The Magnificat -- What Can We Learn From It?

[Ainesis]

Luke 1:46-5546 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

With our spirits and our souls we are to glorify the Lord and exalt Him. In exalting Him and appreciating who He truly is, we realize how low mankind is. Yet, in spite of our lowly estate, He has chosen one of us to bear His Son. As such, this woman -- Mary, bearer of His Son -- will always be referred to as blessed, for God has chosen her to bring the life of Christ into the world.

This indeed is a great thing, for the lowly to give birth to the exalted. For the imperfect to bear the perfect. For the temporal to take part in the manifestation of the eternal. It is a mighty thing and it is indeed the work of God. Holy is He who has done it.

He shows mercy to those who fear Him and gives them His strength. Those who fail to realize their own lowly estate in comparison to Him are cast low and their minds are scattered in the imaginations of their hearts.

Those who find no fullness in this world yet seek Him for fulfillment shall be filled. Those who are satisfied with the things of this world shall be left to them. In remembrance of the blessings promised to Israel, the ultimate reflection of His mercy -- His Son -- was being formed in her womb.

 

[SolomonVII]

.....
... This is undergirded by a false (IMO) soteriologal view that sin is inherited and that if one were to lead a sinless life one would not need salvation. Neither one of these is true. As we all are born into this fallen world we are separated from God the author of life and wll die a physical death, a sinless life will not save us or the Theotokos.

This point about needing salvation regardless of one's own individual sinfullness or sinlessness is borne out in Hebrew thought.

Whether or not sin is inherited, a central theme of redemption and salvation for the Hebrew is being delivered from and redeemed out of the slavery of Egypt. Regardless of our own personal sanctity, the world that we are part of is itself stained with the effects of sin. We do not just exist as individuals, but we also exist collectively as members of families, communities, and nations.

We are all a part of this world, and it of us, and therefore we all are in need of salvation.

 

[Polycarp1]

This point about needing salvation regardless of one's own individual sinfullness or sinlessness is borne out in Hebrew thought.

Whether or not sin is inherited, a central theme of redemption and salvation for the Hebrew is being delivered from and redeemed out of the slavery of Egypt. Regardless of our own personal sanctity, the world that we are part of is itself stained with the effects of sin. We do not just exist as individuals, but we also exist collectively as members of families, communities, and nations.

We are all a part of this world, and it of us, and therefore we all are in need of salvation.

"Wow, that Solomon is a wise man!"

(Tongue-in-cheek, but heartfelt nonetheless. Good post!)