Albert Barnes Commentary Luke 1:45

"And blessed [is] she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord." — Luke 1:45 (ASV)

Blessed is she that believed (or, which believed that there shall be). That is, Mary, who believed what the angel spoke to her. She was blessed not only in the act of believing, but because the thing promised would certainly be fulfilled.

From these expressions of Elisabeth we may learn:

1. That the spirit of prophecy had not entirely ceased among the Jews.

2. That the Holy Ghost is the source of light, comfort, and joy.

3. That everything about the birth of Jesus was remarkable, and that he must have been more than a mere man.

4. That the prospect of the coming of the Messiah was one of great joy and rejoicing to ancient saints; and

5. That it was a high honor to be the mother of him who should redeem mankind. It is from that honor that Roman Catholics have determined that it is right to worship the Virgin Mary and to offer prayers to her—an act of worship as idolatrous as any that could be offered to a creature. For:

   1. It is not anywhere commanded in the Bible.

   2. It is expressly forbidden to worship any being but God (Exodus 34:14; Exodus 20:4–5; Deuteronomy 6:13–14; Isaiah 45:20).

   3. It is idolatry to worship or pray to a creature.

   4. It is absurd to suppose that the Virgin Mary can be in all places at the same time to hear the prayers of thousands at once, or to aid them. There is no idolatry more gross, and of course more wicked, than to worship the creature more than the Creator (Romans 1:25).