But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
There’s no earth-shattering answer to those questions, but different commentaries about this verse did point out some interesting observations I’d like to share.
First, in McGarvey and Pendleton’s commentary, it is pointed out that “the silence of Mary contrasts with the talkativeness of the shepherds. But it is the duty of Christians both to ponder and to publish.” This commentary also notes an interesting thing that is that only Mary could have known the fact stated here (that she pondered these things in her heart) – therefore, the statement indicates that Luke got these parts of his gospel from Mary herself.
Mary had much to think about. “The angelic messages to Zacharias, to herself, and to the shepherds were full of significance, and her mind would search diligently to comprehend the fullness of their meaning.” It was pointed out that she said nothing of these things to others, “lest she should be thought an enthusiast, or a vain boaster; and therefore left things, till time should make a discovery of them in a proper way, and in the best season.” One commentator said that “in her quiet thoughtfulness the beauty of the virgin’s character shines forth.”
Another point drawn out was the fact that Mary’s name was most likely quite “smeared” at that time… living in a small town and showing to be pregnant before she was allowed to be with Joseph, there’s no doubt that people talked and gossiped about this. And yet she “silently left it to God to clear up her virtue, when that was suspected, so she silently leaves it to him to publish her honour, now when it was veiled; and it is satisfaction enough to find that, if no one else takes notice of the birth of her child, angels do.”
Matthew Henry also notes a point of application to be found in this, which is that “the truths of Christ are worth keeping; and the way to keep them safe is to ponder them. Meditation is the best help to memory.”
John Darby's synopsis of Luke 2, pt. 2:We see next, that there are three things brought out by the presence of Jesus born as a child on the earth. First, glory to God in the highest. The love of God - His wisdom - His power - the fulfilment of His eternal counsels - the perfection of His ways where evil had come in - the manifestation of Himself amidst the evil in such a manner as to glorify Himself before the angels: in a word, God had so manifested Himself by the birth of Jesus, that the hosts of heaven, long familiar with His power, could raise their chorus, "Glory to God in the highest!" and every voice unites in sounding forth these praises. What love is like this love? What a purely divine thought, that God has become man! What supremacy of good over evil! What wisdom in drawing nigh to the heart of man and the heart of man back to Him! What fitness in addressing man! What maintenance of the holiness of God! What nearness to the heart of man, what participation in his wants, what experience of his condition! But beyond all, God above the evil in grace, and in that grace visiting this defiled world to make Himself known as He had never yet been known!The second effect of the presence of Him who manifested God on the earth is that peace should be there. Rejected - His name should be an occasion of strife; but the heavenly choir are occupied with the fact of His presence… All was wrapped up in Him. The state of blessing was born in the birth of that child. Jesus was their surety. He was come into the world. The presence of the Son of God in the midst of sinners said to all spiritual intelligence, "Peace on the earth."The third thing was the good pleasure - the affection of God in men. Nothing more simple, since Jesus was a man. He had not taken hold of angels. It was a glorious testimony that the affection, the good pleasure, of God was centred in this poor race, now far from Him, but in which He was pleased to accomplish all His glorious counsels. In a word, it was the power of God present in grace in the Person of the Son of God taking part in the nature, and interesting Himself in the lot, of a being who had departed from Him, and making him the sphere of the accomplishment of all His counsels, and of the manifestation of His grace and His nature to all His creatures. What a position for man! for it is indeed in man that all this is accomplished. The whole universe was to learn in man, and in what God therein was for man, that which God was in Himself, and the fruit of all His glorious counsels, as well as its complete rest in His presence, according to His nature of love. All this was implied in the birth of that child of whom the world took no notice. Natural and marvellous subject of praise to the holy inhabitants of heaven, unto whom God had made it known! It was glory to God in the highest.
I was recently reading John Darby's Synopsis of the Bible - specifically his synopsis of Christ's birth - and thought I would share what he wrote. I hope you enjoy reading the things that he gleaned from Luke 2. He starts by talking of the census, and the revealing of God's plan through it (Luke 2:1):The emperor will have all the world registered, and every one goes to his own city. But this act only accomplishes the marvellous purpose of God, causing the Saviour-king to be born in the village where, according to the testimony of God, that event was to take place. And, more than that, the divine Person, who was to excite the joy and the praises of heaven, is born among men, Himself a child in this world.Darby then discusses Christ's coming into this world - a world that "knew Him not" (Luke 2:4-7):The state of things in Israel and in the world, is the supremacy of the Gentiles and the absence of the throne of God. The Son of man, the Saviour, God manifested in the flesh, comes to take His place - a place which grace alone could find or take in a world that knew Him not.The Son of God is born in this world, but He finds no place there. The world is at home, or at least by its resources it finds a place, in the inn; it becomes a kind of measure of man's place in, and reception by, the world; the Son of God finds none, save in the manger. Is it for nothing that the Holy Ghost records this circumstance? No. There is no room for God, and that which is of God, in this world. So much the more perfect therefore is the love that brought Him down to earth. But He began in a manger and ended on the cross, and along the way had not where to lay His head. The Son of God - a child, partaking in all the weakness and all the circumstances of human life, thus manifested-appears in the world. But if God comes into this world, and if a manger receives Him, in the nature He had taken in grace, the angels are occupied with the event on which depends the fate of the whole universe, and the accomplishment of all the counsels of God; for He has chosen weak things to confound things that are mighty. This poor infant is the object of all the counsels of God, the upholder and heir of the whole creation, the Saviour of all who shall inherit glory and eternal life.He then talks of the shepherds (Luke 2:8-9):Some poor men who were faithfully performing their toilsome labours, afar from the restless activity of an ambitious and sinful world, receive the first tidings of the Lord's presence on earth. The God of Israel did not seek for the great among His people, but had respect to the poor of the flock. Two things here present themselves. The angel who comes to the shepherds of Judea announces to them the fulfilment of the promises of God to Israel. The choir of angels celebrate in their heavenly chorus of praise all the real import of this wondrous event.And then the angelic proclamation (Luke 2:10-14):"Unto you," says the heavenly messenger who visits the poor shepherds, "is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." This was proclaiming good tidings to them and to all the people. But in the birth of the Son of man, God manifest in the flesh, the accomplishment of the incarnation had far deeper importance than this. The fact that this poor infant was there, disallowed and left (humanly speaking) to its fate by the world, was (as understood by the heavenly intelligences, the multitude of the heavenly host, whose praises resounded at the angel's message to the shepherds) "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good pleasure [of God] in men." These few words embrace such widely extended thoughts, that it is difficult to speak suitably of them in a work like this; but some remarks are necessary. First, it is deeply blessed to see that the thought of Jesus excludes all that could oppress the heart in the scene which surrounded His presence on earth. Sin, alas! was there. It was manifested by the position in which this wondrous infant was found. But if sin had placed Him there, grace had placed Him there. Grace superabounds; and in thinking of Him, blessing, grace, the mind of God respecting sin, that which God is, as manifested by the presence of Christ, absorb the mind and possess the heart, and are the heart's true relief in a world like this. We see grace alone; and sin does but magnify the fullness, the sovereignty, the perfection of that grace. God, in His glorious dealings, blots out the sin with respect to which He acts, and which He thus exhibits in all its deformity; but there is that which "much more aboundeth." Jesus, come in grace, fills the heart. It is the same thing in all the details of Christian life. It is the true source of moral power, of sanctification, and of joy.
Tomorrow we will continue to look at Darby's synopsis and focus on three things brought out by the presence of Jesus born as a child on the earth.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
