Luke 1:42

But because there have been other holy women who yet have borne sons stained with sin, she adds, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Or another interpretation is, having said, Blessed art thou among women, she then, as if some one enquired the cause, answers, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb: as it is said, Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. The Lord God, and he hath showed us light; (Ps. 118:26, 27.) for the Holy Scriptures often use and, instead of because.

Fourth is the fullness of restoring fruits. Isaiah says: "The branch of the Lord will be luster and glory, and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor." And when was this? When the woman said: "Blessed art thou among women and blessed …

Third, there is subjoined the great affection of Elizabeth in her greeting and kindly. — On account of its greatness it is said: And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out with a loud voice. For the greatness of the voice is …

(Severus.) From this place we derive the refutation of Eutyches, in that Christ is stated to be the fruit of the womb. For all fruit is of the same nature with the tree that bears it. It remains then that the virgin was also of the same nature with the second Adam, who takes away the sins of the world. But let those also who invent curious fictions concerning the flesh of Christ, blush when they hear of the real child-bearing of the mother of God. For the fruit itself proceeds from the very substance of the tree. Where too are those who say that Christ passed through the virgin as water through an aqueduct? Let these consider the words of Elisabeth who was filled with the Spirit, that Christ was the fruit of the womb. It follows, And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

(Geometer.) This fruit alone then is blessed, because it is produced without man, and without sin.

[Elizabeth is attributed] properly with a great voice because she recognized the great gifts of God … [and] she sensed that he whom she knew to be present everywhere was also present bodily there. Indeed, by a "great" voice is not to be understood so …

"Blessed is the fruit of your womb"—since through you we have recovered both the seed of incorruption and the fruit of our heavenly inheritance, which we lost in Adam.

And she cried out with a loud voice and said: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. It should be noted that the prophecy about Christ mentioned previously is fulfilled not only through the miracles of events but also …

Mary is blessed by Elisabeth with the same words as before by Gabriel, to show that she was to be reverenced both by men and angels.

This is the fruit which is promised to David, Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. (Ps. 132:11.)

A sinner sometimes seeks in something that which he cannot attain, but the just does attain it. Prov. 13:22, "By the just is the substance of the sinner guarded." Thus Eve sought the fruit, and in that she did not find all that she desired; …

And she spake out with a loud voice,....

We should observe in this passage — the benefit of fellowship and communion between believers. We read of a visit paid by Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. We are told in a striking manner how the hearts of both of these holy women were cheered, and their minds lifted up by this interview. Without this visit, Elizabeth might never have been so filled with the Holy Spirit, as we are here told she was; and Mary might never have uttered that song of praise which is now known all over the Church of Christ.

We should observe in this passage — the benefit of fellowship and communion between believers. We read of a visit paid by Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. We are told in a striking manner how the hearts of both of these holy women were cheered, and their minds lifted up by this interview. Without this visit, Elizabeth might never have been so filled with the Holy Spirit, as we are here told she was; and Mary might never have uttered that song of praise which is now known all over the Church of Christ. The words of an old divine are deep and true, "Happiness communicated, doubles itself. Grief grows greater by concealing — joy grows greater by expression." We should always regard communion with other believers as an eminent means of grace. It is a refreshing break in our journey along the narrow way, to exchange experience with our fellow travelers. It helps us insensibly, and it helps them — and so it is a mutual gain. It is the nearest approach that we can make on earth, to the joy of Heaven. "As iron sharpens iron, so does the countenance of a man his friend." We need reminding of this. The subject does not receive sufficient attention, and the souls of believers suffer in consequence. There are many who fear the Lord and think upon His name — and yet forget to speak often one to another. (Malachi 3:16.) First let us seek the face of God — then let us seek the face of God's friends. If we did this more, and were more careful about the company we keep — we would oftener know what it is to feel filled with the Holy Spirit. We should observe in this passage — the clear spiritual knowledge which appears in the language of Elizabeth. She uses an expression about Mary which shows that she herself was deeply taught of God. She calls her, "the mother of my Lord."

Blessed art thou among women - Repeating the words of the angel, Luk 1:28, of which she had probably been informed by the holy virgin, in the present interview.

Blessed art thou among women - She here repeated nearly the words of the angel to Mary, esteeming it to be the highest honor among mothers to be the mother of the Messiah. See the notes at Luk 1:28.