Mary speaks of the Lord God as “my Savior,” using
language familiar from Hab 3:18 (cf. Ps 24:5; Isa 12:2; Zeph 3:17). How she perceives God fulfilling this
role and, thus, why she praises him
thus are outlined in the ensuing verses. The use of the verb “rejoice,” in this
particular setting where “joy” and “gladness” are related to the eschatological
coming of God (vv 14, 28, 44), already provides strong hints, however.
Verse 48 provides the first basis for Mary’s praise: God
has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. This line has clear
connections with vv 49–50 in that God’s might is contrasted with her lowliness,
a contrast that works to her benefit; and v 50, since this looking with favor
is one manifestation of God’s mercy. “Lowliness” is sometimes used in Israel’s
Scriptures with reference to the humiliation of barrenness (e.g., Gen 16:11;
29:32; 1 Sam 1:11). This is not the case here. The term might also be used with
reference to the oppressed people of God. This places Mary’s
affirmation of God’s saving act squarely in the context of the lowliness
experienced by Israel under foreign domination in its past and at the time of
Mary’s Song in Luke’s narrative world (1:5). From such domination God has acted
to deliver Israel (vv 52–53). Mary’s low estate, then, can and should be taken
as representative of her people’s. Nevertheless, Mary’s “lowliness” is not only
metaphorical and representative. The term Luke uses belongs to the semantic
domain of “the poor” in Luke-Acts, a domain associated with low status honor. This clearly was the case in Luke’s characterization of Mary. Indeed, her
favorable status—asserted by Gabriel, confirmed by Elizabeth, and now embraced
by Mary herself—is a consequence solely of God’s surprising grace. This leads
her to sing her praise of “God my Savior.”
This will also lead to the recognition by others of her
divinely appointed status. Elizabeth’s earlier affirmation (1:42–45) is to be
prototypical, to be repeated by others—for the decisive era of salvation has
dawned, and Mary’s role in the advent of the Savior is pivotal. (Joel
B. Green, The Gospel of Luke [The New International Commentary on the
New Testament; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1997], 102-3)
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