief is blessed and not the contents (Syr. Sin.) of the belief. There is no need to state what Mary believed. Elisabeth adds her faith to Mary’s, and declares that, amazing as the promise is, it will assuredly be fulfilled. Only a small portion of what had been promised (31-33) had as yet been accomplished; and hence the ἔσται τελείωσις, “There shall be a bringing to perfection, an accomplishment” (Heb 7:11). Comp. ἐξελεύσομαι εἰς τελείωσιν τῶν λόγων ὧν ἐλαλήσατε μετʼ ἐμοῦ (Judith 10:9).

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For [οτι] . Many, however, prefer that, referring to the substance of her belief : "She believed that there shall be a fulfilment," etc. It is urged that the conception, which was the principal point of faith, had already taken place, so that the fulfilment was no longer future. On the other hand, the angel 's announcement to Mary included more than the fact of conception; and Elizabeth, in the spirit of prophecy, may have alluded to what is predicted in vv. 32, 33.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.