The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 26

tieginn~ of the l1111t clBuse, bidding ns eee in the et&tement which precede■ ihe reaaon of the Bssertion whioh follows. The statement ill that the Holy Gho■ t 1houlci eDCl'lllll tJie motbt!l'--therefore the holineBB of the Lord. Mark, the difference between Christ's h,,liness and ours is not in kind : it is in tbie, that hie generation WAS that which 1R dcnotea 1n our regeneration. Or course, in the human naiure of Chri■t we must reco~ni?.e en Bltogethor exceptional work of Divine power, Bui the efficient cause in his birth is the efficient cause in all spiritual birth. Holiness, we see, ia noi a mere Bttainmcnt, the result of adherence to a moral regimen, of obedience to a moral law; it is a new supernature.l being-" born of the Spirit." What took ple.ce, i.Ja a marvellous way, even before the actual birth of the Son of Mary, takes place in the casA of every one born from above. He is "born not of blcod, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will -,f m&11, but of God." And therefore that which is born, being holy. is the Son of God. (2) The word, "that holy thing," or "that which is to be born," the.t sacred, separated entity, me.y 1mggest a hint as to the Person of Jesus. Body and soul arc one thing, each having its own properties e.nd qualities which cannot be transferred to the other, yet the two making one. It is not possible to tell where body ends and soul begins. Now, in the Son of Mary we have the humanity e.nd the Divinity, each perfect and complete. Whatever can be said of man can be said of him; what can be said of God can also be s:Lid of him. Very man and very God. He is one Person. The one entity born of the Virgin is the Son of God. More than this let us not try to say. "Faith through the veil of flesh oan see The face of thy Divinity, My Lord, my God, my Saviour." "This is the doing of the Lord, and it is marvellous in our eyes." , ers. 39-56.-The two expectant mothers. I. THE RETIREMENT. Elisabeth (ver. 24) had hide.en herself when she knew that the promise of the angel would be fulfilled. Why she did so we are not t.old, but the language of ver. 26 suggests a religious motive. She was filled with gratitude, and she desired, perhaps, a season of holy rest and com- munion with God. "In silence and solitude," says Thomas ;}. Kempis, "the soul a<lvantageth herself, and learneth the mysteries of Holy Scripture." 'l'he same reason may partly have influenced Mary. But, besides this, there is no doubt that she wishe~ to enjoy fellowship with her who alone could share her feeling, and with whom (ver. 36) .ler own prospect of motherhood was so intimately associated. Who can speak of the welcome, the salutations, the conferences, of the two cousins? "0 days of heaven and nights of equal praise, Serene and peaceful as these heavenly days, When souls, drawu upward in communion sweet, Enjoy the stillness of some close retreat, Discourse, as if released and safe at home, Of evils pa.t and danger yet to come, And spread the sacred treasure of the breast Upon the lap of covenanted rest I " TI. TnE RONG oF MARY. Elisabeth, receiving Mary, speaks by the Holy Ghost. M,uy L:,d been told of her cousin's co~dition, but Elisabeth h~d receiv~ no inti;Dation of Mary's. The arrival of the latter 1s the moment of special revelation. Elisabeth (ver. 42) lifts up her voice_witb a loud cry. The sound_ of_ Mary's voice (ver. 44) bail occasioned the prophetic impulse. She declares the V1rgm the mother of her Lord, and in beautiful humility asks, " Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should cowe to me?" And, it may be, feeling the contrast between the faith of the Viruin and the unbelief of her husband, she pronounces a blessing on her who had beli;ved. Then in response from Mary, comes the song which the Christian Church has incorporated' into its liturgies, which i~ has regarded as the openi_ng of that fount~i~ of praise, that wonderful hymnology, which has made glad the city of God. W1tll regard Lo this hymn-" the Mag~_ificat," as it is us1_1ally designated : . 1. Compare it with the song of Hannah (1 Sam. 11.). In both there 1s the same blendrng of personal on. L 1-80.) 'l'HE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 17