The angel left Mary, and she set off to visit Elisabeth either at Hebron or Juttah (whichever way we under- stand the ti'c T)]v 6peipi]v ili; ttoXiv 'lovSa, Luke i, 39), where the latter lived with her husband Zacharias, about twenty miles to the south of Jerusalem, and there- fore at a very considerable distance from Nazareth. Immediately on her entrance into the house she was saluted by Elisabeth as the mother of her Lord, and had evidence of the truth of the angel's saying with regard to her cousin. She embodied her feelings of exultation and thankfidness in the hymn known under the name of the Magnificat. Whether this was uttered by im- mediate inspiration, in reply to EHsabeth's salutation, or composed during her journey from Nazareth, or was written at a later period of her three months' visit at Hebron, does not appear with certainty. The hymn is founded on Hannah's song of thankfulness (1 Sam. ii, 1- 10), and exhibits an intimate knowledge of the Psalms, prophetical writings, and books of Moses, from which sources almost every expression in it is drawn. The most remarkable clause, " From henceforth all genera- tions shall call me blessed," is borrowed from Leah's ex- clamation on the birth of Asher (Gen. xxx, 13). The same sentiment and expression are also found in Prov. xxxi, 28 ; Mai. iii, 12 ; James v, 1 1. In the latter place the word fiaKapiZ.u) is rendered with great exactness " count happy." The notion that there is conveyed in the word any anticipation of her bearing the title of " Blessed" arises solely from ignorance.
^ Various opinions have been lield as to the purpose of divine Wisdom in causing tlic Saviour to be born of a betrothed rather than a disem/aficd virgin. It seems eminently seemly and decorous that tlie mother of the Messiah should have some one to vouch for her virgin- ity, and to act as her protector and the foster-father of her child, and that he shouW be one who, as heir of the throne of David, would give to his ailopted Son the legal rights to the same dignity, while of all persons he was the most interested in resisting the claims of a pretend- 3r. Origen, following Ignatius, thinks it was in order
to baffle the cunning of the devil, and keep him in igno- rance of the fact of the Lord's advent.
Mary returned to Nazareth shortly before the birth of John the Baptist, and continued living at her own home. In the course of a few months Joseph became aware that slie was with child, and determined on giv- ing her a bill of divorcement, instead of yielding her up to tlie law to suffer the penalty which he supposed that she had incurred. Being, however, warned and satisfied by an angel who appeared to him in a dream, he took her to his own house. It was soon after this, as it would seem, that Augustus's decree was promulgated, and Joseph and ]\Iary travelled to Bethlehem to have their names enrolled in the registers (B.C. 6) by way of preparation for the taxing, which, however, was not comi)leted till several years afterwards (A.D. C), in the governorship of Quirinus. They reached Bethlehem, and there JIary brought forth the Saviour of the world, and humbly laid him in a manger.
Bethlehem stands on the narrow ridge of a long gray hill running east and west, and its position suggests the difficulty that a crowd of travellers woidd have in find- ing shelter within it. As early as the second century, a neighboring cave was fixed upon as the stable where Joseph abode, and where accordingly Christ was born and laid in the manger. The hill-sides are covered with vinej-ards, and a range of convents occupies the height, and incloses within it the cave of the nativity ; but there are grassy slopes adjoining, where the shep- herds may have kept watch over their flocks, seen the vision of the angelic hosts, and heard the divine song of " Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will towards men." Full of wonder and hope, they sought the lowly sojourn of the Virgin, and there saw with their own eyes what the Lord had made known to them. But while the}' published abroad and spread the wondrous tale, j\Iary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
3. The circumcision, the adoration of the wise men, and the presentation in the Temple, are rather scenes in the life of Christ than in that of his mother. The pres- entation in the Temple might not take place till forty days after the birth of the child. During this period the mother, according to the law of Moses, was unclean (Lev. xii). In the present case there could be no ne- cessity for offering the sacrifice and making atonement beyond that of obedience to the Mosaic precept ; but already he, and his mother for him, were acting upon the principle of fulfilling all righteousness. The pover- ty of Mary and Joseph, it may be noted, is shown by their making the offering of the poor. But though to- kens of poverty attended her on this occasion, she was met by notes of welcome and hymns of grateful joy by the worthiest and most venerable of Jerusalem. Sim- eon, we know, was a just and devout man — one who wait- ed for the consolation of Israel, and had revelations from the Holy Ghost ; but tradition also says that he was the great rabbi Simeon, the son of Hdlel, and father of Ga- maliel, in whose days, according to the rabbins, the birth of Jesus of Nazareth took place (RosenmiiUer, quoted by Wordsworth). Anna, too, who had spent her long life in daily attendance at the worship of the Temple, was evidently the centre of a devout circle, whose minds had been led by the study of Scripture to an expecta- tion of redemption. IMary wondered when Simeon took her child into his arms, and received him as the prom- ised salvation of the Lord, the light of the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel; but it was the wonder of joy at the miexpected confirmation of the promise already given to her by the angel. The song of Simeon and the thanks- giving of Anna, like the wonder of the shepherds and the adoration of the magi, only incidentally refer to Mary. One passage alone in Simeon's address is spe- cially directed to her : " Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also." The exact purport of these words is doubtfid. A common patristic explanation refers them to the pang of unbelief which shot through her