Announcing the Advent: Magnificat

Background

Mary’s Magnificat is one of the canticles that the Church has sung throughout her history. In Lutheran liturgies, it is used as the primary canticle for the afternoon and evening offices—Vespers and Evening Prayer. The Magnificat is the first of four canticles passed down through Church history that are reactions to the great announcements of the season of Advent.

The Announcement

Read Luke 1:26-38.

²⁶In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” ²⁹But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, ³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

³⁴And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

³⁵And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. ³⁶And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

It has been six months since the angel Gabriel visited Zechariah. Now, about 70 miles northeast of Jerusalem, in a little village surrounded by hills on three sides, Gabriel makes a second visit.

1. Read Isaiah 7:14. What does this prophecy say about both the mother and the child?

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

• The angel also tells Mary what the name of the child shall be. Perhaps Mary understood the significance of the name. The angel doesn’t take such a chance, however, when Joseph is informed of the coming child. What does the angel tell Joseph the name means (Matthew 1:21)?

Mary received the announcement people had longed for from the very gate of the Garden of Eden. Eve may have been convinced she would hear it. This may explain her words at Cain’s birth (Genesis 4:1). Since they were required to wait many years, Abraham and Sarah might have been convinced that their son was the one. Tradition tells us that it was the hope and dream of every Jewish girl that she might be the mother of the Messiah.

The Reaction

1. How does Mary’s question in verse 34 show her faith in the announcement?

• What reassuring words does Gabriel speak to Mary in verse 35?

• What was the sign Gabriel gave to Mary (verse 36)?

⁴⁶And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

⁴⁸for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

⁴⁹for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

⁵⁰And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

⁵²he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;

⁵³he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,

⁵⁵as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

⁵⁶And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

• Gabriel’s third statement is perhaps the most important: “For nothing is impossible with God.” The same almighty power that sent this angel from before the very throne of God to announce the advent of His Son, is the God who stands behind the message the angel bears. What is Mary’s response to Gabriel’s words (verse 38)?

The Response

Read Luke 1:39-56.

³⁹In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, ⁴⁰and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, ⁴²and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Mary’s true response to the announcement of the Advent is during her visit with Elizabeth. It is not Gabriel’s words but Elizabeth’s confirmation of those words which sparked the Magnificat.

Mary may have been tempted to visit Elizabeth to “check out” the angel’s words. After all, Elizabeth’s pregnancy should be evident by the sixth month. Their interaction shows the Holy Spirit using Elizabeth to confirm the announcement.

1. Where do we hear the words of verse 42 most commonly?

• What title did Elizabeth give to Mary (verse 43)?

• What was the reaction to Mary’s greeting as she came into the house (verses 41, 44)?

• Why did Elizabeth say Mary is to be blessed (verse 45)?

Much of Mary’s song can be traced back to prophecy and words of the Old Testament (there are about 20 parallel Old Testament passages in these 10 verses). Yet, Mary’s thoughts are a reflection on what has been revealed to her personally through the announcement.

• What reason does Mary give for rejoicing?

• What is the result?

• Mary shifts the emphasis from herself to God in verses 49-50.
  • She praises God for three of His attributes. Which attributes?

• Who benefits from these attributes?

• Read verses 51-53. The climax of Mary’s hymn comes in these verses. She contrasts what a godless world reveres with what God has done (and continues to do, and will complete at the Second Coming of the Lord). Write those contrasting points.
  • Verse 51 – He has performed ________________________________________.
    He has scattered __________________________________________________.
  • Verse 52 – He has brought down _____________________________________.
    He has lifted up __________________________________________________.
  • Verse 53 – He has filled ____________________________________________.
    He has sent away _________________________________________________.

My Response

Announcing the Advent to Mary meant taking God at His Word even when it seemed a great mystery as to how that Word would be fulfilled. It meant a very real personal involvement. It meant an opportunity to praise God for His great faithfulness.

Sometimes we fail to realize the extent of God’s involvement in our lives as a result of His Son’s coming into our world. Luther is said to have suggested that each of us should think of ourselves as little Christs in doing good for others.

1. Can you identify with a Mary whose life certainly was different from anything she might have ever dreamed it to be because the Lord came into her life? How might this be reflected in your life?

• Mary is an example of praise for us. Her hymn reflects what the Old Testament prophets and psalmists had already said. Do we use those words of praise when we think of the great things God has done for us?