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I think the Holy Spirit was in communication with both Elizabeth and the unborn child for them to receive joy with the greeting from Mary. Elizabeth rejoiced when she heard and the baby kicked its feet at the same time as if inspired by God. It is known a baby's movements inside the womb can be felt by the mother or one with a hand on her lower abdomen.Luke 1:41,44 - And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit...For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
The Greek word used here for "leap" is found 3 times in the NT.
Luke 1:41 - When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb...
Luke 1:44 - For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.
Luke 6:23 - Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven...
Also, as previously shown, the Greek word that Luke uses for "baby" in the aforementioned passage is used 8 times in the NT, and in fact all the other times it is referring to babies that have already been born:
Luke 2:12 - This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths....
Luke 2:16 - So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as he lay in the manger.
Luke 18:15 - And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them...
Acts 7:19 - It was he who took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would expose their infants and they would not survive.
I Timothy 3:15 - and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings....
I Peter 2:2 - Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word...
So what we have here in Luke is we have a reference to John the Baptist who is still in the womb of Elizabeth actually leaping for joy, his joy, at the sound of Mary's greeting. There simply is no other way to read this in the Greek. There is literally no other sound interpretation.
John, while in his mother's womb, leaps for joy.
Just like if I walked in the door after being at the office and said hello to my wife, if my son in the room heard me and leaped for joy at the sound of my coming, we would all know that the leaping he did was for his joy at the sound of my voice. There is no other interpretation.
If you disagree - I challenge to provide just one commentary that supports your position. Give me ONE theologian who agrees with your interpretation. I don't believe you can because the text is crystal clear.
Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. Luke 1:41d
One thing we know!
Do we know anything more about that?
I mean about that, the Holy Spirit "INSIDE" Elisabeth. What can we truthfully say, does Scripture say about that? (Not that it is actually a fetus, I don't think that is what it says.)
(I tend to think the next line, 42, is the actual actuality of "filled with the Holy Ghost" meant she SPoKE OUT WITH A LOUD VOICE.)
I like that explanation I don't think I know that explanation.
Many people old and new covenant have the experience of being filled with the Spirit. That is not the same as the Spirit coming to dwell within you permanently like when someone is born anew by the Spirit (made a new creature). Only this latter group can be known to be saved children of God because after all the Spirit of God can enter an ass and cause it to speak but the ass is not one of His (Romans 8:9).
Thinking something other than what Scripture says is not really a good way to go.I think the Holy Spirit was in communication with both Elizabeth and the unborn child for them to receive joy with the greeting from Mary. Elizabeth rejoiced when she heard and the baby kicked its feet at the same time as if inspired by God. It is known a baby's movements inside the womb can be felt by the mother or one with a hand on her lower abdomen.
Except we know that it wasn't a mere coincidence because the inspired Scripture literally says that the unborn baby leaped for joy at the sound of Mary's greeting."As if inspired by God" is interesting. An admission we do not know the motion of leg of a fetus , i.e the contracting and relaxing of a few muscles, was anything particularly related to God, rather than being merely an interesting co-incidence.
Surely you understand that regardless of whether it leaped for joy, "at the sound," i.e. at the same time, is the very definition of "co-incidence."Except we know that it wasn't a mere coincidence because the inspired Scripture literally says that the unborn baby leaped for joy at the sound of Mary's greeting.
You refuse to understand what "for" means. It is not unambiguously "in," as you seem to think.lol Douglas. The narrative is clear and every single theologian and commentary that I have ever read is in complete agreement. It hasn't been until you, the great theologian Douglas has come onto the scene that there has ever been disagreement over this particular passage. Clearly the reason you disagree is because you hold preconceived beliefs that would render the obvious understanding of this passage problematic to the beliefs you carry with you into Scripture.
Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant with John. Mary had just conceived Christ and was greeting Elizabeth. At her greeting, John, inside the womb of Elizabeth leaped for joy, and Elizabeth knew, VIA the filling of the Holy Spirit that Mary was pregnant with Christ.
The entire scene is a testimony to who John and Christ were.
The problem is that you carry with you into your reading of Scripture that there can never exist at any time within a womb a human being. Therefore, when you read a passage like this, you have to do every sort of isegetical word-smithing Scripture interpreting manipulation that you can come up with to maintain the integrity of your belief.
It's a shame that what's important to you is your preconceived belief as opposed to integrity towards Scripture.
John leaping for joy in his mother's womb is a very important part of the context of the chapter. It wasn't randomly tossed in there. It wasn't some random movement of the baby. The passage is clear.
1. Mary greets Elizabeth
2. John, in the womb hears the greeting
3. John, as a result leaps for joy
Yes I can imagine it being real in the real world. A real child would have the ability you indicated. But a fetus, a six month old fetus, not so much.Imagine for a moment that you have a wife and a son.
You walk in the door after being at work and greet your wife. Your son, who is in the room when you walk in hears your voice and leaps for joy.
I think we would all recognize that st hearing your voice your son was filled with joy and therefore as an expression of that joy leaped.
The passage in Luke is likewise very clear that John leaped in the womb for joy. Whose joy? Obviously his. There is no other way to interpret the Greek. You’re just flat wrong.
The passage in Luke is likewise very clear that John leaped in the womb for joy. Whose joy? Obviously his. There is no other way to interpret the Greek. You’re just flat wrong.
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