The Magnificat (Part 3)

"He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty." (Luke 1:51-53 ESV)

In this central section of the Magnificat, Mary articulates a revolutionary understanding of God's kingdom principles—principles embodied in the coming of Christ. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones observes that these verses reveal how the incarnation challenges and overturns human value systems.

Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Mary's song describes not merely what God has done historically but what He characteristically does. The verbs appear in what grammarians call the "gnomic aorist"—indicating actions that represent God's consistent pattern rather than one-time events. Through the ages, God consistently scatters the proud, brings down the mighty, exalts the humble, fills the hungry, and sends the rich away empty.

The phrase "he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts" reveals that God's judgment begins at the level of internal attitude. Lloyd-Jones notes that pride—the assumption of self-sufficiency and self-importance—represents the fundamental sin from which all others flow. The incarnation confronts human pride at its core. The omnipotent Creator enters creation as a helpless baby, demonstrating that salvation comes not through human achievement but divine condescension.

The social reversals Mary describes—the mighty brought down, the humble exalted, the hungry filled, the rich emptied—characterize the kingdom Christ establishes. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that these reversals begin spiritually but will ultimately manifest physically and socially. Those who recognize their spiritual poverty receive God's riches; those who presume their own righteousness remain impoverished.

Mary's perspective profoundly influenced Jesus' later teaching. The Beatitudes, the parables, and Christ's interactions consistently demonstrate these same kingdom principles—exalting what the world devalues and challenging what the world esteems.

Lloyd-Jones observes that Mary's song anticipates the paradoxes of the gospel. The way up is down. Strength comes through weakness. Life emerges from death. The King becomes a servant. The Messiah suffers. The stable leads to the cross, which leads to the crown.

This Christmas, examine whether your values align with those expressed in the Magnificat. Do you value what God values? Do you measure success by worldly standards or kingdom principles? The incarnation calls us to revolutionary counterculture—embracing humility rather than pride, spiritual hunger rather than self-satisfaction, dependence on God rather than self-reliance.

As you celebrate the child in the manger, recognize that His kingdom consistently upends human expectations. His birth in Bethlehem's obscurity rather than Jerusalem's prominence exemplifies precisely the reversals Mary's song celebrates.