Luke 1:53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
This verse is part of a praise
from Mary, the earthly mother of our Lord and Savior to her cousin Elizabeth
who was the mother of John the Baptist. The glory of Christ Jesus was so ardent
and intense that the baby that Elizabeth was carrying “leaped” in her womb when
she came into the presence of Mary while she was still carrying Christ Jesus in
her womb. In the outpouring of praise and worship to God brought forth by Mary
she is demonstrating the great love, grace, and mercy of God who fills all of
those who in the humility of their soul hungers for a relationship with God.
The attitudes of the rich and
poor are unambiguously differentiated. The rich and poor spoken of here is not
necessarily speaking of a contrast of the possession of gold and silver or
worldly chattel. The baby that Mary was carrying would later speak of the poor
and rich in spirit (Matthew 5:3) and speak of this principal concept (Luke 6:21).
John Trapp (1601-1669) said:
“No small things can fall from so great a hand. He gives like himself.” Many
people have trouble praising God for his grace and mercy that has not yet
occurred, yet here is a woman that sings praises over mercy and grace that is
yet unborn.
This contrast is of the
person, that in their great hunger for a close relationship with God, reaches
out in humble dependence and childlike trust and the person that, in their
greedy self-satisfaction and foolish pride, seeks after more and more worldly
fame and fortune. The circumstance of our personal lives, no matter how much or
how little we possess by worldly measurement, is not of great importance to our
Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. If we seek after the full blessings that God has
promised all that approach Him in the humility of heart and impoverishment of
spirit, He will supply all our needs, physical and spiritual corresponding with
His riches in Christ Jesus.
In the world, during the time
of Jesus, it was universally accepted that the rich would be cared for, and the
poor would have to accept the fact of being hungry. In this verse of scripture,
Mary is praising a God that is not constrained by worldly traditions. Our Lord
and Savior did turn human attitudes and worldly society upside down. Christ
Jesus has promised us in His Holy Word that if we, in our weariness and
affliction, will but come to him he will give us rest (Matthew 11:28). This is
an open invitation to one and all to come to Christ Jesus, who is the bread and
water of life, to be filled with all good things.
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