Christ's Life Prior to His Ministry I: Sections 7 & 8

Section 7
MARY, FUTURE MOTHER OF JESUS, VISITS ELISABETH, FUTURE MOTHER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
(In the Hill Country of Judea, BC 5)
LUKE 1:39-56.

Luk 1:39  In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,

Such was the intense desire of Mary's mind to visit and communicate with her relative Elisabeth, that she scrupled not to undertake this long journey to effect her purpose. -TSK Cross Reference

She went, meta spoudēs - with care, diligence, and expedition; not as young people commonly go abroad and visit their friends, to divert herself, but to inform herself.-Matthew Henry

The word "haste" suggests careful diligence and seems consistent with Mary's reflective nature.  Matthew Henry asserts that Mary sets off on her visit to Elizabeth just short time after the angel visited.  RWP points out that she probably went to be affirmed and surrounded by those who would believe her.

The exact town Zechariah and Elizabeth lived in is unknown, but it was in the district of Judah, south of Jerusalem, so a significant journey from Nazareth (approximately 100 miles).

Elizabeth's response---"This is the first beatitude in the New Testament and it is similar to the last one in the Gospels spoken to Thomas to discourage his doubt" (Joh_20:29).-RWP

"Think of that simple young girl in her obscurity having flashed before her the certainty that her name would be repeated with blessing till the world’s end, and then thus meekly laying her honours down at God’s feet. What a lesson of how to receive all distinctions and exaltations!"-MacLaren

Section 8.
THE BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.
(Hill Country of Judea, BC 5)
LUKE 1: 57-80.

John's ministry was brief but powerful---lots of preparation and waiting for one bright burst:

"But because of the special mission which John knew from an early age he would perform, he chose to follow the role of Elijah (cf. Luk_1:17) by living in a desolate area. For in only a brief period of time John’s ministry would catapult him into prominence." -BKC

I like MacLaren's observation here too---the heart of Zechariah's prophecy and John's ministry was not revolt or rebellion against a regime, as this would have been sideways energy.  The true revolutionary work that needed to happen was internal, unseen:

 "John was no preacher of revolt, as the turbulent and impure patriots of the day would have liked him to be, but of repentance. His work was to awake the consciousness of sin, and so to kindle desires for a salvation which was deliverance from sin, the only yoke which really enslaves. Zacharias the ‘blameless’ saw what the true bondage of the nation was, and what the work both of the Deliverer and of His herald must be. We need to be perpetually reminded of the truth that the only salvation and deliverance which can do us any good consist in getting rid, by pardon and by holiness, of the cords of our sins." -Andrew MacLaren

"All comes from the ‘bowels of mercy of our God,’ as Zacharias, in accordance with Old Testament metaphor, speaks, allocating the seat of the emotions which we attribute to the heart. Conventional notions of delicacy think the Hebrew idea coarse, but the one allocation is just as delicate as the other. We can get no deeper down or farther back into the secret springs of things than this-that the root cause of all, and most especially of the mission of Christ, is the pitying love of God’s heart." -Andrew MacLaren

Luk 1:78  Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

Tender mercy (splagchna eleous). Bowels of mercy literally (1Pe_3:8; Jas_3:11) -RWP

splagchnon
splangkh'-non
Probably strengthened from σπλήν
splēn
(the “spleen”); an intestine (plural); figuratively pity or sympathy: - bowels, inward affection, + tender mercy.

Joseph Parker, "Sunrise in Blue"

The prophets loved to picture Messiah's advent as a sunrise (Fourfold)

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. -Isaiah 9:2

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. -Isaiah 60:1-3

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.  -Malachi 4:2

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. -Matthew 4:16

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. John 1:4

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:5