Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 1:44
For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
44. for joy ] Rather, in exultation.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
By these words Elisabeth declareth that she looked upon the motion of the child in her womb, upon Marys salutation of her, as something more than natural.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
42-44. What beautifulsuperiority to envy have we here! High as was the distinctionconferred upon herself, Elisabeth loses sight of it altogether, inpresence of one more honored still; upon whom, with her unborn Babe,in an ecstasy of inspiration, she pronounces a benediction, feelingit to be a wonder unaccountable that “the mother of her Lordshould come to her.” “Turn this as we will, we shallnever be able to see the propriety of calling an unborn child “Lord,”but by supposing Elisabeth, like the prophets of old, enlightened toperceive the Messiah’s Divine nature” [OLSHAUSEN].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears,…. This she mentions, as the signal by which she knew that she was the mother of her Lord; namely, from that unusual and extraordinary motion of the child, she felt within her:
the babe leaped in my womb for joy; that the mother of her Lord, and his, was come thither: the Jews ought not to object to this, who affirm, that the embryos, or infants in their mother’s womb, sung the song at the Red Sea, and praised God. i
i Targum in Ps lxviii. 27. Zohar in Exod. fol. 23. 3. T. Hieros, Sota, fol. 20. 3. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 75. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
For joy [ ] . Lit., in joy. See on verse 14.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
Comments,
1) “For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded,” (idou gar hos egeneto he phone tou aspas mou sou) “For behold (take note of this) when the voice of your greeting came,” to be recognized.
2) “In mine ears,” (eis ta oto mou) “Into my ears,” so that I comprehended what you said.
3) “The babe leaped in my womb for joy.” (eskiptesen en agalliasei to brephos en te kolia mou) “The babe leaped with gladness in my womb,” Luk 1:41. Note, Elizabeth had no jealousy over Mary’s greater blessing to come, when she was to give birth to the Savior, than her giving birth to John the Baptist, His forerunner, for she was righteous in her character and conduct, allowing no camping ground for selfishness in her soul, Luk 1:6.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
44. Leaped in my womb for joy As if even before birth joyfully predicting by the Holy Spirit the Messiah at the approach of the Messiah’s future mother; as if indicating that hereafter his own joy would be fulfilled in the Messiah’s fulness. It seems most plainly accordant with the mind of the inspired writer, that, upon this occasion, the unborn harbinger salutes with joy the unborn Messiah at his first approach. From before his birth he was to be filled with the Holy Ghost. That Spirit now filled the mother because of the spirit of the child.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Luk 1:44 f. ] specifies the ground of knowledge, on which she declares Mary as the mother of the Messiah. She had the discernment of this connection through the Holy Spirit , Luk 1:41 .
] may either be the specification of the reason attached to (Vulgate, Luther, Erasmus, Beza, Lange, and others), or the statement of the contents to (Grotius, Bengel, Paulus, Kuinoel, Bornemann, de Wette, Ewald, Bleek, and others). The latter is the correct view, since the conception the chief point of the , which Elizabeth has in view is no longer future, but has already taken place. Hence: for blessed is she who has believed, that there shall be a fulfilment to all (Luk 1:31 ff.), etc. As to , comp. Jdt 10:9 ; Joh 19:28 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
Ver. 44. Leaped in my womb ] More like a suckling at the breast (as the word signifieth) than an embryo in the womb ( , puer recens natus the boy newly formed, 1Pe 2:2 ). The Spirit then worketh, even in unborn babes that are elect, some kind of saving knowledge of Christ, answerable to faith in those that are grown up. The babe’s motion here was not natural, but spiritual (saith one). Therefore John was sanctified in the womb, and did really rejoice at the presence of Christ in the Virgin. Now sanctification presupposeth justification, and that, faith. Yea, this joy was a true effect of faith in the Messiah; therefore infants are capable of faith: thus he. Seminal faith we cannot deny them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Luk 1:44 . : implies that from the movement of her child Elizabeth inferred that the mother of the Lord stood before her.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
lo. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
sounded in = came into.
for joy = in (Greek. en. App-104.) exultation.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Luk 1:44. , for) By this she seems to intimate, that at the same precise point of time both her infant-ftus leaped, and Mary began in actual fact to be mother of our Lord. Comp. the , from the-now-time [from this time forth].-, leaped) Nor was that leap of salutation the one and only act of faith [in the infant John]; for he was filled with the Holy Ghost [even from his mothers womb], Luk 1:15.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the babe: Luk 1:41
Reciprocal: Luk 6:23 – leap
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4
An unborn babe is unconscious, so the physical movement of this one was a reaction to the effect produced in the mind of Elizabeth; it was for joy of hers that caused the stirring of the babe in her womb.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 1:44. For. She recognized Mary as the mother of her Lord, in consequence of the leaping of her own unborn babe, for joy. If the movement of the child was in sympathy with the mother, then Elisabeth gives a proof of the greatness of Marys unborn child, and a reason for her humble question in Luk 1:43. As if she would say: why is such a privilege accorded to me, so great that it affects with exultation my unborn Babe!
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Elizabeth related to Mary what Luke had already told the reader about John leaping in her womb (Luk 1:41). She then announced Mary’s privileged condition. It was not just that she would bear the Messiah, but that she believed that she would bear Him when God announced that to her through Gabriel (cf. Act 27:25).
The structure of Luk 1:41-45 focuses attention on the fact that Mary would be the mother of the Messiah.
A John’s leaping in Elizabeth’s womb Luk 1:41
B Elizabeth’s blessing of Mary Luk 1:42
C Elizabeth’s acknowledgment that Mary’s child was Messiah Luk 1:43
A’ John’s leaping in Elizabeth’s womb Luk 1:44
B’ Elizabeth’s blessing of Mary Luk 1:45