Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 1:43
And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
43. the mother of my Lord ] The words shew a remarkable degree of divine illumination in the mind of Elizabeth. See Joh 20:28; Joh 13:13. Yet she does not address Mary as Domina, but as ‘mater Domini’ (Bengel); and such expressions as Theotokos and ‘Mother of God’ are unknown to Scripture.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And whence is this to me? – An expression of humility. Why is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me, as if to honor me?
Mother of my Lord – The word Lord sometimes denotes divinity, and sometimes superior, master, teacher, or governor. It was given by the Jews to their expected Messiah; but whether they understood it as denoting divinity cannot now be ascertained. It is clear only that Elizabeth used it as denoting great dignity and honor.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 43. The mother of my Lord] The prophetic spirit, which appears to have overshadowed Elisabeth, gave her a clear understanding in the mystery of the birth of the promised Messiah.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Elisabeth in these words acknowledgeth both the incarnation of Christ, and the union of the Divine and human nature in the one person of the Mediator; she acknowledgeth Christ her Lord, and Mary to be his mother.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
43. “The mother of myLord“but not “My Lady” (compare Luk 20:42;Joh 20:28)” [BENGEL].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And whence is this to me,….. How comes it to pass, that such notice is taken of me, such an honour is done me; that besides being favoured with a child, who shall be great,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Elisabeth was far from envying the superior honour conferred on her kinswoman, who was both meaner and younger than she; that she esteems it a wonderful favour, that she should be indulged with a visit from her, who had already conceived the Messiah: and in due time would be the mother of him, as man; who, in his divine nature, is Lord of all angels, and men, and every creature; and in an especial manner was her Lord, and the Lord of all the saints; by his Father’s gift from eternity, by his own purchase in time, and by the power of his grace on each of their souls. Thus the virgin is said to be the mother of our Lord, and so may be called the mother of God; because she was parent of that child, which was in union with him, who is truly Lord and God: Just in such sense as the Lord of life and glory is said to be crucified, and God is said to purchase the church with his own blood, 1Co 2:8
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The mother of my Lord ( ). See Ps 110:1. Only by the help of the Holy Spirit could Elisabeth know that Mary was to be the mother of the Messiah.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And whence is this to me,” (kai pothen moi touto) “And whence is (exists) this to me,” is this happening to me. The answer is, the will of the Lord for both of them in their physical cares, 2Co 1:3-4.
2) “That the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (hina elthe he meter tou kuriou mou pros eme) “That the mother of my Lord should come of her own will, accord, or choice to me?” to visit me, 1Co 12:3; For Jesus was the Lord and Master of both Elizabeth and Mary, Joh 13:3. Elizabeth could have known this, only by the Holy Spirit.
HUMILITY AND WORTH
A farmer went with his son into a wheat field to see if it was ready for the harvest. “See, father,” exclaimed the boy, “how straight these stems hold up their heads! They must be the best ones. Those that hang their heads down, I am sure, cannot be good for much.” The farmer picked a stalk of each kind, and said, “See here, foolish child!” This stalk that stood so straight is light-headed, and almost good for nothing, while this that hung its head so modestly is full of the most beautiful grain.”
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
43. And whence is this to me? The happy medium observed by Elisabeth is worthy of notice. She thinks very highly of the favors bestowed by God on Mary, and gives them just commendation, but yet does not praise them more highly than was proper, which would have been a dishonor to God. For such is the native depravity of the world, that there are few persons who are not chargeable with one of these two faults. Some, delighted beyond measure with themselves, and desirous to shine alone, enviously despise the gifts of God in their brethren; while others praise them in so superstitious a manner as to convert them into idols. The consequence has been, that the first rank is assigned to Mary, and Christ is lowered as it were to the footstool. (43) Elisabeth, again, while she praises her, is so far from hiding the Divine glory, that she ascribes everything to God. And yet, though she acknowledges the superiority of Mary to herself and to others, she does not envy her the higher distinction, but modestly declares that she had obtained more than she deserved.
She calls Mary the mother of her Lord This denotes a unity of person in the two natures of Christ; as if she had said, that he who was begotten a mortal man in the womb of Mary is, at the same time, the eternal God. For we must bear in mind, that she does not speak like an ordinary woman at her own suggestion, but merely utters what was dictated by the Holy Spirit. This name Lord strictly belongs to the Son of God “manifested in the flesh,” (1Ti 3:16,) who has received from the Father all power, and has been appointed the highest ruler of heaven and earth, that by his agency God may govern all things. Still, he is in a peculiar manner the Lord of believers, who yield willingly and cheerfully to his authority; for it is only of “his body” that he is “the head,” (Eph 1:22.) And so Paul says, “though there be lords many, yet to us,” that is, to the servants of faith, “there is one Lord,” (1Co 8:5.) By mentioning the sudden movement of the babe which she carried in her womb, (ver. 44,) as heightening that divine favor of which she is speaking, she unquestionably intended to affirm that she felt something supernatural and divine.
(43) “ Christo velut in subsellium redacto.” S ubsellium is evidently not employed here to convey a shade of the honor belonging to the seats.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(43) Whence is this to me . . .?The sudden inspiration bids Elizabeth, rising above all lower thoughts, to recognise that the child of Mary would be also the Son of the Highest. The contrast leaves no room for doubt that she used the word Lord in its highest sense. Great as her own son was to be (Luk. 1:15) in the sight of the Lord, here was the mother of One yet greater, even of the Lord Himself.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
43. Mother of my Lord Mother of the human nature of the Incarnate. But there is something that grates painfully upon our heart as we survey the phrase of the Romish Church, “Mary the mother of God.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Luk 1:43. That the mother of my Lord should come, &c. If Elisabeth had not spoken by inspiration, as we are told, Luk 1:41 she could not so much as have suspected that Mary was to be mother of the Messiah; but it being revealed to her, she was greatly struck with the honour that was done her, and expressed her sense thereof by asking, in a rapture of astonishment, how it came to be conferred upon her? “How have I deserved this honour, that the mother of the Messiah, my Lord and Saviour, should deign to visit me?”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Ver. 43. That the mother of my Lord, &c. ] That the Lord himself should come among us, as he did in the flesh, and doth still by his Spirit. Oh, what a mercy!
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
43. ] The word , as applied to the unborn babe, can no otherwise be explained than as uttered in the spirit of prophecy, and expressing the divine nature of our Lord: see especially Psa 110:1 , from which Bleek thinks the expression is adopted.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 1:43 . : subjunctive instead of infin. with art., the beginning of a tendency, which ended in the substitution of with the subjunctive for the infinitive in modern Greek.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
to. Greek. pros. App-104.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
43.] The word , as applied to the unborn babe, can no otherwise be explained than as uttered in the spirit of prophecy, and expressing the divine nature of our Lord: see especially Psa 110:1, from which Bleek thinks the expression is adopted.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 1:43. , the Mother) This new appellation addressed to her, could not but move in her inmost soul the Virgin mother. The Mother, saith she, of my Lord; she does not, however, call her, My Lady [i.e. as if she had lordship, like Christ, over all].- , of my Lord) Comp. ch. Luk 20:42; Joh 20:28.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
whence: Luk 7:7, Rth 2:10, 1Sa 25:41, Mat 3:14, Joh 13:5-8, Phi 2:3
my: Luk 20:42-44, Psa 110:1, Joh 13:13, Joh 20:28, Phi 3:8
Reciprocal: Jos 5:14 – my lord Luk 2:11 – which Heb 7:14 – Our Lord
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
Mother of my Lord. Elizabeth could have known this only by having been filled with the Holy Ghost, for the angel said nothing about it as far as we are told.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Verse 43
That is, Why is it that I receive the honor of a visit from the mother of the Savior?
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
By "Lord" Elizabeth meant Jesus, not the entire Godhead. Consequently the Bible never ascribes the title "Mother of God" to Mary. She was the mother of Jesus, who was Elizabeth’s Lord, since He was God.
Luke used the title "Lord" 95 times out of its 166 occurrences in the Synoptics. [Note: Gaston, p. 76.]
"The use of kurios in narrative to refer to Jesus is distinctive of Luke." [Note: Marshall, The Gospel . . ., p. 81.]
This title has a double meaning. It is the word the Septuagint used to translate the Hebrew "Yahweh," and the New Testament writers used it the same way. As such, it implies deity. It also means "master" in the sense of a superior person, specifically the Messiah. This usage does not necessarily imply that the person using it believed that Jesus was God. Elizabeth apparently meant that Jesus was the Messiah at least. Luke evidently used the term "Lord" frequently because for Greek readers "Christ" or "Messiah" had little meaning. The pagan Gentiles referred to Caesar as "Lord" Caesar, meaning that he was their divine sovereign. "Lord" had the same connotation for Luke’s original readers. Jesus is the divine sovereign for Christians.
Elizabeth considered herself unworthy that the mother of Messiah should visit her (2Sa 24:21; cf. 2Sa 6:2-11). John the Baptist did not understand that Jesus was the Messiah until Jesus’ baptism (Joh 1:32-33). She had done nothing to deserve this honor. Her inspired words reflect the superiority of Mary’s child over her own son.