Luke 1:48 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Luke 1:48

Comments

The word ‘low estate’ – can be translated ‘humility’, but in context it is not so much about Mary’s humility, as it is about her real status. She is not drawing attention to how she sees herself, but to how others see her, or how she really is. She knows she is not one of the great ones of the earth. She was a woman of no significance, no importance in society, the wife of a simple carpenter. The world would have passed her by if asked to identify one who could do some great task, or should receive some great honour. Why should God choose me for such an enormous privilege? she asks. Certainly she is a humble woman, and that is important, but that follows her true assessment of herself. She would agree with those who say she is nothing. Yet God has regarded her.And yet she is the handmaiden of God, one who waits quietly to be given work to do for him, one who is attentive to what pleases him. Bearing the Christ child is going to be a responsibility that brings countless joys, as she observes he who was without sin so close at hand. She will witness his responses to other children and then to the adult world, and she will never see him express any of the normal behaviour of fallen people. She will see his patience, his kindness, his helpfulness, his grace and mercy, and she will know his love to her as a son. But she will also suffer for taking on this role. Simeon will tell her so in the next chapter (Luke 2:35). ‘For, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.’ Mary knows that her child will be lifted up for all subsequent generations to see. All who know God will count her child to be their King (verse 33), and they will count Mary his mother as blessed above all other women.

Application

God regards; he notes; he examines the heart of every man, woman, and child. He does not assess greatness as man assesses greatness. His values are not man’s values. He makes choices according to his own wisdom, and the things he regards as precious are judged by the world as of little worth. So it was that Christ took a little child and brought him before the disciples and said, ‘Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 18:4). We humble ourselves, because we are realists. We do it because we know it is true that we are as nothing before the Lord. But following this true assessment of ourselves, we walk humbly because we know that we are nothing. Pride is so ugly just because it is so false; it constructs a fiction. Mary is a humble woman before the Lord, but she is humble because she is indeed a person of low estate.

How do we prepare ourselves to be used by God? Do we vaunt ourselves, and draw attention to our gifts? Or do we trust God enough to know that he will find us when the time comes, and exalt us in due time just because we have humbled ourselves. By choosing her, God has commended and approved her humility. He loves to see humility in his people, and we must study to put on humility. That means that we put to death every proud thought, every ambitious thought, every self-centred thought. We swap it out for a better thought. We examine our own hearts, our own motives constantly and we ask, ‘Why did I do that? Why do I want to do that?’ We are our own sharpest critics. No one can be humble before God if they are not also humble before men; the two things go together. Being humble does not mean however that we always give way to others, that we are easily pushed around. We must know what we believe and what is right. Humility makes us ready to serve God and be used by him. The humble need not fear that by taking a low position they will be passed by for great opportunities. God knows what they are, and he will seek them out at the right time. The more we can think lowly thoughts of our self, the more real we become. Don’t be someone who loves flattery from others. Thank them, but then forget it. To use an unhealthy illustration, it is like the difference between those who smoke but don’t inhale, and those who breathe the smoke deep into their lungs. Don’t inhale. Don’t build up your self-esteem as the world tells you to do, but build reliance on Christ.

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Luke 1:48 Commentary and Bible Study