Luke 1:50 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Luke 1:50

Comments

Here is an echo of the Old Testament promises (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 103:17; Isaiah 51:8; Daniel 4:3, 34; Joel 3:20). God’s mercy is his readiness to fulfil our every need. The coming of Christ into the world is about mercy, not about the peace of the world. That must wait until the second coming of Christ. Before he comes the Lord speaks of wars and rumours of wars as more characteristic of this world. ‘On them that fear him.’ Many people will fail to find him and to understand the purpose of his coming, and the benefits, because it is not for all. It is for countless hosts, but not for all. She points this out so delicately. This is not about those who fear in the sense of terror, but as a child fears a father, loves his father, but fears to disregard him, to disobey him; he holds his father in awe. In the past a monarch was truly a ruler and people feared. So if God says, ‘Repent, and come to me’, they respond and obey; they are interested in his will, not theirs. They want to please him. ‘Lord, I desire to live according to thy rules’, now that brings mercy.

Application

Mary knows that there is a problem for men and women. She has started by saying, ‘Holy is his name.’ How can men be loved by a holy God? How can he who is pledged to punish all sin, embrace them as his beloved children? This theme of mercy is what makes the incarnation as wonderful as it is. We cannot have mercy as we are, so God has come in the person of his Son to take the punishment on our behalf. Mercy, forgiveness, new life: that is what we need.

We need his mercy on a daily basis. We need it also in all we do, for we are so inadequate. ‘Oh, but I have trained for my job,’ you reply, ‘and do I really need his help even for that?’ Yes, you do. Every breath you take is given to you. Am I going to witness? I cannot do it without his blessing; I offer up an emergency prayer first.

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Luke 1:50 Commentary and Bible Study