Chapter 1

Holy Bible

GIVING THE GOOD NEWS OF THE INCARNATION The first chapter of this book came as an introduction to it to reveal the goal of the whole book, which is to proclaim the Person of the Messiah, as the true Friend to humanity who grants it joy, and transforms its life into a joyful hymn of praise. In this chapter we find the preparation for the coming of this unique Friend, who grants the barren Elizabeth, in her old age, a child to take away her reproach among people; who opens the tongue of Zacharias the priest in praise at the birth of Jesus’ forerunner; and who blesses the Nazarene little virgin girl, with an exalted heavenly good news. Even the embryo in Elizabeth’s womb gets exultant and dances with joy. These all are introductory portraits which reveal the Person of the Lord Jesus Himself, and His work in our life as a heavenly Friend, who is able to take away the reproach of our bareness, to open our tongue, and to restore our gladness . 1. An introduction to the book 1-4 2. The good news to Zacharias of John’s birth 5-17 3. Turning Zacharias temporarily mute 18-25 4. The Enunciation of the Divine Incarnation 26-38 5. Mary’s Encounter with Elizabeth 39-45 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 6. The Virgin’s hymn of Praise 46-56 7. John’s Birth and Circumcision 57-66 8. Zacharias the priest’s Prophecy 67-80 1- AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK: Our teacher St. Luke opened his gospel with the following words: “Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed”(1- 4). In this introduction which is written in beautiful Greek style, we may notice the following: a-These introductory words, refer to that many “have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled”, concerning the Lord Jesus and His salvation works. Few scholars think that, by this he means the evangelists St. Mark and St. Matthew. But the majority believe that he refers to unfaithful people who attempted to write about the Person of the Lord Jesus in a wrongful way; whose works were not recognized by the early church as canonical books. ……… The scholar Origen, discerning between the gospel of our teacher St. Luke, as well as the other gospels written through an inspiration of the Holy Spirit and given to the church, and the human attempts to write gospels, says [Saying: “have taken in hand” implies an inclusive accusation against them that they have attempted to write the gospels without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Whereas the preachers Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, on the other hand, have not attempted to compose, but being filled with the Holy Spirit, they wrote the gospels. ………Four gospels are canonical, and from these we draw our faith in our Lord and our Savior]. According to Pope St. Athanasius the apostolic: [The blessed St. Luke, while rebuking what is of people’s making, he hands to us what is narrated by the saints. ………..Every saint who receives the tradition participates, without any deviation, to establish the teachings of the mysteries. To these true teachers alone, the divine Word seeks from us to disciples. For theirs is “a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance” (1 Timothy 1: 15). These are not disciples who have heard from others, but are rather eyewitnesses and ministers to the Word, for they delivered what they heard from Him. b-As St. Luke writes about “a narrative of things which have been fulfilled among us”, St. Ambrose compares this book to a house built on the rock, bound to the perfect faith, firm and unshaken; faith based on the spiritual understanding, perception, and discernment between what is true and what is vain, and not based on mere miracles. With the same concept, the scholar Origen says: “St. Luke expresses his feeling by saying “of things which have been fulfilled among us”. He has known the story in all assurance of faith and mind, and has not hesitated to believe it. That is the case of the believer who attained the peak of faith, who says to the Lord: “O let me not wonder from thy commandments” (Psalm 119). This is why the apostle says about the strong and mighty believers, that they are: “rooted and grounded in faith” (Ephesians 3: 17). He who is deeply rooted and well founded in faith, would never be destroyed, or collapse, even if tempest rages, strong winds blow, and rain fall on him like flood, because he is strongly and sturdily constructed. It is befitting of us not to believe that the strength of our faith is based on the tangible vision, or the fruit of mental intelligence. Let us leave this to the unbelievers who believe through seen signs and wonders. For the experienced strong believer, walks and thinks by the Spirit, discerning the truth from vanity]. c-What the Evangelist Luke records for us, he received through “delivery”, or what we call “tradition”; which is a deposit, lived in the life of the Church by the Holy Spirit, received by the generations through oral or written delivery, and through worship and behavior……….. which is confirmed by the Evangelist by saying: “just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us” (1: 2). Commenting on this phrase, the scholar Origen, justifying two main points in the Church delivery: First: saying “eyewitnesses”, does not imply mere physical vision; for many have seen the Lord Christ according to the flesh, and yet did not perceive His Person, nor enjoyed His salvation. Second: The spiritual vision or perception has to be melded with work; hence he added “and ministers of the word”; there is no separation between the spiritual meditative life and work ……. The scholar Origen says: [The apostles have seen God the Word, not by seeing the incarnate Savior Christ, but by seeing God the Word (here, he does not mean the separation of Christ into two Persons; but confirms our commitment to perceive the truth of the incarnate Savior. If seeing the Lord Christ in flesh means seeing God the Word, that would imply that Pilate who delivered Jesus to death has seen https://coptic-treasures.com/ the Word; so would be Judas who betrayed Him, and so would be all those who cried out: “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”(John 19: 15). Such a view is far away from the truth; for the non-believer cannot see the Word of God, a vision clarified by the Savior by saying: “Who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 15:9)]. Commenting on the verse: “Just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word” (2), the scholar Origen says: [We may deduce from these words that knowledge could be a goal in itself, but has to be crowned by work…….. Being satisfied with knowledge without applying is useless knowledge. And the way knowledge is bound to practical application, so knowledge is bound to the ministry of the word ……..The word “eyewitnesses” means the theoretical knowledge; whereas the word “ministers” refers to the applied knowledge]. These view of the scholar Origen are clearly shown in the writings of St. Cyril the Great, and St. Ambrose. According to St. Cyril the Great: [St. Luke says that the apostles of Christ were eyewitnesses of the Lord; in which Luke is on the same page with St. John, who wrote: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1: 14). Christ had to appear in flesh, to be see and touched; for, according to His divine nature, He could not be seen or touched. John also said: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the word of life; the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you” (1 John 1: 1, 2). Do you hear how life was manifested to us, how we have handled with our hands and have seen by our eyes? Christ appeared to make us perceive that the Son became flesh, we have seen Him as Man, whom we could not see as God]. With the same meaning St. Ambrose says: [The disciples have seen and heard the Lord ………..,They have seen the Lord, those who have witnessed the glory of the Word together with Moses and Elijah (Matthew 16: 3); Those have seen the Lord Jesus in His glory; whereas the others (the Jews), who have known Him according to the flesh, have not seen Him; for it was given to the spiritual insight, and not to the physical eyes to see Jesus. The Jews did not see Him, even though they have known Him in the flesh; while Abraham has seen Him, as is written: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8: 56); even though he did not see him according to the flesh ………; while the Jews did not see Him “because their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1: 21)…….. When we see the Lord, we see Emmanuel, and perceive that God is with us; while he who does not see God with him, would not know Him who was born by the Virgin]. St. Luke, therefore, writes through the delivery which was granted to those who have witnessed the Lord, not only according to the flesh, but in their depths, and perceived the secret of His dwelling, and working in them. I may say that we, as well, if we wish to understand the Holy Book, we are committed to receive witnessing the Lord in us, and encountering Him on the front of the practical living faith; lest we would listen to the words of rebuke that the Lord said to Philip: “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?”(John 14: 9) d-The Evangelist Luke, not only called the apostles “Witnesses” of the Word, but also “Ministers” of the Word (2)…….. If the apostolic work is set upon witnessing the Lord by a spiritual insight, to perceive His divine secrets; yet, not separated from work …….. So will the knowledge melds with the spiritual experience; faith with strife; and meditation with ministering. According to St. Ambrose: [The apostles have got this grace …….. they eye-witnessed; understood as that they also strived to recognize the lord; and they ministered, understood as having got the fruition of their strife]. e-He addressed his gospel to “the most excellent Theophilus”; a title, we said in the introduction is given to those who occupy prominent positions in the Roman State; By it “Felix” was called ((acts 23: 26; 24: 13), so was “Festus” (Acts 25). The word “Theophilus”, though means (he who loves God), about which St. Ambrose comments, saying: [If you love God, then this good news is written for you; and if so, receive it from the Bible as a deposit, and keep it in the depths of your soul “That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us” https://coptic-treasures.com/ (2 Timothy 1: 14). Keep on meditating in it, and perpetually take refuge in it………Your first duty, as far as this deposit is concerned, is to keep it faithfully, against the termites of heresy, and the corruption of rust]. According to the scholar Origen, Lest some may think that this gospel is written for a specific person by the name of ‘Theophilus’; I may say that all of you who, lovers of God, who listen to me, are ‘Theophilus’, a very good and strong person …….. There is no weak ‘Theophilus’; the source of his strength is the word of God] 1- THE GOOD NEWS TO ZECHARIAS OF THE BIRTH OF JOHN: The Lord Christ came a Savior of the world, to grant it an inner people, and a heavenly joy. That is why, as a preparation for His coming, the barren Elizabeth enjoyed the birth of John, whose name means (God shows compassion);and the tongue of the mute Zecharias was opened to say a hymn of praise.. If Elisabeth, being a woman refers to the flesh; by God’s compassion and grace, the reproach of the body was taken away, and it enjoyed an amazing spiritual fruition. Whereas Zecharias, referring to the soul. It set forth inside by the spirit of praise and joy instead of the muteness set on helplessness. Telling us the story of the good news coming to Zecharias of the birth of John, with the language of a submissive worshipper, St. Luke says: “There was in the days of Herod the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zecharias, of the division of Abijah; his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth; and they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years” (5 – 7) In his way of telling the story, it is noticed: a-Being a man of science, as a physician, he elaborately fixed the date of the event, to be in the days of Herod the father, king of Judea, the second son of Antipas, the Edomite; who married 10 women, two of whom he killed; had a multitude of children, one of whom he killed ……. He who murdered the children of Bethlehem; and on his death bed he sought to kill the elites of Jerusalem, to let no one rejoice on his death; but he died before realizing his wish. Any way, and in the midst of such a dark and corrupted atmosphere, politically and religiously; and when prophecy ceased for more than three centuries, there appeared two righteous persons before God: Zecharias, meaning (God remembers), and Elizabeth, the Greek version of the Hebrew word meaning (God vows) or (God’s right hand). The two gave birth to John, meaning 9God is compassionate) or (God gives grace) …….. It is as though, in the midst of the corruption of this world, as we remember God, and be melded to His vows and true promises, we enjoy His compassion and His divine grace, working in us. Commenting on the expression: “They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless”, St. Ambrose says:[The phrase “were both righteous before God” has its significance. For those righteous before men are not necessarily righteous before God. Man’s look is different from God’s; for man looks at the eyes, while God looks at the heart (Samuel 16: 7). Somebody may seem to me worthy to be called righteous; but for the Lord, he is not; for his righteousness is not from a simple heart. Man cannot discern the hidden things; and the full reward is to be counted as righteous before God; as according to the apostle: “whose praise is not from men but from God” (Romans 2: 29). Truly blessed is he who is justified before God; truly blessed is he who is qualified to hear the Lord say about him: “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit” (John 1: 47). The true Israelite is he who sees God, and perceive that he is seen by God, and the hidden things in his heart are revealed before Him. To clarify the meaning of the expression “righteous before God”, the scholar Origen says: [When nothing in me is found worthy of blame before men; I will be counted as righteous; ……… yet the verdict of men is wrong; for they do not know how I erred in secret inside my heart; and how I looked at a woman with evil desire, and lived in the harlotry of heart. Men may see me giving alms according to my ability, yet they do not know whether I do it for the sake of God’s commandment, or seeking the commendation of men …….. Blessed is man who is righteous before God, whose commendation is from God; for man cannot judge justly and clearly. Men could glorify him who is not worthy to be glorified; and condemn him who is not worthy to be condemned…….. God alone is just in commendation and condemnation]. And commenting on the word ‘blameless’, he says: [Our Lord Jesus Christ referred to the Church that she is “glorious, not having spot or wrinkles” (Ephesians 5: 27). That does not mean that the son of the Church has not ever sinned, but lives the life of repentance. The expression: “not having wrinkles”, refers to a hatred of the old man, and ceasing to sin. Hence he completes it by saying: “that she should be wholly and without blemish”; The soul inherited the sin, but she becomes pure and blameless if the filth of sin is taken away]. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The gospel proclaims their righteousness before God, and that they are blameless by their practical behavior: “walking in all the commandments and ordinances of God”; The hidden righteousness is connected to the obedience of the commandments, and abiding to His ordinances. That is the way of our righteousness by the Holy Spirit, who grants us, in the worthiness of the blood, to enter to the commandment, and to live it by obedience in joy, and to understand the ordinances of God, to bear the spirit of discernment in us. Dealing with the issue “The righteousness in Christ”, St. Augustine spoke to us about the righteousness of Zecharias and Elizabeth, proclaiming that men of the old covenant were also counted righteous in Christ, through their hope in the anticipated Messiah, who will give His life up as a price for our righteousness. In his talk about “Nature and Grace”, he quotes the words of St. Ambrose, saying: [Men of the old covenant undoubtedly lived with such faith in Christ, even before His death (on the cross). Christ alone sends His Holy Spirit given to us; through whom love is poured in our hearts, by which alone, the righteous are so called]. In another location, St. Augustine confirms that the righteous of Zecharias is based upon the sacrificial work of the Lord Christ through his priestly practice, offering animal sacrifices, as a symbol of the sacrifice of Christ, saying: [Zecharias undoubtedly used to offer sacrifices on his own sins]. If Zecharias was counted as righteous, yet that does not mean that he did no sin; for as St. Augustine often confirmed the saying of St. Ambrose: No one in the world is without sin’]. b-“Zecharias was of the division of Abijah” (5). The word ‘Abijah’ means (Jehovah is my Father); This division was of the descendants of Eleazar the priest, the eighth of 24 divisions into which the priests were divided since the time of David; each division works a weak every other six months, according to the lot. Another lot is done to choose who among the division who will burn the incense, which the Jews used to do every morning and evening. According to St. Ambrose, Zecharias on whom the lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord” (9), refers to the Lord Christ, being the High Priest, who alone can enter into the heavenly sanctuaries to serve to our account, and to intercede for us by His blood. The lot falling on Zecharias refers to that his mission was not from men but from the Lord. c-“An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense” (11), Commenting on this, the Scholar Origen says:[Having a dense body, man cannot behold the divine and spiritual beings, nor feel their presence, unless they appear to him …….. The appearance of God and His angels depends upon the will of God and His intention for us to see. God is present with us, so do His angels, and yet we do not see them…….. Of his words: [The Lord appeared to Abraham and to other prophets according to the divine grace. The inner eyes of Abraham are not the cause of seeing the Lord; but the grace of God that so granted him]. [An angel may be beside us now while we talk, but we cannot see him because of our unworthiness. The physical or the spiritual eye may exert an effort to reach such a vision; but unless the angel himself chooses to appear, those longing to see him will not be able to do]. [This fact does not only concern seeing God in the present time, but also when we depart from this world. God band His angels do not appear to all men directly after their departure ……… but this gift is only given to those with a pure heart that qualify to see God; whereas he with a heart laden with mire, who could be together with the one with a pure heart in the same place; cannot see God, whom the one with the pure heart can see]. [I believe that this happened concerning the Lord Christ when He was in flesh on earth. Not everyone who beheld Him could see Him……… Pilate and Herod beheld Him but could not see Him as He truly is because of their unworthiness]. According to St. Ambrose: [We may see the Lord when He so wishes, yet we cannot see Him in His nature as He truly is ………He appeared to Abraham because He so intended. St. Steven saw heavens open and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God; while the people were stoning him (acts 7: 9); who could not see God as he did. The prophet Isaiah also saw the Lord of hosts (Isaiah 6: 1); but no one else could] [In this world, God would not be seen unless He intends to reveal Himself. But in the resurrection, only the pure in heart will see Him; for He Himself said: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” (Matthew 5: 8). God blessed many, but promised only the pure in heart to see Him] [We only see God in the pure heart; Do not search for God by the physical eye,…….. But “Who may be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the width, length, depth, and height, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge” (Ephesians 3: 18- 19). By His compassion and nercy on us. God brings us forth to the fullness of stature of Christ, to be able to see Him]. https://coptic-treasures.com/ In my work about “St. John Chrysostom”, I previously talked about “The vision of God”; but I should like to confirm here that God, being unseen, longs to proclaim Himself and to be seen by us, as a free gift He grants those with a pure heart. He unceasingly works in us by His Holy Spirit, to purify our hearts in Him, to be raised up to see Him, and to enjoy His fatherly bosoms, and the fellowship of the heavenly glories. d-The angel of the Lord appeared standing on the right side of the altar of incense; namely between the golden altar (the prayer) and the table of the showbread (the sacrament of the Eucharist) ………. Whoever wishes to encounter the heavenly hosts needs to raise his hands in prayer, to offer a sacrifice of love, and incense of sweet fragrance before God; and to enter to the banquet of the Lord, to encounter the Lord of the heavenlies and to bear Him inside himself. Concerning prayer, according to St. Oghris: [You should know that the saintly angels exhort us to pray, and stand joyfully by our side when we do, praying for our sake. But in case we slothfully receive strange views, we intensely offend them; on account of that, while they mightily fight on our behalf, we, on our side, do not even intend to supplicate to God for our own sake; but reject their services, and distance ourselves from the Lord their God, to go to the unclean demons]. As to approaching the holy banquet; according to St. John Chrysostom: [It is as though man is taken up to heaven itself, to stand by the throne of Glory, fly with the Seraphim, and sings the holy hymn]. e-“And when Zecharias saw him he was troubled and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid Zecharias’” (12, 13). If the vision of the heavenly creatures brings trouble on the heart of man, as something strange to him; but he will not stay long in his trouble, but heaven itself will care for him and calls him by his name, and will fill him with inner peace, together with exalted divine gifts. Presenting to us a discernment between the heavenly visions and the deceptive one, St. Anthony the Great says that the former, even if it causes at first fear and trouble, on account of that man is not used to them, yet they bring forth true peace into the soul; while the latter will make the soul lose her peace. The former will kindle the heart with the heavenlies, while the latter will preoccupy the mind and confuse it with the temporal worries. St. Anthony says: [The appearance of these spirits (the angels) is tranquil and peaceful, and creates in the soul joy and courage; for God is our joy. The thoughts created by these appearances make the soul unshakable, and enlighten it by this joy, to be able to discern the kind of spirits that appear to her; for the divine longing, and that of the goods to come, enter into the soul and unite with her. Contrary to the fear which accompanies the appearance of the evil spirits, these good spirits, on the other hand, cast fear away, by the love they show; the way the Gabriel did with Zecharias (Luke 1: 3); the angel who appeared to the women at the tomb of the Lord ((Matthew 28: 5); and the angel who appeared to the shepherds, who said to them: ”Do not be afraid” (Luke 2: 10). And St. Anthony the Great said: [In case we see spirits that bring forth disturbance and worldly images, and threats of death, be sure that it is an attack by evil spirits]. f-Zecharias, with time, might have forgotten his request from God, or have lost hope for having a child; but his name Zecharias means (God remembers); which He did and granted him and his wife, not what would bring forth joy only into their hearts, but what bring gladness to many. {God, despite our own forgetfulness gives more than what we ask and beyond what we request; To Zechariah He confirmed His gift by addressing him by his name. As to ‘John’, God’s gift to Zecharias and Elizabeth, the angel proclaimed the following: 1-“You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice in his birth” (14) We already said that the gospel according to Luke is “the gospel of joy”; for God sent the forerunner John to proclaim repentance, as a preparation for he way of the Lord in the hearts of many, to bring joy to the heavenlies, as it did to believers ……….God’s goal is to bring us back to His eternal joy, and to make us be in a heavenly peace, away from any bitterness or anguish; and behold, He even prepares for that joy by the birth of His forerunner. In our interpretation of the book of Leviticus Chapter 12), we saw, according to the law, how the woman remains as though unclean a period after giving birth; as sin attached to us even in our birth and death. But now, as the Son of Righteousness started to shine on humanity, and to reconcile it with the heavenlies, our life turned into joy, and bith became joyful. According to St. Ambrose: [There is specific joy with the beginning of conception of the saints, and with their birth. For the saint not only brings joy to his own family, but will be the cause of salvation for many; a fact that teaches us to exult in the birth of the saints]. https://coptic-treasures.com/ I also say that if we have lived so long with a barren soul and with a body with no spiritual fruition, let us receive . the heavenly promises of God, bear the compassion and grace of God, namely “John” in us, to exult and rejoice by God, and together with many, and even with heaven itself (Luke 15: 7). Let our life be fruitful in the Lord, to bring joy to many; and not barren or with deadly fruit……. According to father Tadros: [Life and death are not good or evil in themselves; as proved by the birth of John the Baptist and of Judas. About the former is written: “Many will rejoice in his birth” (14); while about the latter it is written: “It would have been good for that man, if he had not been born” (Matthew 26: 24)]. 2-“For he will be great in the sight of the Lord” (15). Even though John was not yet born, nor been conceived in his mother’s womb, the angel calls him “great in the sight of the Lord”. Greatness, therefore, is not by the count of days and years, nor by the strength of the body and the apparent works; but by the inner and fruitful life. The world at that time generally used to despise children, and did not give them any human rights; ………. But the gospel of the Lord Christ reveals His friendship with the children, and looked at them as great in His sight; as was later confirmed by the Lord to His disciples, when He introduced to them a child to become like him for the sake of reaching the heavenly greatness (Matthew 18: 2, 3; Luke 18: 15). Let us therefore, be children in evil, to be counted great and mature in the Lord. But let us not walk by the weakness and immaturity of childhood; lest we would be counted “in bondage under the elements of the world” (Galatians 4: 3); and according to St. Ambrose: [Only the spiritually mature will be able to overpass the corners of this world]. ……. Let us be spiritually mature in the Lord, and not despise the little children, according to the words of the Lord: “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones” (Matthew 18: 10). In his interpretation of the gospel according to Luke, concerning the greatness of John, St. Ambrose says: [Our life is not evaluated by time, but by the level of virtues ………. John was called great, not because of the strength of his body, but of his spirit. He did not conquer empires, nor put in his program to have spoils and conquests, but looked forward to what is far more better; for he came to be the voice crying out in the wilderness; who overcame the evil desires and the slothfulness of the body, by the exaltation and strength of his spirit. In the worldly things he was small, but great in the spirituals. Finally, the secret of his greatness was that love for this temporal life did not prevail on him, to hinder him condemning sin] 3-“He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb” (15) Having given him the name of the newborn, and proclaimed his activity as the one who brings joy to hearts, the angel told about his possibilities. On the negative aspect, “shall drink neither wine nor strong drink”; as a Nazirite from God, there will be no place in his body or in his heart for the pleasures of this world; while, on the positive aspect, he will not live deprived, but will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb …..he will be denied of the material wine, but he will be, instead, watered with the joy-giving heavenly wine. According to the scholar Origen: [The archangel came to proclaim the birth of John who will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb …….; in his mother’s womb John exulted for joy, and could not cease, when the mother of Jesus came; as though he was attempting to come out to greet her ………”As soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy” (44)]. And according to St. Ambrose: [Beside the spirit of life as a fetus, he has got the spirit of grace. As the true life is preceded by grace to sanctify it; the Lord says to the prophet Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you. I ordained you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremieh 1: 5). There is great difference between the spirit of the world and the spirit of grace: the former starts by birth and ends by death; whereas the latter is not limited by time nor by years, death would never be able to quench its flame; and the womb of motherhood would not enclose it ………Whoever gets the spirit of grace, will no more lack anything; and whoever gets the Holy Spirit will reach the summit of virtues. 4-“And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God” (16). Here the angel confirms John’s mission, which is to turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, by preparing the way through repentance to receive the Lord Christ, Savior of the world. According to the scholar Origen says that the world is in perpetual need of John’s work, which he calls (John’s secret), to bring every soul to abide in Christ; saying: [On my side, I believe that John’s secret is still realized up to this day; man can come to believe in Christ Jesus, if he has the spirit of John, his power in him, has his toughness, and walks along the narrow road, to prepare an entire nation for our Lord …….. Up to this very day, the spirit of John and his power go before the coming of the Lord Jesus]. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 5-“He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah” (17) Commenting on this phrase, the scholar Origen says: [He did not say ‘the soul’ of Elijah, but said “the spirit and power of Elijah”. Like all other prophets, Elijah had spirit and power………. The spirit that dwelt in Elijah dwelt in John; and the power that was in Elijah is in John]. In a nice comparison between Elijah and John the Baptist, St. Ambrose says: [Elijah lived in the wilderness, so did John; the ravens sustained Elijah, while the other in the wilderness trampled over all the pleasures of the world, loved poverty and hated luxury ………Elijah did not care for the favor of king Ahab; while John despised that of king Herod…………Elijah’s mantle divided the waters of the River Jordan; while John made these waters a basin that grants salvation. ……….Elijah appeared with the Lord in glory (in the transfiguration), and John lived with the Lord on earth ………...Elijah precedes the first coming of the Lord; while John preceded His second coming; ………Elijah brought rain down on earth after three years of draught; and John washed the dust off our bodies in the waters of faith through three years (the year of the era of the early fathers; that of the era of Moses; then that of the coming of the Lord our God and Savior]. The secret of the power in St. John was that he bore the spirit of Elijah, not meaning his spirit as a person, but the spirit of power granted to him by God; namely the possibilities given to him; hence St. Augustine says: [By the spirit of Elijah he means the Holy Spirit received by Elijah]. 3-TURNING ZECHARIAS TEMPORARILY MUTE: “And Zecharias said to the angel: ‘How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years?’ And the angel answered and said to him: ‘I am Gabriel who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you, and to bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their own time’” (18 – 20) In this conversation between the archangel Gabriel and Zecharias the priest inside the temple, we may notice the following: (1) Zecharias did not believe the words of the angel, despite the fact that he recognized the angel and his voice, during daytime, inside the temple; something to blame him on; in particular that the holy history mentions living examples of elders who gave birth while their women were barren, like Sarah, wife of Abraham. Being a righteous man, Zecharias did not put the blame on his wife for not giving birth; and did not mention in his talk to the angel, that she was barren; but began by himself, saying: “I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years”……. How beautiful is the righteous gentle soul that never hurt the feelings of others, even in their absence! Zechariah did not complain even to heaven the barrenness of his wife! (2) The archangel proclaimed his identity, that he is ‘Gabriel’, meaning (Might of God); and that the secret of his power or might is that “He stands in the presence of God” ………He came bearing the divine promise; came to bring the good tidings; but he was also committed to chastise by turning him mute as a command from God. (3) In his love, he gave Zechariah the priest the good tidings of John’s birth, as a free gift to him, and even to all mankind; Now, having enjoyed that sure promise, and the Lord, on His angel’s mouth, provided him with the child’s name, features, mission, and possibilities; and yet he did not believe, God, in His love, as well, allowed for him to be chastised for a certain time …….. In His fatherhood for us, God grants; and also chastises for our edification. It is amazing that even the faults we commit, God uses for good. What happened with Zechariah because of his doubt, came to be a symbol of what will happen to the Jewish people who did not believe the heaven, nor the promises of God; who, because they did not receive our Lord Jesus a spiritual King and Savior, have fallen under chastisement, to become mute until they receive faith at the end of time. Having rejected the Word of the incarnate God, they were denied the prophets; and the temple worship ceased……….. According to the scholar Origen: [Becoming mute, Zecharias refers to that the people of Israel were denied the prophets; God talks no more to the Jews; while God the Word who is from the beginning came to us, Christ who is never mute came to be with us; ; yet He remains mute up to this very day concerning the Jews]. And according to St. Ambrose: [Being mute implies no more offering of sacrifices; no more prophets coming; the voice of the prophet and the priest ceased; “For behold, The Lord, the Lord of hosts, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah …….. the mighty man and the man of war, the judge and the prophet” (Isaiah 3: 1). For us though, the Word of God came to us, He who will never be mute in us; hence the Jew cannot debate with the Christian: “Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me” (2 Corinthians 13: 3). https://coptic-treasures.com/ Having been mute, Zecharias talked with signs and body language. This, as well was a symbol of the Jews who cared for the physical works of the law without any spiritual understanding. And as said by the scholar Origen: [I believe that there are works and words with no meaning, as there are signs with no meaning ……..If we consider the Jewish statutes as though difficult to understand or interpret……. ; we can understand what happened to Zecharias as a portrait of what happen with the Jews up to this very day. Purification for them was like movements without meaning; and could be likened to mute signs; So is the Passover and the other feasts are no more than simple movements and not facts. Up to this very day, the Israeli people are deaf and mute; for having rejected the Word]. By turning mute, Zecharias the priest proclaimed the need for the divine “Word” lost by Israel ……….It is as though even by turning mute, he paved the way to proclaim the Lord Christ. On another aspect he was allowed to become mute, as a magnificent chance to cease talking with people, to preoccupy his heart with talking with God, to meditate in His works, to get in touch with His secrets, and to understand the prophecies. The way Zecharias the priest kept away from people because of his inability to talk, so did his wife Elizabeth because of feeling ashamed; the Evangelist says: “And after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying: ‘Thus the Lord has dealt with me, ……..” (24 – 26). That for her, as well as it is for her husband, was a spiritual chance to talk to God alone; to meditate in His dealing with them, and to wait for His gift to them. Both the scholar Origen and St. Ambrose believed that feeling shame was on account of that Elizabeth, having not given birth, ceased to have any physical relationship with her man; for the men of God had such relationship for the sake of having children; and once they realize that they will not, their relationship with their wives stay within the circle of marital love, without physical contacts………Once Elizabeth conceived, she felt ashamed to appear pregnant before people; until the time came to encounter the Virgin Mary, bearing the incarnate Word of God in her womb; And when the fetus exulted in her womb, she ceased to feel shame …….. for her knowledge that she is bearing an exalted fruit; bearing him who, “among those born of women there has not risen one greater John the Baptist” (Matthew 11: 11).. We may say that the physical relationships between spouses are holy and pure, as long as they are within reason, and not prevailed by evil desire and selfishness through seeking the pleasure of the body; but by the spirit of marital love and giving…….. In Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God, the couple find themselves become one body, live by the spirit even during the moments they encounter one another; unceasingly shadowed by the Spirit of God; to be perpetually sanctified in all their behaviors. 4-THE ENUNCIATION OF THE DIVINE INCARNATION: “Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; the virgin’s name was Mary” (26, 27) (1)Five months before, the angel came to give Zecharias the priest the good news of John’s birth. Now, with the beginning of the sixth month, he came again to give the virgin St. Mary the good news of Jesus birth. But the two enunciations were greatly different. The former enunciation took place in the temple, during the collective worship, and talked about by the priests as it happened with their fellow priest; yet it was an enunciation of the birth of the greatest among those born by wome, John the forerunner, minister of the Word. Whereas the second enunciation took place in an unknown house, in a poor village, and in a secret way even to the head of the household – the carpenter Joseph – It was the enunciation of the incarnation of the Word Himself. The Son has emptied Himself even in the enunciation of His birth, that did not take place among the priests, nor in the temple, or on the level of the congregation; but took place with a poor girl in a poor house. (2)“To a virgin betrothed to a man ………” (27). Why was the angel sent to an un-betrothed girl? a-According to the scholar Origen, the presence of a man to whom Mary is betrothed, would take away any doubt concerning her when the symptoms of pregnancy begin to show on her. And according to St. Ambrose: [Probably not to be accused of harlotry. The Holy Book described her by two things at the same time: a wife, and a virgin: a virgin because she did not know a man; and a wife, to protect her against anything that spoil her reputation; as the swelling of her belly would refer to a loss of virginity (in the people’s sight). God chose to have some doubt His true genealogy, rather than to have them doubt the purity of His mother …….. He chose not to reveal His person at the expense of His mother] We have already studied the betrothal and marriage according to the Jewish tradition; and how the betrothal was counted as equal to marriage, as known nowadays, in every aspect, except for the physical relationships ……. – hence St. Mary was called “Joseph’s wife”. https://coptic-treasures.com/ b-According to the scholar Origen, quoting St. Agnatius, the presence of Joseph would raise doubt in the mind of the devil concerning the newborn, and would confuse him concerning the divine incarnation. Having the same view, St. Ambrose said: [Another reason which could not be disregarded, is that the prince of this world, did not discover the perpetual virginity of the virgin; having seen her with a man, he did not doubt her newborn. God allowed for taking away that knowledge from the prince of this world. This was apparent when the Lord commanded His disciples not to tell anyone that He is Christ (Matthew 16: 22); as He did with those He healed (Matthew 5: 4); and commanded the demons not to speak about the Son of God (Luke 4: 350; and as also confirmed by the apostle, saying: “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2: 7, 8). Namely, the Lord concealed His identity from the rulers of men; and from the devil for the sake of our salvation, to conquer him; as He concealed it during the temptation; and when he cried out and addressed Him as “the Son of God”, He refrained from confirming His Divinity to him. And even though , in his confusion, the devil said to Jesus: “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down” (Matthew 4: 6), yet he eventually recognized Him; and the demons cried out, saying: “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8: 29)……. The demons recognized Him because they anticipated His coming; yet the rulers of this world did not ……….. The devil, craftily could reveal the written things; while those who were caught by the honors of this world could not recognize the works of God. (3)By repeating the word “virgin”, the Evangelist intends to confirm her virginity, to proclaim that the Lord Christ is not the seed of man; a fact proclaimed by the prophet Ezekiel concerning the gate facing the east: This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the Lord God of Israel has entered by it” (Ezekiel 44: 2, 3). That is why, in the Byzantine rite, concerning the virgin, it came as: {Peace be to you, O unique gate, through whom alone the Word passed] She is a virgin and a wife (a bride) at the same time; being the bride of Christ, she represents the foremost member in the Church; as according to St. Ambrose: [Mary, the virgin wife represented at the same time the blameless bride Church; for, like the virgin Church the bride of Christ, conceived with us by the Holy Spirit, and delivered us without pain; Mary conceived by the Spirit, not by marriage; to come to represent all churches that give fruition by the Spirit and by grace; even though apparently united under the banner of s human shepherd]. According to St. Augustine: [As Mary give birth to Him who is your Head; so did the Church, who is, as well, a mother and a virgin; a mother in the heart of our Love; and a virgin in her unshaken faith; she, like the virgin Mary, mother of many, and at the same time the mother of the One, the church is the mother of a multitude of nations that represent one body]. And according to St. Cyril the Great: [Let us glorify Mary the perpetual virgin who, herself is the holy Church, by the hymns of joy] (4)The Evangelist proclaims the name of the town to which the angel came to encounter the virgin St. Mary, as “Nazareth”, a town in Galilee 88 miles north of Jerusalem; and 15 miles south-east of xxxxxx, where St. Joseph and St. Mary lived, and where the Lord Christ spent the greater portion of the first thirty years of His life (Luke 3: 23; Mark 1: 9); hence called “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matthew 12: 11; Mark 1: 24). Starting His mission, its people rejected Him twice (Luke 4: 28-31; Matthew 4: 13; 13: 54-58; Mark 6: 1-6). ……Located on a hill (4: 29), Nazareth had no importance whatsoever, not to be mentioned by the Old Testament, nor by any document of the greater nations before the coming of Christ, or by the Jewish Historian Josephus. The word “Nazareth” probably means “a rod” or “a branch”; hence the Lord Christ was often called “The Branch”. (5)The angel greeted her by saying: “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed is you among women” (28) It was not a regular greeting, but came uniquely to bear the whole meaning of joy; for the Greek word (Sheri), which was translated here as (peace), came about 80 times in the Septuagint version of the New Testament; used to express the joy of the people of God in some work that touches their salvation. ……. St. Mary, therefore, has got, in the name of the whole Church, in which she is a member, an exalted joy through the incarnation of God the Word, and dwelling in her. The following are some comments by fathers on that unique greeting: + She was the only one called “highly favored one” (full of grace), on account of having got the grace, not acquired by anyone else; having been filled with the talents of grace. (St. Ambrose) https://coptic-treasures.com/ + That birth was absolutely “a grace”; for in it the unity took place, of man with God; the body with the Word ………… The worthiness to realize it was not through the good works. (St. Augustine) + She was clothed with the divine grace as a garment; Her soul was filled with the divine wisdom; In her heart, she enjoyed matrimony with God; And was delivered God in her womb. (Father Theodosius, bishop of Ankara) Hearing the angel say to her: “The Lord is with you”; this expression had a specific meaning for St. Mary; who tasted it on a unique level; having carried the Word of God in her womb; and nourished the divine fetus by her body and blood. And him say: “Blessed is you among women”; according to the scholar Origen: [The joy which the angel Gabriel brought to St. Mary, have taken away the verdict of sorrow issued by God against Eve……….The way sin came by a woman, and passed to man, so was the enunciations of good news by women (Mary and Elizabeth). (6)“But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her: ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God” (29, 30). According to St. Jerome: [She was troubled and could not answer him, for she was not used to greet a man before; but once she recognized who he was, she did answer him; She, who was afraid to talk to a man, behold, she now talks to an angel without fear]. According to many fathers, the virgin Mary has been, as a living model of the virgins who dedicated their life to worship, hose who were characterized with strong shyness when encountering a man; and spend their life in their own home, or in the houses of virgins, not dealing with men. Yet, we cannot deny, that despite of being characterized with such strong shyness, and a complete dedication to the account of the Lord; and not intending to get married, as shown by saying to the angel: “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” (34); yet she was an active person in the holy congregation; active in her prayers and godliness; active in her acceptance of the exalted gift from God (the incarnation of the Word in her womb); and active in her ministry; for in the first miracle performed by the Lord Christ, she said to Him: “They have no wine” (John 2: 3); she was with her Son even to the cross; and after the ascension she was always with the disciples to support them…………. Virginity does not mean negativity, but the positivity of the giving love, proclaimed through worship and work, within the limits of man’s talents he gets from the Lord Himself. Hence St. Augustine says: [We do not honor virginity for itself, but for belonging to God]/ (7)The divine promise to St. Mary on the tongue of the angel was: “He will be great, and He will be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there will be no end” (32, 33). St. Mary enjoyed that divine conception; as the Son of the Highest was incarnate in her; He who was long anticipated by men of the Old covenant, as a King to sit forever on the throne of His father David; and as a Savior; hence called “Jesus” meaning (Jehovah is my salvation). + No one is like you, O St. Mart; fow while you dwell on earth, you became the mother of the Creator. (Paralex – the hymn of blessing) + If the Son of God has become the Son of David; you should not doubt, O man, that you may become the son of God. If God so descended to our depths, He did not do that in vain, but to lift us up high. He was born in flesh, for you to be born again according to the spirit. He was born by a woman, for you to be a son of God. (St.John Chrysostom) (8)Hearing the divine promise with the spirit of humility and faith, St Mary was confused; for such unique promise was never mentioned in the holy books to be given to another man; “Then Mary said to the angel: ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man? And the angel answered and said to her: ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you; and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore also that Holy One who is to born will be called the Son of God” (34, 35). https://coptic-treasures.com/ a-It so seems from the words uttered by St. Mary that she vowed virginity; for, if she wished to be married, she would not say ‘HOW’, but ‘WHEN’ will this be?’…… anticipating the fulfillment of the promise through marriage. But, having put in her heart to be a virgin for the Lord, the Virgin Lord dwelt in her to sanctify in her the spiritual virginity of the Church. According to St. Augustine: [Today the virgin Church celebrates the virgin birth …………. The Lord Christ confirmed the virginity of the heart He wishes the Church would have, first through the virginity of the body of Mary. Only the Church can still be a virgin even when bound to her Groom, the virgin’s Son; giving herself completely to Him]. b-According to St. Ambrose: [Mary did not reject the words of the angel, nor hesitated to accept them, but she showed readiness for them. As to the phrase: “How can this be?”, it does not imply doubting the issue, but wondering how can it be realized ……… It was her right to know how such a miraculous birth can happen[. That is why the answer by the angel came to reveal the secret of the work of God in her to realize it: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. Therefore also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (35) The Holy Spirit will come upon her to sanctify her, spirit and body; to prepare her for the work of the Father who sends His Son to her womb to incarnate from her. What an exalted divine secret, in which God proclaims His amazing love and honor for man! Before such a proclamation, Mary bowed her head in obedience, to say: “Behold, the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word” (38)……….. While Zecharias the priest expressed doubt in the possibility for his wife to give birth, the virgin believed, and in her obedience she received the work of God. According to St. Ambrose: [By her faith, Mary exalted above the priest. The priest erred, and the virgin corrected the error].. Because of his doubt, Zecharias became mute; while the virgin conceived with the incarnate Word, or the divine utterance that will never become mute ………. . According to St. Erinaos, the obedience of St. Mary replaced the disobedience of her mother Eve; for the latter made the matter complicated; then came her daughter to clear it by her obedience. According to the Theologians, in the moment Mary showed her obedience and submission to God, she received the incarnation; for it would not be possible for the incarnation to happen without her consent ………… For God sanctified the human freedom. According to St. Ambrose: [She described herself as the maidservant of the Lord, even though she was chosen to become His mother; namely the divine promise did not make her fall into pride]. And according to St. Augustine, the humble Lord Christ would never let His mother – by being pregnant with Him – fall into pride]. 5-MARY’S ENCOUNTER WITH ELIZABETH: Having become a representative of the believing humanity, or of the Church that received faith in God’s promise, and bowed down for the Word of God to dwell in her; she hastened to go into the hill country, to a city of Judah (39) to encounter with Elizabeth ………..a living portrait of the Church, bearing her Groom in her, who would not seek comfort, but set forth across the generations, as though on the mountains to present her Groom to every soul in the world. According to human reason, she should have hidden herself to ponder in the matter or to discuss it with her betrothed; but, having been pregnant with Him who carries the worries of the whole world, and who ordains every issue, Mary did not think about her own worries, but, by the spirit of ministry, she set forth to the hills, to the city of Judah to serve Elizabeth. If we bear our Christ in us, we should come out of our ‘ego’, set forth by a wide heart with love for all, to serve everyone. In that blessed encounter we notice: a-According to human reason, the poor searches for the rich; the needy for him who fulfills his needs; and the student for his teacher; but according to the divine reason, it is the great who searches for the little to embrace him with love, and to carry him on his shoulders ………... So it was God who loved us first; who initiated love, and descended to us, because we cannot ascend to Him …….. He bows down to lift us up from the dust, from the depths to His heavens, to bring us forth into the bosoms of the Father; and once He dwells in us, we will hasten toward the weak to serve them. According to the scholar Origen: [The privileged go forth to the less privileged. So did the Savior when He went to John to sanctify the baptism…………And Mary, once she heard the message of the angel that she is going to be pregnant with the Savior, and that her relative Elizabeth is pregnant, “She arose and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered into the house of Zecharias, and greeted Elizabeth” (39, 40)……… Jesus, while still in the womb of the virgin, hastens to sanctify John the Baptist, while also still in his mother’s womb]. And according to St. Ambrose: [He who is more exalted goes to https://coptic-treasures.com/ who is less exalted: Mary went to Elizabeth; and Jesus went to John, intending to sanctify his baptism by Himself, to get baptized in it]. Bearing our Holy Christ in us, we become holy, and set forth everywhere, longing for all to be holy together with us. b-According to the scholar Origen:[Mary, worthy of becoming the mother of God, had to ascend up to the hills, and stay in the heights]. And according to St. Ambrose: [It is not strange for her, who became filled with God, to ascend up high]. c-Having been pregnant with the Word of God the Lover of mankind, Mary’s encounter with Elizabeth came to be very gentle, bearing the spirit of ministry in humility. Hence St. Ambrose, interpreting the gospel of Matthew, seeks from the virgins to learn from St. Mary her gentleness, humility, and respect for the elders ………. How much we need today to perceive that being granted the graces of God, the priestly ranks in particular, should motivate us toward the humble ministry, with no intention for getting honor or authority, but with longing to wash the feel of others. d-Mary entered into the house of Elizabeth bearing her Groom in her womb; and according to the Evangelist Luke: “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” (41) I wish, in our visits and encounters with others, we bear to them our Holy Christ, who would exult their inner bodies, and kindle His Holy Spirit in them; instead of bearing to them evil thoughts and words of judgment, to fill them with sorrow, and quench the Spirit in them. According to scholars, the word “leaped” in Hebrew, came to mean (danced), the same word used to describe David’s dance before the ark of the covenant. + Once the babe John, while still in his mother’s womb, was filled with the Holy Spirit, his mother Elizabeth was also filled with the Holy Spirit. (The scholar Origen) + The blessings of Mary’s visit, with the presence of the Lord, was instantly apparent. Even though Elizabeth was the first to hear Mary’s greetings, but it was babe John who was the first to have the grace ……… Elizabeth was the first to know the coming of Mary, but it was John who felt the presence of Christ. The woman felt the presence of the woman; but the fetus felt the presence of the fetus. And while the two women spoke of the grace, the two fetuses were fulfilling inside, the work of the divine mercies. The babe leaped first, then the mother got filled; and not the other way round. (St. Ambrose) + Having been filled with the Holy Spirit, John was sanctified while still in his mother’s womb, to be able to baptize the Lord. He did not grant the Spirit; but he preached Him who does; saying: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me ………He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3: 11)………. Why with fire? For the Holy Spirit came down in the form of tongues of fire (Acts 2: 3). Concerning this the Lord said: “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it is already kindled” (Luke 12: 49) e-If the exultation of the fetus in the womb refers to the inner spiritual fruition in the soul, the body, as well partakes with the soul of this fruition; hence Elizabeth’s tongue set forth to proclaim what went on inside her, in harmony with it, saying: “Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord” (42-45) While the whole world was not aware of the enunciation of the good news to St. Mary, St. Elizabeth proclaimed Mary’s motherhood of her Lord; despite the absence of any outer sign of that divine event. …….. It is amazing how all those events, from the leaping of the babe for joy; to Elizabeth being filled with the Holy Spirit, and her testimony to Mary’s motherhood of her Lord; https://coptic-treasures.com/ all occurred once Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice of greeting; as though the Son of God who dwelt in St. Mary’s womb has Himself talked on the tongue of His mother, and acted through her. Elizabeth blessed Mary for becoming a mother of God through the incarnation of the Word; So the Church did along the generations. St. Cyril the Great, addressing the fathers in the council of Ephesus, said: [Blessed is Mary, mother of God, the royal treasure of the whole world; the unquenched lamp; the crown of virginity; the scepter of Orthodoxy; the unperceivable temple; the unlimited dwelling place; the mother and virgin. Blessed are you, who bore the Infinite in your holy womb]. Commenting on the words uttered by Elizabeth, the scholar Origen says: [What good have I done to deserve the coming of the mother of my Lord to me? ……Am I a saint?! ………What perfection or inner faithfulness, by which I became worthy of getting such a privilege?!]. So did St. Ambrose with almost the same words. 6-THE VIRGIN’S HYMN OF PRAISE: As the tongue of Elizabeth set forth blessing the virgin Mary, for believing the divine promises, and for bearing the Word of God in her womb; so did the tongue of the virgin to praise God. The encounter of the two women so turned into a practice of a life of worship on an angelic level of praise, to glorify God, and to proclaim His exalted secrets with joy. “Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (46, 47) According to the scholar Origen: [Before John’s birth, Elizabeth prophesied. And before the birth of our Savior Lord, Mary prophesied. As sin started by the woman (eve) and moved along to the man (Adam); So did the salvation in the world through women, who have overcome the weakness of their sex. Let us meditate in the prophecy uttered by the virgin, saying: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior”, to see how both the soul and the spirit partake og the glorification ………]. While Eve have done wrong toward her Creator when she distorted her spirit by disobedience, and corrupted the good creation of God; and her life no longer glorified the Creator, nor her depths proclaimed His splendor; There came Mary, bearing the Word of God in her womb, to restore to her soul her first beauty; and to have her spirit rejoice in having back the image and the likeness of God. According to the scholar Origen: [A question may arise: How could my soul magnify the Lord, who is unchangeable, and does not receive any increase or decrease?!....... How could Mary say: “My soul magnified the Lord”?!........ The more magnificent, and more splendid, my image of my soul spiritually become, by my good works, thoughts, and words, I would magnify the image of God. And as the image of God become more splendid in us; If we sin, this image becomes smaller and fades out ………]. Then he goes on to proclaim our commitment, as it came in the book of Deuteronomy, not to make an image of man or beast; namely our commitment to have the image of God inside us, and not that of any other, saying: [When we are deep in evil pleasure, we wear on our face the mask of a goat. Saying: “My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior”, bears an important Theological concept: that St. Mary, with her great exaltation, is in need of salvation as any other human; for being, herself born, she bears the original serious sin, which we inherited from our first parents Adam and Eve. Perceiving the secret of her enjoyment of the divine grace, St. Mary said: “He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant” (48). She did not say that God regarded her prayers, fasts, watching, justice, or wisdom, but “has regarded the lowly state of his maidservant”. She recognized the way by which to set forth to the mercies of God, and (to take by force) His gifts, which is ‘humility’. If the devil has lost his status through pride, he made pride a snare by which he catch all men into the kingdom of his darkness, to deny him his Creator, the source of his life, and the cause of his gladness. “For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name, and His mercy is on those who fear Him” (48 – 50). St. Mary perceived the greatness of the gift given to her, that she enjoyed the Grantor of gifts Himself, to carry in her womb; henceforth, all generations (all believers along the eras) will call her blessed for the sake of what God has done for her ……. And behold, the liturgies of the Church is loaded with her blessing, to proclaim the work of God in and with her, by the incarnation of the Word the Savior of the world from her. https://coptic-treasures.com/ We call her blessed along the generations, not as living and dying a virgin, but as a virgin in whom the exalted salvation work of God was transfigured. Every believer looking at her sees the exalted grace of God granted to mankind. …….. If the virgin has enjoyed the motherhood to the Lord Christ, carrying Him incarnate in her womb; as well as, by faith, in her heart; the soul that enjoys fellowship with God, enjoys, as well, some kind of motherhood; hence, according to father Methodeus: [The Church is in a state of labor, until Christ is conformed and delivered in us. Every saint who enjoys fellowship with Christ, is, as though Christ is born in him anew]. According to St. Ambrose: [Make sure to consummate the will of God the Father, to be (a mother) to Christ (Mark 3: 35)]. And commenting on the rest of the hymn of the virgin, saying: “He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts”, St. Cyril the Great says: [By the “arm” Mary refers to the Lord Jesus Christ to whom she gave birth; and by “the proud”, to the devil and his hosts, seduced by haughtiness, to bring them down to the pit of humiliation and misery. And by the “proud”, she may also refer to the Greek savants who rejected the (foolishness) of Christianity, as they claimed; and to the Jews who did not believe in Jesus Christ, and ended up scattered all over the earth. “He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly” (52). The authority of the devil and his hosts have been deteriorated; as they no longer hold the corners of the world, nor keep the human race in their captivity. And the Jewish scribes and Pharisees have fallen down from their exalted earthly glory, for they were too proud to believe in the Lord Christ. The hosts of the devil, the wise of the Greek, the scribes and Pharisees of the Jews, have all drowned in the sea of vain greatness, and false haughtiness; were humiliated by God, who exalted over them those with lowly hearts, and pure conscience, who were given the authority to trample on the serpents and scorpions, and all the power of the enemy ; and nothing, by any means hurt them (Luke 10: 19); nor the mean plots of those proud shall affect them. The Jews who were before a widely extended nation; because of their nonbelief, they were brought down to where they are now. While the Gentiles, by their faith could occupy a high and exalted position. “He has filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He has sent away empty” (53). By “the hungry”, is meant (mankind); for all men except the Jews fall short of the glory of God, and tasted the bitterness of hunger. No one but the Jews enjoyed the sweetness of the law, had their minds educated by the teachings of the apostles and prophets; and “to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises” (Romans 9: 4). And yet, they were moved by their arrogance down to the pit of haughtiness and pride; and refused to worship the incarnate God. No wonder, that they got back to their lack of faith, knowledge, hope, and grace; they were despised by the earthly Jerusalem, and driven away from the newly appeared life of glory and grace, on account of that they rejected the authority of life; crucified the Lord of glory, denied themselves the Fountain of Living water, and did not perceive the value of the Living Bread coming down from heaven. No wonder that, after all that, that they tasted a hunger not compared to any other hunger; and their tongues were burnt by thirst, that no other thirst could compete; for their hunger and thirst were not material and touchable , bur mental and spiritual; or, according to the prophet Amos: “Behold, the days are coming, says the lord God, that I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8: 11). On the other hand, the pagans who have for long suffered the spiritual thirst, and were overwhelmed by the authority of misery; and ultimately came to believe in the true God, their souls were satisfied by the richness of the divine word, their hearts were watered by the living water; and came to enjoy the promises that were the Jews’ before. “He Has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy” (54) He did not help Israel according to the flesh, those who were known for pride, arrogance, and haughty nose, depending upon their belonging to great ancestors, but helped Israel according to the spirit, those who appreciate the value of the name, and work on exalting and honoring it, through trusting in God, believing in His Son, and receiving the grace of adoption from the Lord Jesus, according to the promises of God to the prophets and the Patriarchs of the old covenant. “He spoke to our fathers; to Abraham and to his seed forever” (55) This verse also refers to the Jewish congregation in flesh, who came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. For God, glory be to His name, promised Abraham, saying: “In you all tribes of the earth will be blessed”; “for indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham” (Hebrew 2: 16). Finally, the Evangelist said: “And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house” (56) https://coptic-treasures.com/ Commenting on this evangelic saying, the scholar Origen says: [If Mary’s coming to Elizabeth, and her greeting she gave her, were enough to make the fetus in the womb of Elizabeth leap for joy; and Elizabeth to prophesy after being filled with the Holy Spirit ……. If that happened in just one hour, we can imagine the great progress that happened to John all along the three months of Mary’s stay with Elizabeth. If during a single moment, the fetus exulted and leaped in his mother’s womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, how much would John and Elizabeth increase in spiritual growth during the long stay of the mother of God, and the Savior Himself is present?!......... During those three months John was growing in the arena of heroes while still in his mother’s womb, preparing him for an amazing birth, and a more amazing future!.........; to live in the wilderness until the time came for him to appear to the children of Israel] With the same meaning, St. Ambrose said: [What stature, we can imagine, would the fetus in his mother’s womb, reach with St. Mary living in his house for such a long time?! ……….That was how the prophet got the holy anointment, to be prepared for the great battle. 7-THE BIRTH OF JOHN: “Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her” (57, 58) Having enjoyed God’s compassion and grace (John) in her womb; and having been filled with the Holy Spirit; that was practically translated in the appearance of babe John in the full time, for which many rejoiced. ……… So we are committed to translate what we bear of divine graces in our depths, into outer fruition that bring joy to the heavenly and earthly creatures. John’s birth brought joy and true gladness to the hearts, to set forth to praise God. According to St. Ambrose: [In the birth of the saints, joy comes upon all; for it is a blessing to all]. “So it was, on the eighth day that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zecharias; His mother answered and said: ‘No! he shall be called John; ……. And his father asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying: ‘his name is John’” (58-60; 63). They both said the child will be called john without any prior consultation; and, “Immediately Zecharias’ mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke praising God” (64). Once the Spirit of God came to receive the leadership of the situation, the couple – Zecharias and Elizabeth – not had a mutual fruit (John), but came to have the same mind in the Lord. We can also say that once the spirit of the Lord receives the leadership of our life, Elizabeth (our body) will become in harmony with Zecharias (our soul), to work together with one holy mind. Anyway, if God did not deny the parents the right to name their son -- as they have done that with their complete freedom; even though the name was from the Lord and through His guidance – Once God receives our life, He cares for us, even for naming us; the way He called Abram Abraham, Sarai Sarah, and Jacob Israel, etc. Now, as Zacharias mouth was immediately opened, his tongue loosed, and he spoke praising God (64) “Then fear came on all who dwell around them, and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea; and all those who heard them kept them in their heads, saying, ‘What kind of child will this be?’; and the hand of the Lord was with him” (65, 66). When we enjoy God’s compassion, our inner mouth will be opened, and our tongue will exult and praise the Lord, not by human words, but by the power of God, that fear will come on all who dwell around us. The true believer, through getting in touch with God, bears joy and gladness, and his life would wholly turn into a praising inner mouth; a praise that would shake the heavenly creatures with joy, and destroy the devil …… as though the power of God would be transfigured in him. The birth of John became some kind of preaching; even though it started vague, but “the hand of the Lord”, namely “The Son Word”, accompanied and supported him, as he set forth to the wilderness; there to sustain and care for him, until the predesigned time come for him to appear to Israel. 8-THE PROPHECY OF ZECHARIAS THE PRIEST: https://coptic-treasures.com/ Having enjoyed the compassion and grace of God (John), the tongue of Zecharias the priest, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, set forth to bless the Lord for he realized that the salvation plan of God will not cover him alone, nor just his family, but will embrace all. The Evangelist say: “Now his father Zecharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied saying: ‘Blessed is Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people” (68) Commenting on this, the scholar Origen says:[When Zecharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, he uttered two general prophesies: the first concerns Christ, and the second concerns John the Baptist and his appearance. It so appears from his words that he talks about the Savior as actually set and present in the world; then goes on to talk about John]. According to St. Ambrose: [The man who was mute for a long time, now prophesies. That is how the fullness of the grace of God turns the deniers (the doubters) into glorifiers of Him! ………… I wish no man loses his trust, nor despair when he meditate in his past sins; when he remembers te divine blessings]. Prophesying about the Lord Christ, Zecharias says: And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who had been since the world began” (69, 70) According to St. Jerome, [The ‘horn’ in the Holy Book means (a kingdom or authority)] and St. Gregory the Nezianzen says: [when we were cast down, a horn for the sake of our salvation was raised]. And according to St. Cyril the Great: [The word ‘horn’ refers, not only to power, but also to the royal authority. For Christ our Savior, who came from the house of king David, is the King of kings, and the great power of the Father]. And according to the scholar Origen: [The summit of salvation has indeed come from the house of David; for the prophecy came as an echo of the saying: Honor was planted on the summit; what summit! …….. Jesus Christ about whom is written: “He raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David”; as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets”]. “That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us” (71) According to the scholar Origen:[He does not mean our material enemies, but the spiritual ones. Actually Jesus came strong in the battle, to destroy all our enemies, and to save us from their snares, and to free us from those who hate us]. “To perform the mercy promised to our fathers; and to remember His holy covenant” (72) According to St. Gregory the Great: [Christ is both mercy ang justice; for by Him we have got the mercy to be justified by forgiving our sins through our faith in Him]. And according to the scholar Origen: [I think that the coming of the Lord was for the benefit of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, by being forgiven by God. For, it would be impossible for those men who have prophesied about that day, and who rejoiced in it, not to benefit by the coming of the Savior, and His miraculous birth]. The coming of the Savior proclaims the mercy of God to our fathers, and fulfills His persistent promises that appeared very clearly in the days of Abraham, with whom God entered into a holy covenant, and a vow, saying: “The oath which He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life” (73 - 75). That covenant which was fulfilled by the coming of Christ, bears two things: The first is to conquer our spiritual enemies, namely the hosts of darkness, without fear. The Lord actually destroyed their snares and broke down their authority under our feet, if we bear Him inside us. The second part, which goes hand in hand with the first, is our entrance into the inheritance, by worshipping the Lord with holiness and righteousness; namely bearing a new nature by which we live all the days of our life. As to the prophecy about John the Baptist, Zecharias said: “And you, child, , will be called ‘The prophet of the Highest’, for you will go before the face of the Lord, to prepare His ways; to give knowledge of salvation to His people, by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us, to give light to those who sit in the darkness, and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace” (76 – 79) The following are the comments of some of our fathers on this prophecy: https://coptic-treasures.com/ + “And you child, will be called ‘The prophet of the Highest” (76). I wish you would notice, as well, that Christ is “the Highest”, and that John the Baptist goes before Christ in his birth and work. Why then would the Godhead of Christ be denied by som?! (he means the followers of ‘Arius’). “To give light to those who sit in the darkness and the shadow of death” (79). John was a shining light in the midst of Judea; as it was written: “I will prepare a lamp for My anointed” (Psalm 132: 17) And in the statutes of Moses, one of the lamps in the tabernacle of meeting was perpetually lighted, as a symbol of John the Baptist. Yet, after gathering together around the baptism of John for some time, the Jews deserted and forsook him, and did their best to put off that shining lamp. No wonder that Christ Himself described John the Baptist, by saying- He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light” (John 5: 35) “To guide our feet into the way of peace” (79). The world was confused in the ways of darkness and the clouds of shameful ignorance, which kept the people from recognizing the Lord Christ, the Redeemer, God of the truth and justice; But the Lord of all has ultimately appeared to the Israelites as a Light and a Sun to their souls. (St. Cyril the Great) + I believe that Zecharias hastened to address the child, for he knew that he will be taken to live in the wilderness; and that he will be denied the enjoyment of his presence; as it so actually happened: “So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel” (80). Moses, as well, lived in the deserts after his escape from the land of Egypt, when he was 40 years of age ……….; But John the Baptist did since his birth; he, who was described as the greatest among all those born by women, and was worthy of a superb way of culture. (The scholar Origen) + Some may see some exaggeration in so addressing a babe of 8 days; but we can perceive how this would be possible, if we remember how he as a fetus in his mother’s womb, heard the voice of St. Mary, before his birth. Being a prophet, prophets have other ears which are opened by the Holy Spirit, rather than by the growth of the body. John was definitely capable of understanding, having leaped exultantly in his mother’s womb. (St.Ambrose)

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