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Luke 11:27–28
“As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!’ But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’ ”
Not everyone who witnessed the ministry of Jesus was as hostile to Him as some onlookers were when they accused Him of being in league with Satan (Luke 11:14–26). Some people even rose to His defense when others spoke ill of Him. Luke 11:27–28 records one such instance.
While Jesus was explaining that He could not in fact be working for the devil, a woman in the crowd cried out, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” Her act here was bold, for in first-century Jewish culture, women were generally expected to keep silent when they were in mixed company. By pronouncing this blessing, the woman was declaring that Jesus’ mother, Mary, was greatly blessed, and by extension she was praising Jesus. In essence, one commentator notes, the woman meant that Mary should be proud and thankful to have a Son as wonderful as Jesus. His existence was a reason to call down a blessing on the woman who had given birth to Him.
Jesus, however, did not dwell on the favor shown to Mary, though she was a blessed woman indeed to be the mother of the Savior of the world (see Luke 1:30, 48). Instead, He responded to her by pronouncing a blessing on those who hear and keep—that is, obey—the Word of God (Luke 11:28). The woman had not made a wrong statement as much as an incomplete one. Yes, Mary was blessed, but that did not come simply through her physical, familial connection to Jesus, and it does not mean that Christians should put an inordinate focus on her. The point of Jesus’ words is that all people, including Mary, receive the fullest blessing of God by following His words in Scripture. We can hardly overstate how amazing His statement is or how it makes plain that obedient Christians are no less blessed than our Lord’s own family according to the flesh. Dr. R.C. Sproul comments,“If you hear the Word of God and obey it, our Lord pronounces a blessing on you that is greater than the blessing that the Father gave to His own mother.”
Mary’s earthly relationship to Jesus, as incredible as it is, does nothing for her apart from trusting God and keeping His Word. Augustine of Hippo writes: “Mary was more blessed in accepting the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. . . . Even her maternal relationship would have done Mary no good unless she had borne Christ more happily in her heart than in her flesh.”
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
God’s blessing is not only for those figures we consider key in the history of salvation. It is for all people who trust in Christ and keep His commandments sincerely, though imperfectly. The Lord blesses all those who follow His will, and while we have different vocations, His favor is on all His children.
for further study
- Psalm 112
- James 1:22–25
the bible in a year
- 2 Chronicles 29–31
- John 18:1–24
- 2 Chronicles 32–36
- John 18:25–19:16a