Church Fathers Commentary Luke 1:46

"And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord," — Luke 1:46 (ASV)

St. Ambrose of Milan: As evil came into the world by a woman, so also is good introduced by women. It seems, therefore, not without meaning that both Elizabeth prophesies before John, and Mary before the birth of the Lord. But it follows that as Mary was the greater person, so she uttered the fuller prophecy.

St. Basil the Great: For the Virgin, with lofty thoughts and deep insight, contemplates the boundless mystery, magnifying God the further she advances. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord.

Greek Expositors: It is as if she said, "The Lord has declared that He will accomplish marvelous things in my body, but my soul shall not be unfruitful before God. It is fitting for me to also offer Him the fruit of my will, for since I am obedient to a mighty miracle, I am bound to glorify Him who performs His mighty works in me."

Origen of Alexandria: Now, if the Lord can neither increase nor decrease, what does Mary mean when she says, My soul doth magnify the Lord?

But if I consider that the Lord our Savior is the image of the invisible God, and that the soul is created in His image to be an image of an image, then I will plainly see the answer. Just as painters make an image great or small, base or noble, according to the likeness of the original, so each of us forms our soul after the image of Christ. When I have made my soul great in thought, word, and deed, the image of God is made great, and the Lord Himself, whose image it is, is magnified in my soul.