Elizabeth – A Mentor in the Life of Mary

Elizabeth – A Mentor in the Life of Mary

In Luke’s Gospel Elizabeth is portrayed as the forerunner of Mary and the story of Elizabeth precede Mary.  It is very important to study the role of Elizabeth in the life of Mary in a crucial time as Mary took a great responsibility from God.

Luke portrayed Elizabeth and Mary as the paradigms of the faithfulness and commitment. These two lowly women embody the presence of God, showing that God, not human beings, is the One who holds ultimate power. Life of Elizabeth and Mary (weak and powerless women) portrays that God chose weak people to fulfil God’s mission and through them God demonstrated that power belongs to God not the people. Mary and Elizabeth comprise the first examples of the lowly being exalted as part God’s eschatological reversal order. These two pregnant women become the icons of the bearers of hope and salvation as the women in the tomb were the bearers of the truth of resurrection.

Mary a young girl with lot of effort visited Elizabeth with lot of anxiety, and she was eagerly waiting for a support and confirmation from the side of a person who is strong in conviction and faith.

Elizabeth – A Prophetess: Elizabeth was strong in faith and she showed that the power of God guided her life and words. Elizabeth has given an inspired insight into the character of the baby in Mary's womb, and the events which have just happened in Mary's life. According to Luke the first person, besides Mary, to whom Jesus' messiahship is revealed, is a woman, Elizabeth. It was the result of her faith in the power of God. Due to her faith she got a great reward of the visitation from the messiah in utero. Elizabeth is the first besides Mary to name Jesus as God. Elizabeth makes the first and only Christological confession by a woman in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 1:43).

Elizabeth – Mentor and Protector of Mary: The words of Elizabeth were the second divine intervention in the life of Mary. Elizabeth recognises Mary as the mother of God and she blessed Mary with two fold blessings and it energised Mary (1:42, 43). The presence, fellowship, words, prophetic utterances, and blessings of Elizabeth were a great mentoring experience to Mary. Mary was encouraged, strengthened, and edified through the words of Elizabeth and it helped her to sing the great song of the messianic freedom and liberation.

Meeting between Elizabeth and Mary, two blessed women, created a Spirit filled social premise. Elizabeth is blessed in her role as mother, and she is blessed as a believer on her own and thereby she could mentor Mary in the process of her taking divine responsibility.

Advent teaches that we need people like Elizabeth to energise and who are in the role of divine responsibilities.

Rev. Sajeev Thomas (sajeevachen@gmail.com)