Luke 1:39 - 45

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,

40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

We don't know exactly how close of relationship Mary and Elizabeth had but it must have been a close one because as soon as Mary heard of Elizabeth’s pregnancy she went to her cousin's home “with haste.” Indicating a dear relationship and the special situation Elizabeth was experiencing since she had been so long without children. Mary of course had just begun her pregnancy so she was not showing.

We know from the information the angel gave Zacharias that the babe in Elizabeth’s uterus was filled with the Holy Spirit. And this is in evidence when he senses the presence of the Messiah, even in the state of a human embryo. “The babe leaped in her womb.” And Elizabeth was also filled with the Holy Spirit and the next few verses are evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in Elizabeth.

Since Mary has not informed Elizabeth of her situation, the words of her cousin are evidence of the Holy Spirit filling Elizabeth and working in her. It is the only way she could know the situation which called for the blessing she gives Mary.

The only way she knew that she was being visited by the mother of the Messiah was that she was inspired by the Holy Spirit which was in her.

We know from verse 15 of this chapter that the child would be filled with the Holy Spirit “even from the womb” so it is that the babe recognized the presence of Christ within the room and showed his excitement as well.

Elizabeth continues her blessing of the Messiah's earthly mother. Mary never doubted the prophesy of the angel regarding the conception of the child in her womb, and Elizabeth also praises God for the coming of the Messiah as the angel Gabriel had told Mary would be fulfilled through the birth of her child.