Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Luke 11:28

Luke 11:28. Yea, rather. Our Lord does not deny that His mother was blessed, but He nevertheless rectifies the woman's view. The ground of her blessedness, as in the case of all the human race, unto whom in the highest sense, ‘a child is born, a son is given,' is that she too belonged to them that hear the word of God and keep it. Comp. chap. Luke 1:45; Luke 2:19; Luke 2:51. This woman truly represents devout Roman Catholics in their Adoration of the Virgin. The Ave Maria, as they use it, is but a repetition of her words; and their religious enthusiasm too often manifests the same unintelligent wonder, which is here kindly reproved by our Lord. His answer gives prominence not to His own word, but to ‘the word of God;' for though they are the same, the woman was thinking solely of His human birth, and not of His heavenly Father; and this mistake He would correct. The blessing our Lord pronounces may be the portion of all believers, as of His mother. Comp. Matthew 12:50.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Luke 11:28

Old Testament

New Testament