Luke 1:53 - Printer Friendly

ESV: he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

NIV: He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

NASB: He has filled the hungry with good things, And sent the rich away empty-handed.

CSB: He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

NLT: He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.

KJV: He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

NKJV: He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty.

In psalms, prophecies, and other forms of praise, Scripture often speaks of God's impending acts as if they have already happened. Since God's promise is absolute, that which He declares is "as good as done." As Mary (Luke 1:26–27) rejoices over her role in the birth of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:31–33), she is making many allusions to the Old Testament (Luke 1:46–52). Many of these serve a dual purpose. They praise God for what He has already done, as well as celebrating how the Messiah will accomplish these things in an ultimate, final way (Isaiah 9:6–7; Revelation 19:11–15; 21:1–5).

Prior verses noted God's power and holiness being expressed in humiliating the arrogant, while uplifting those rejected by the world (Daniel 4:37; Psalm 89:13; Obadiah 1:4; Isaiah 13:11; 1 Samuel 2:8). Here, Mary makes another contrast. God's work sustains those who are needy (Psalm 34:10; Matthew 6:31–33). At the same time, He demonstrates that earthly wealth has no eternal value (Luke 6:24).

Luke 1:39–56 contains Mary's visit with her relative, Elizabeth, and her resulting praise of God. Both women are miraculously pregnant. Despite her old age, Elizabeth is several months pregnant with a boy who will one day be known as John the Baptist (Luke 1:13). Mary, a virgin, has recently learned that God has conceived in her the Messiah, to be named Jesus (Luke 1:31). The unborn John reacts when he hears Mary's voice. Mary responds to this with extensive praise of God, calling Him her "Savior." After staying for a while—possibly until the birth of John—Mary returns home.

The angel Gabriel predicts two miraculous births. The first is a son born to Zechariah and Elizabeth: an older, childless priest and his wife. Because Zechariah initially doubts this message, he is temporarily made unable to speak. Their child will be known as John the Baptist, a powerful herald of the Messiah. The Promised One whom John will proclaim is the second birth predicted by Gabriel. He tells an engaged virgin, Mary, that God will miraculously conceive His Son in her. The two women meet and rejoice over their blessings. John's arrival sets the stage for Luke's familiar account of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Luke was a travelling companion of the apostle Paul (Acts 16:10); his book of Acts is a direct "sequel" to the gospel of Luke (Acts 1:1–3). Those two books make up more than a quarter of the New Testament. Luke begins by explaining how his orderly approach is meant to inspire confidence in Christian faith. His work is based on eyewitness interviews and other evidence. The first chapter details the miraculous conceptions of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. Chapter 2 continues with Jesus' birth.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.

Accessed 5/10/2024 1:17:19 PM