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NASB | Luke 1:56 ¶ And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Luke 1:56 ¶ And Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months, and then returned to her home. |
Bible Question: Is there anything in the Greek of Luke 1 to hint/indicate that Mary stayed with Elizabeth after John was born? The stated timeline is that Mary arrived at Elizabeth's house in Elizabeth's sixth month of pregnancy and stayed there "about" three months. I understand that the Greek "hosei" implies a leeway afterwards per Dean Alford, but I'm no scholar. The text does not say that she was there for the birth of John, but staying there from Elizabeth's sixth to ninth months (as the text says; to help perhaps as I might infer) and leaving right before the birth (as 1.56 and then 1.57 in English imply) does not make sense. |
Bible Answer: Hello Rick, Welcome to the Forum. Great question and interestingly, I did a study and exposition of this passage last year:-) Regarding your specific query, did "Mary stay with Elizabeth after John was born?", here's what light I can shed: 1. The Commentary Critical says, "returned to her own house—at Nazareth, after which took place what is recorded in Mt 1:18–25."; 2. The Bible Knowledge Commentary offers, "1:56. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months, apparently until John was born (cf. v. 36). Mary then returned home. The Greek has the words “her home,” indicating that she was still a virgin and was not yet married to Joseph." Additional insight is provided by Darrell Bock in his Luke Commentary: "In stating that Mary remained with Elizabeth, Luke uses a favorite preposition, syn (together or with), which he often prefers to meta (with) as a comparison of pericopes with Synoptic parallels (8:38, 51, 20:1, 22:14, 56). Just before John's birth, Mary returns to Nazareth (1:56). Much discussion surrounds Mary's departure.Arguing that Mary would not have left so close to John's birth, many suppose that Luke has moved the account of Mary's return forward to take Mary off center stage before John's birth. Such a shift would parallel how John the Baptst's arrest is presented in 3:19-20. Althought it' possible, the impression of the narrative does not fit this interpretation. Speaking the Truth in Love, BradK |