Luke 1:51

51 He hath showed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart.

Luke 1:51 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 1:51

He hath showed strength with his arm
Of almighty power, in the business of the incarnation, and in working out salvation for his people; which is done by his own arm, he being mighty to save, and travelling in the greatness of his strength; see ( Isaiah 63:1 Isaiah 63:5 ) .

He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts;
whom he always resists, and both in providence and grace, takes such methods, as tend to humble and confound them: here particularly, it may regard the proud and haughty Jews; who imagined nothing less, than that the Messiah would be born of one of the rich and noble families in Judea; that he would appear as a temporal prince, and set up a temporal kingdom in great state and splendour, and make them a free and flourishing people: when instead of this, he was to be born of a poor virgin, of whom they disdainfully say, is not his mother called Mary? who was of Nazareth in Galilee, of which it is said, shall Christ come out of Galilee? or any good thing out of Nazareth? A virgin betrothed to a carpenter, and her son of that business also, with which both were flouted; and because of this meanness, the Messiah was rejected by them; and thus were they scattered and confounded in their imaginations.

Luke 1:51 In-Context

49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name.

50 And his mercy is unto generations and generations On them that fear him.

51 He hath showed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart.

52 He hath put down princes from [their] thrones, And hath exalted them of low degree.

53 The hungry he hath filled with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away.