Luke 1:39-56
Good morning, RTB’ers!
I found myself answering elements of the STS’s first question this morning even before I read the question. As I read through Mary’s “Magnificat” I saw that she was referring to God’s relationship to herself in Luke 1:48-49 and then, pretty much to God’s relationship to the history of Israel in Luke 1:50-55. I hadn’t really noticed that before.
Two further reflections… First, my NASB Study Bible suggested that Mary stayed with Elizabeth through Elizabeth’s deliverance of her son, John. Presumably they add together Luke 1:36, that Elizabeth was in her sixth month; Luke 1:39, that Mary left quickly; and Luke 1:56, that Mary stayed with Elizabeth another three months. I’m guessing that most of us could draw that same conclusion.
My second item has to do with geography. It would be good if everyone has a (study?) Bible with maps in the back or an Internet connection with access to a map app. There are a couple of points worth noting from today’s reading. First, Zechariah (or Zacharias) and Elizabeth lived in “…the hill country of Judah”. (v. 39) Geographically, the hill country of Judah is a mountainous region west of the Dead Sea and south of Jerusalem. The major city in that region is Hebron, where King David ruled over Judah for seven years and six months (II Samuel 5:5). Jerusalem to Hebron would have been about a 12-hour walk. We don’t know exactly where Elizabeth lived, but she was somewhere in that region in and around Hebron, very likely somewhere between Hebron and Jerusalem. The point here is that when Mary went to visit her relative Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-40), she would have had a 3-4 day journey. Nazareth to Jerusalem would have been a 3-day journey, walking along the Jordan River, then another day (or portion thereof) on to wherever Elizabeth lived in the hill country of Judah. So, not a short trip for Mary, especially in her first trimester. Mothers, you can tell us all about what it would have been like for Mary in her first trimester! You’ll find that I love geography! Shortly we’ll find Mary traveling to Bethlehem to deliver her Child, Jesus. Bethlehem is also in the hill country of Judah, south of Jerusalem, probably a 3-4 hour walk (or donkey ride) from Jerusalem.
Blessings!