Relationship Between Elizabeth and Mary in the Gospels
The relationship between Elizabeth and Mary, as depicted in the Gospel of Luke, is one of kinship and shared divine experience, centered on the miraculous conceptions of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, was a relative of Mary, the mother of Jesus [3, 5, 6]. While some translations identify Elizabeth as Mary's cousin, the Greek term used is more general, indicating a broader familial connection [8]. Elizabeth was of the tribe of Levi and the lineage of Aaron, while Mary was of the tribe of Judah and the lineage of David [3, 5].
The Gospel of Luke records a significant encounter between the two women. After the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive Jesus by the Holy Spirit, the angel also informed her that her relative Elizabeth, despite her old age, was six months pregnant [1, 10]. Mary then traveled to the hill country of Judea to visit Elizabeth [10]. Upon Mary's greeting, the baby in Elizabeth's womb—John the Baptist—leaped, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit [1]. Elizabeth then exclaimed, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!" [1]. This interaction highlights Elizabeth's recognition of Mary's unique role as the mother of the Messiah, even before Jesus' birth.
Mary responded to Elizabeth's blessing with a song of praise, often called the Magnificat, which echoes Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 [7]. This song emphasizes God's care for the oppressed and his reversal of fortunes, a theme prevalent throughout Luke's Gospel [7]. Mary remained with Elizabeth for approximately three months before returning home [2]. This period of shared pregnancy and mutual support underscores the deep spiritual bond between them.
The biblical accounts offer limited biographical details about Mary, focusing primarily on her role as the mother of Jesus [5]. Similarly, Elizabeth's history is primarily known through her role as the mother of John the Baptist and her righteousness before God alongside her husband Zacharias [4]. The interaction between Mary and Elizabeth serves to affirm the divine nature of both pregnancies and the prophetic roles of their unborn children. Elizabeth's prophetic utterance, inspired by the Holy Spirit, confirms the angel's message to Mary and validates Mary's faith [1, 9].
The relationship between Mary and Elizabeth is often interpreted as a model of faith and mutual encouragement. Matthew Henry suggests that the angel's mention of Elizabeth's pregnancy to Mary was intended to facilitate this meeting, allowing the two "good people" to "compare notes" [10]. This encounter is seen as a moment where the two women, both experiencing miraculous pregnancies, could share in their divine blessings and support each other [10]. The leaping of John in Elizabeth's womb is understood as a recognition of the presence of the Messiah, even in utero [1].
While the New Testament provides a concise account of Mary's life, various traditions have developed around her figure [3, 5]. However, the biblical narrative itself does not elevate Mary beyond her role as the mother of Jesus [5]. The interaction with Elizabeth, as recorded in Luke, remains a foundational text for understanding the early moments of the Christian story and the interconnectedness of John the Baptist's and Jesus's missions.
Sources
- Luke “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. -- Luke 1:41”
- Luke “Luke 1:56 (BSB) — Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Mary The Virgin — the mother of our Lord. There is no person perhaps in sacred or profane history around whom so many legends have been grouped a the Virgin Mary; and there are few whose authentic history is more concise. She was, like Joseph, of the tribe of Judah and of the lineage of David. (Psalms 132:11; Luke 1:32; Romans 1:3) She had a sister, named, like herself, (John 19:25) and she was connected by marriage, (Luke 1:36) with Elizabeth, who was of the tribe of Levi and of the lineage of Aaron. This is all that we know of her antecedents. She was betrothed to J”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Elisabeth — God her oath, the mother of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5). She was a descendant of Aaron. She and her husband Zacharias (q.v.) "were both righteous before God" (Luke 1:5, 13). Mary's visit to Elisabeth is described in 1:39-63.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Mary — Hebrew Miriam. (1.) The wife of Joseph, the mother of Jesus, called the "Virgin Mary," though never so designated in Scripture (Matt. 2:11; Acts 1:14). Little is known of her personal history. Her genealogy is given in Luke 3. She was of the tribe of Judah and the lineage of David (Ps. 132:11; Luke 1:32). She was connected by marriage with Elisabeth, who was of the lineage of Aaron (Luke 1:36). While she resided at Nazareth with her parents, before she became the wife of Joseph, the angel Gabriel announced to her that she was to be the mother of the promised M”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Elisabeth — (the oath of God), the wife of Zacharias and mother of John the Baptist. She was herself of the priestly family, and a relation, (Luke 1:36) of the mother of our Lord.”
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 1:46: 1:46-55 Mary’s song is the first of three songs of praise in the birth narrative. It is called the Magnificat (“magnifies”), from the first word in the Latin translation. The song has many parallels to Hannah’s prayer in 1 Sam 2:1-10. The fact that God cares for the oppressed and reverses their fortunes is a common theme throughout Luke’s Gospel. The coming of God’s Kingdom brings salvation to rejected and outcast people.”
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 1:36: 1:36 your relative Elizabeth: The King James Version identifies Elizabeth as Mary’s cousin, but the Greek term is more general.”
- Luke (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 1:45: An additional benediction on the Virgin for her implicit faith, in tacit and delicate contrast with her own husband. for--rather, as in the Margin, "that."”
- Luke (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Luke 1:39: We have here an interview between the two happy mothers, Elisabeth and Mary: the angel, by intimating to Mary the favour bestowed on her cousin Elisabeth (Luk 1:36), gave occasion for it; and sometimes it may prove a better piece of service that we think to bring good people together, to compare notes. Here is, I. The visit which Mary made to Elisabeth. Mary was the younger, and younger with child; and therefore, if they must come together, it was fittest that Mary should take the journey, not insisting on the preference which the greater dignity of her conception g”