And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.
και μακαρια η πιστευσασα οτι εσται τελειωσις τοις λελαλημενοις αυτη παρα κυριου
17 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 33 commentaries
Or else the Virgin kept to herself all those things which have been said, not revealing them to any one, for she did not believe that any credit would be given to her wonderful story; nay, she rather thought she would suffer reproach if she told it, as if wishing to screen her own guilt.
She went into the mountains, because Zacharias dwelt there. As it follows, To a city of Juda, and entered into the house of Zacharias. Learn, O holy women, the attention which ye ought to shew for your kinswomen with child. For Mary, who before dwelt alone in the secret of her chamber, neither virgin modesty caused to shrink from the public gaze, nor the rugged mountains from pursuing her purpose, nor the tediousness of the journey from performing her duty. Learn also, O virgins, the lowliness of Mary. She came a kinswoman to her next of kin, the younger to the elder, nor did she merely come to her, but was the first to give her salutations; as it follows, And she saluted Elisabeth. For the more chaste a virgin is, the more humble she should be, and ready to give way to her elders.
Let her then be the mistress of humility, in whom is the profession of chastity. Mary is also a cause of piety, in that the higher went to the lower, that the lower might be assisted, Mary to Elisabeth, Christ to John.
But because there have been other holy women who yet have borne sons stained with sin, she adds, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Or another interpretation is, having said, Blessed art thou among women, she then, as if some one enquired the cause, answers, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb: as it is said, Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. The Lord God, and he hath shewed us light; (Ps. 118:26, 27.) for the Holy Scriptures often use and, instead of because.
The mother of our Lord had come to see Elisabeth, as also the miraculous conception, from which the Angel had told her should result the belief of a far greater conception, to happen to herself; and to this belief the words of Elisabeth refer, And blessed art thou who hast believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told thee from the Lord.
But in order to say this, as the Evangelist has premised, she was filled with the Holy Spirit, by whose revelation undoubtedly she knew what that leaping of the child meant; lamely, that the mother of Him had come unto her, whose forerunner and herald that child was to be. Such then night be the meaning of so great an event; to be known indeed by grown up persons, but not understood by a little child; for she said not, “The babe leaped in faith in my womb,” but leaped for joy. Now we see not only children leaping for joy, but even the cattle; not surely from any faith or religious feeling, or any rational knowledge. But this joy was strange and unwonted, for it was in the womb; and at the coming of her who was to bring forth the Saviour of the world.
This joy, therefore, and as it were reciprocal salutation to the mother of the Lord, was caused (as miracles are) by Divine influences in the child, not in any human way by him. For even supposing the exercise of reason and the will had been so far advanced in that child, as that he should be able in the bowels of his mother to know, believe, and assent; yet surely that must be placed among the miracles of Divine power, not referred to human examples.
Refer to the Commentary on Luke. In 1:34, She is considered blessed not only for being a servant of the natural sacraments but also for her faith in being worthy of such a role. This recognition was not born from triviality; rather, she uncovered an extraordinary and indescribable treasure of complete wisdom, faith, and holiness. The Holy Spirit affirmed this when He proclaimed her blessed, as one who welcomed the message and obeyed the gospel with unwavering trust. Additionally, her mother, filled with the Holy Spirit, declared her blessed, stating, “Blessed is she who has believed, because the things spoken to her from the Lord will be fulfilled” (Lk. 1:45).
“Blessed is she who has faith, for all that the Lord has spoken will be fulfilled.” When Mary shared with Elizabeth the revelation she had received, Elizabeth received her warmly, believing in the realization of the prophecies spoken by the prophets and their followers. Mary then responded with joy, reflecting the truth of everything revealed to her by the Angel and Elizabeth. She proclaimed, “My soul magnifies the Lord” (Luke 1:46) and continued from there. In response to Elizabeth’s declaration, “Blessed is she who believed,” Mary added, “all generations will call me blessed” (Lk. 1:48). In these moments and through these words, Mary began to announce the dawning of the new kingdom.
The Angel, when he announced the hidden mysteries to the Virgin, that he might build up her faith by an example, related to her the conception of a barren woman. When Mary heard it, it was not that she disbelieved the oracle, or was uncertain about the messenger, or doubtful of the example, but rejoicing in the fulfilment of her wish, and consicentious in the observance of her duty, she gladly went forth into the hill country. For what could Mary now, filled with God, (plena Deo) but ascend into the higher parts with haste!
The grace of the Holy Spirit knows not of slow workings. Learn, ye virgins, not to loiter in the streets, nor mix in public talk.
But soon the blessed fruits of Mary’s coming and our Lord’s presence are made evident. For it follows, And it came to pass, that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb. Mark the distinction and propriety of each word. Elisabeth first heard the word, but John first experienced the grace. She heard by the order of nature, he leaped by reason of the mystery. She perceived the coming of Mary, he the coming of the Lord.
She who had hid herself because she conceived a son, began to glory that she carried in her womb a prophet, and she who had before blushed, now gives her blessing; as it follows, And she spake out with a loud voice, Blessed art thou among women. With a loud voice she exclaimed when she perceived the Lord’s coming, for she believed it to be a holy birth. But she says, Blessed art thou among women. For none was ever partaker of such grace or could be, since of the one Divine seed, there is one only parent.
She says it not ignorantly, for she knew it was by the grace and operation of the Holy Spirit that the mother of the prophet should be saluted by the mother of his Lord, to the advancement and growth of her own pledge; but being aware that this was of no human deserving, but a gift of Divine grace, she therefore says, Whence is this to me, that is, By what right of mine, by what that I have done, for what good deeds?
You see that Mary doubted not but believed, and therefore the fruit of faith followed.
But happy are ye also who have heard and believed, for whatever soul hath believed, both conceives and brings forth the word of God, and knows His works.
He refers to Mary as blessed for having faith in the message she received from the Lord through the angel. Elizabeth recognized not only the announcement but also the Virgin's belief in it. Thus, while others have given birth despite their barrenness, no child has ever been honored with prophetic grace while being carried in their mother's womb.
For Jesus who was in her womb hastened to sanctify John, still in the womb of his mother. Whence it follows, with haste.
He was not filled with the Spirit, until she stood near him who bore Christ in her womb. Then indeed he was both filled with the Spirit, and leaping imparted the grace to his mother; as it follows, And Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. But we cannot doubt that she who was then filled with the Holy Spirit, was filled because of her son.
Now in saying this, she coincides with her son. For John also felt that he was unworthy of our Lord’s coming to him. But she gives the name of “the mother of our Lord” to one still a virgin, thus forestalling the event by the words of prophecy. Divine foreknowledge brought Mary to Elisabeth, that the testimony of John might reach the Lord. For from that time Christ ordained John to be a prophet. Hence it follows, For, to, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded, &c.
Now she rightly calls the Lord the fruit of the virgin’s womb, because He proceeded not from man, but from Mary alone. For they who are sown by their fathers are the fruits of their fathers.
But to Elisabeth alone she has recourse, as she was wont to do from their relationship, and other close bonds of union.
For the Prophet sees and hears more acutely than his mother, and salutes the chief of Prophets; but as he could not do this in words, he leaps in the womb, which was the greatest token of his joy. Who ever heard of leaping at a time previous to birth? Grace introduced things to which nature was a stranger. Shut up in the womb, the soldier acknowledged his Lord and King soon to be born, the womb’s covering being no obstacle to the mystical sight.
This fruit alone then is blessed, because it is produced without man, and without sin.
From this place we derive the refutation of Eutyches, in that Christ is stated to be the fruit of the womb. For all fruit is of the same nature with the tree that bears it. It remains then that the virgin was also of the same nature with the second Adam, who takes away the sins of the world. But let those also who invent curious fictions concerning the flesh of Christ, blush when they hear of the real child-bearing of the mother of God. For the fruit itself proceeds from the very substance of the tree. Where too are those who say that Christ passed through the virgin as water through an aqueduct? Let these consider the words of Elisabeth who was filled with the Spirit, that Christ was the fruit of the womb. It follows, And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
She was touched with the spirit of prophecy at once, both as to the past, present, and future. She knew that Mary had believed the promises of the Angel; she perceived when she gave her the name of mother, that Many was carrying in her womb the Redeemer of mankind; and when she foretold that all things would be accomplished, she saw also what was to follow in the future.
Mary is blessed by Elisabeth with the same words as before by Gabriel, to shew that she was to be reverenced both by men and angels.
This is the fruit which is promised to David, Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. (Ps. 132:11.)
Nor is it to be wondered at, that our Lord, about to redeem the world, commenced His mighty works with His mother, that she, through whom the salvation of all men was prepared, should herself be the first to reap the fruit of salvation from her pledge.
But every soul which has conceived the word of God in the heart, straightway climbs the lofty summits of the virtues by the stairs of love, so as to be able to enter into the city of Juda, (into the citadel of prayer and praise, and abide as it were for three months in it,) to the perfection of faith, hope, and charity.
These remarks indicate that Elizabeth had gained significant insight. It was almost as if she was expressing, "Your faith in the Evangelist’s words is commendable." She recognized the nature of her encounter with the angel. “Blessed are You, for You have accomplished Your mission perfectly. All of humanity appeared before You, and You manifested as You were meant to." This stands in contrast to my husband’s response. "You have believed well, trusting that what the Lord has declared will indeed come to pass." What God has proclaimed will be fulfilled, regardless of how far removed it may seem from human comprehension. Elizabeth articulated this with increased assurance because she had witnessed the realization of God’s promise firsthand.
In Elizabeth's greeting, there exists a remarkable joy, accompanied by a reverence stemming from her understanding of the situation. Could Elizabeth have simply heard from others about God's visit to Mary? It seems unlikely. If Mary had shared her experience with anyone, it would have first been with Joseph, yet he remained unaware. Since he did not know, it can be inferred that the secret of the Gospel resided within Mary's heart. Hence, Elizabeth spoke under divine inspiration.
Blessed is she who has placed her faith! Saint Ambrosius also declares blessed are all of you who listen and have faith; for every soul that possesses a living faith spiritually conceives and brings forth the Word of God, and in humility acknowledges His marvelous deeds.
After the Archangel Gabriel departed from the Blessed Virgin, she quickly made her way to Elizabeth’s home to witness the sign bestowed upon her by the heavenly messenger. In Elizabeth’s household, Mary encountered two confirmations of the truth of the Archangel’s message. First, she saw with her own eyes the veracity of the announcement regarding Elizabeth. Second, through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth acknowledged Mary as the Mother of God. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, she felt an extraordinary stirring within her womb, which elicited a joyful response (v. 44). Simultaneously, the Holy Spirit, who had overshadowed Elizabeth, unveiled the meaning and reason for this movement.
Filled with reverence, Elizabeth praised Mary and the holy child she bore with a loud voice. She expressed her own humility, recognizing it as a gift of God’s grace that the Mother of God visited her, and she ultimately celebrated Mary’s faith in the divine message of the Archangel.
Upon receiving such profound and mysterious tidings, the blessed virgin experienced an intense desire to share her joy with someone dear to her. However, the righteous Joseph, due to his age and status, was not the person to whom she could entrust her secret joy. Thus, the most fitting choice was her elderly relative Elizabeth, who also had been blessed with a similar joy and had served as a motherly figure during her time in the temple. Consequently, she promptly prepared for her journey. The road ahead was neither short nor simple; it was a trek that would take at least three or four days through rugged mountains. Yet, filled with an indescribable joy, she traveled the entire distance from Judea. Upon arriving at her kinswoman's home, she joyfully greeted and embraced Elizabeth.
This unexpected visit and Mary's spirited greeting left a lasting impression on Elizabeth, causing the child within her to leap, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. In her exuberance, she cried out with a loud voice: “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb! And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy greeting sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."
"Blessed is she who has believed," referring to Mary, who embraced the message of the Angel, is truly blessed—experiencing the utmost joy; blessed not only for her faith but also for the certainty that what she believed will certainly come to pass.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 12 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS