The last strophe ( Luke 1:54-55) recalls God"s mercy to Israel and to Mary (cf. Isaiah 41:8-9; Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 44:21). He had been consistently faithful to His covenant promises with His people having tempered judgment with mercy (cf. Micah 7:20). God"s past faithfulness gives hope for the future. [source][source][source]
"One of the important functions of the Magnificat is to provide an initial characterization of the God whose purpose shapes the following story." [1][source]
Context Summary
Luke 1:39-56 - The Song Of The Virgin Mother
Zacharias lived in a Levitical city in the hill country of Judah. The narrative evidently implies that there had been no previous communication between the two women of what had happened. In their greeting both were led and taught of the Spirit.
Evidently Mary was living in close familiarity with the Scriptures. Often she had been deeply moved by their radiant promises, and had pleaded that God would at last help His people and send the Savior. Now that this blessing had come to her, she voiced her thanks, not only under the express inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but in the familiar expressions of Scripture. No others would have sufficed. Compare Hannah's song of praise, under similar circumstances, 1 Samuel 2:1-10. This song is called the Magnificat, that being the first word in the Latin version. Wonder and praise, humility and exultation, adoration and congratulation-these colors chase one another in the heart of this jewel. [source]
Chapter Summary: Luke 1
1The preface of Luke to his whole gospel 5The conception of John the Baptist; 26and of Jesus 39The prophecy of Elisabeth and of Mary, concerning Jesus 57The nativity and circumcision of John 67The prophecy of Zachariah, both of Jesus, 76and of John
Greek Commentary for Luke 1:54
Hath holpen [αντελαβετο] Second aorist middle indicative. A very common verb. It means to lay hold of with a view to help or succour. [source]
Servant [παιδος] Here it means “servant,” not “son” or “child,” its usual meaning. [source]
Hath holpen [ἀντελαβέτο] The verb means to lay hold on: thence to grasp helpfully or to help. To lay hold in the sense ofpartaking (1 Timothy 6:2), carries us back to the primitive meaning of the word according to its composition: to receive instead of, or in return ( ἀντὶ )and suggests the old phrase to take up for, espouse the cause of. Wyc., has took up, but probably not in this sense. [source]
Servant [παιδὸς] Often child, son or daughter, but here servant, in allusion to Isaiah 41:8. Meyer truthfully says that the theocratic notion of sonship is never expressed by παῖς . See Rev., Acts 3:13,Acts 3:26; Acts 4:27,Acts 4:30. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 1:54
Luke 1:45For [οτι] It is not certain whether οτι hoti here is “that” or “because.” It makes good sense either way. See also Luke 7:16. This is the first beatitude in the New Testament and it is similar to the last one in the Gospels spoken to Thomas to discourage his doubt (John 20:29). Elisabeth wishes Mary to have full faith in the prophecy of the angel. This song of Elisabeth is as real poetry as is that of Mary (Luke 1:47-55) and Zacharias (Luke 1:68-70). All three spoke under the power of the Holy Spirit. These are the first New Testament hymns and they are very beautiful. Plummer notes four strophes in Mary‘s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-48,Luke 1:49,Luke 1:50,Luke 1:51-53,Luke 1:54,Luke 1:55). Every idea here occurs in the Old Testament, showing that Mary‘s mind was full of the spiritual message of God‘s word. [source]
Acts 3:13His son [παῖδα] Rightly, servant, as Rev. See on Luke 1:54. The A. V. renders, in Matthew 12:18, servant, quoting from Isaiah 42:1; but elsewhere, where applied to Jesus, son or child, which Rev. in every case has changed to servant. The word is continually used, like the Latin puer, in the sense of servant, and in the Septuagint as the servant of God. See 2 Samuel 7:5,2 Samuel 7:8,2 Samuel 7:19,2 Samuel 7:20,2 Samuel 7:21,2 Samuel 7:25,2 Samuel 7:26. Compare Luke 1:69. The term servant of Jehovah, or servant of the Lord, is applied in the Old Testament (1) to a worshipper of God, Nehemiah 1:10; Daniel 6:21; so to Abraham, Psalm 105:6,Psalm 105:42; to Joshua, Joshua 24:29; to Job, Job 1:8. (2) To a minister or ambassador of God called to any service, Isaiah 49:6; of Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah 27:6; of the prophets, Amos 3:7; of Moses, Deuteronomy 34:5. (3) Peculiarly of the Messiah, Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 52:13; as God's chosen servant for accomplishing the work of redemption. “Unless we render servant in the passages where the phrase παῖς Θεοῦ occurs in the New Testament, there will be no allusion throughout it all to that group of prophecies which designate the Messiah as the servant of Jehovah, who learned obedience by the things which he suffered” (Trench, “On the Authorized Version of the New Testament”). [source]
Acts 20:35So labouring ye ought to help [ουτως κοπιωντας δει αντιλαμβανεσται] So, as I did. Necessity Toiling This verb common in the old Greek, but in the N.T. only in Luke 1:54; Acts 20:35; 1 Timothy 6:2. This noble plea to help the weak is the very spirit of Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:14; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Romans 5:6; Romans 14:1). In 1 Thessalonians 5:14 αντεχεστε των αστενουντων antechesthe tōn asthenountōn we have Paul‘s very idea again. Every Community Chest appeal today re-echoes Paul‘s plea. He himself said (αυτος ειπεν autos eipen). Not in the Gospels, one of the sayings of Jesus in current use that Paul had received and treasured. Various other Agrapha of Jesus have been preserved in ancient writers and some in recently discovered papyri which may be genuine or not. We are grateful that Paul treasured this one. This Beatitude (on μακαριον makarion see notes on Matthew 5:3-11) is illustrated by the whole life of Jesus with the Cross as the culmination. Aristotle (Etho. IV. I) has a saying somewhat like this, but assigns the feeling of superiority as the reason (Page), an utterly different idea from that here. This quotation raises the question of how much Paul personally knew of the life and sayings of Jesus. [source]
1 Timothy 6:2Partakers of the benefit [οἱ τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀντιλαμβανόμενοι] The verb means to take hold of; hence, to take hold for the purpose of helping; to take up for, as Luke 1:54; Acts 20:35. oP. Ἑυεργεσία , benefit only here and Acts 4:9. Better, kindly service. Rend. they that busy themselves in the kindly service. The reference is to the kindly acts which the masters do to their slaves; not to the benefits received by the slaves. Comp. Galatians 5:13. [source]
1 Timothy 6:2But rather [αλλα μαλλον] Render the Christian Master better service. They that partake of the benefit (οι της ενεργεσιας αντιλαμβανομενοι hoi tēs energesias antilambanomenoi). For ευεργεσιας euergesias (genitive case after participle) see note on Acts 4:9, only other N.T. example of this old word. Present middle participle of αντιλαμβανω antilambanō old verb, to take in turn, to lay fast hold of, in N.T. only here, Luke 1:54; Acts 20:35. [source]
1 Timothy 6:2They that partake of the benefit [οι της ενεργεσιας αντιλαμβανομενοι] For ευεργεσιας euergesias (genitive case after participle) see note on Acts 4:9, only other N.T. example of this old word. Present middle participle of αντιλαμβανω antilambanō old verb, to take in turn, to lay fast hold of, in N.T. only here, Luke 1:54; Acts 20:35. [source]
What do the individual words in Luke 1:54 mean?
He has helpedIsrael[the] servantof Himrememberingmercy
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ἔλεος
Sense: mercy: kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them.
Greek Commentary for Luke 1:54
Second aorist middle indicative. A very common verb. It means to lay hold of with a view to help or succour. [source]
Here it means “servant,” not “son” or “child,” its usual meaning. [source]
The verb means to lay hold on: thence to grasp helpfully or to help. To lay hold in the sense ofpartaking (1 Timothy 6:2), carries us back to the primitive meaning of the word according to its composition: to receive instead of, or in return ( ἀντὶ )and suggests the old phrase to take up for, espouse the cause of. Wyc., has took up, but probably not in this sense. [source]
Often child, son or daughter, but here servant, in allusion to Isaiah 41:8. Meyer truthfully says that the theocratic notion of sonship is never expressed by παῖς . See Rev., Acts 3:13, Acts 3:26; Acts 4:27, Acts 4:30. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 1:54
It is not certain whether οτι hoti here is “that” or “because.” It makes good sense either way. See also Luke 7:16. This is the first beatitude in the New Testament and it is similar to the last one in the Gospels spoken to Thomas to discourage his doubt (John 20:29). Elisabeth wishes Mary to have full faith in the prophecy of the angel. This song of Elisabeth is as real poetry as is that of Mary (Luke 1:47-55) and Zacharias (Luke 1:68-70). All three spoke under the power of the Holy Spirit. These are the first New Testament hymns and they are very beautiful. Plummer notes four strophes in Mary‘s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-48, Luke 1:49, Luke 1:50, Luke 1:51-53, Luke 1:54, Luke 1:55). Every idea here occurs in the Old Testament, showing that Mary‘s mind was full of the spiritual message of God‘s word. [source]
Rightly, servant, as Rev. See on Luke 1:54. The A. V. renders, in Matthew 12:18, servant, quoting from Isaiah 42:1; but elsewhere, where applied to Jesus, son or child, which Rev. in every case has changed to servant. The word is continually used, like the Latin puer, in the sense of servant, and in the Septuagint as the servant of God. See 2 Samuel 7:5, 2 Samuel 7:8, 2 Samuel 7:19, 2 Samuel 7:20, 2 Samuel 7:21, 2 Samuel 7:25, 2 Samuel 7:26. Compare Luke 1:69. The term servant of Jehovah, or servant of the Lord, is applied in the Old Testament (1) to a worshipper of God, Nehemiah 1:10; Daniel 6:21; so to Abraham, Psalm 105:6, Psalm 105:42; to Joshua, Joshua 24:29; to Job, Job 1:8. (2) To a minister or ambassador of God called to any service, Isaiah 49:6; of Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah 27:6; of the prophets, Amos 3:7; of Moses, Deuteronomy 34:5. (3) Peculiarly of the Messiah, Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 52:13; as God's chosen servant for accomplishing the work of redemption. “Unless we render servant in the passages where the phrase παῖς Θεοῦ occurs in the New Testament, there will be no allusion throughout it all to that group of prophecies which designate the Messiah as the servant of Jehovah, who learned obedience by the things which he suffered” (Trench, “On the Authorized Version of the New Testament”). [source]
See on Luke 1:54. [source]
So, as I did. Necessity Toiling This verb common in the old Greek, but in the N.T. only in Luke 1:54; Acts 20:35; 1 Timothy 6:2. This noble plea to help the weak is the very spirit of Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:14; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Romans 5:6; Romans 14:1). In 1 Thessalonians 5:14 αντεχεστε των αστενουντων antechesthe tōn asthenountōn we have Paul‘s very idea again. Every Community Chest appeal today re-echoes Paul‘s plea. He himself said (αυτος ειπεν autos eipen). Not in the Gospels, one of the sayings of Jesus in current use that Paul had received and treasured. Various other Agrapha of Jesus have been preserved in ancient writers and some in recently discovered papyri which may be genuine or not. We are grateful that Paul treasured this one. This Beatitude (on μακαριον makarion see notes on Matthew 5:3-11) is illustrated by the whole life of Jesus with the Cross as the culmination. Aristotle (Etho. IV. I) has a saying somewhat like this, but assigns the feeling of superiority as the reason (Page), an utterly different idea from that here. This quotation raises the question of how much Paul personally knew of the life and sayings of Jesus. [source]
Rendered to the poor and sick as by the deacons. See on hath holpen, Luke 1:54. [source]
The verb means to take hold of; hence, to take hold for the purpose of helping; to take up for, as Luke 1:54; Acts 20:35. oP. Ἑυεργεσία , benefit only here and Acts 4:9. Better, kindly service. Rend. they that busy themselves in the kindly service. The reference is to the kindly acts which the masters do to their slaves; not to the benefits received by the slaves. Comp. Galatians 5:13. [source]
Render the Christian Master better service. They that partake of the benefit (οι της ενεργεσιας αντιλαμβανομενοι hoi tēs energesias antilambanomenoi). For ευεργεσιας euergesias (genitive case after participle) see note on Acts 4:9, only other N.T. example of this old word. Present middle participle of αντιλαμβανω antilambanō old verb, to take in turn, to lay fast hold of, in N.T. only here, Luke 1:54; Acts 20:35. [source]
For ευεργεσιας euergesias (genitive case after participle) see note on Acts 4:9, only other N.T. example of this old word. Present middle participle of αντιλαμβανω antilambanō old verb, to take in turn, to lay fast hold of, in N.T. only here, Luke 1:54; Acts 20:35. [source]