Gobbets

“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown

his favour and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

(Luke 1:25)

Context: Elizabeth’s response after the birth of John the Baptist is announced to Zacharias, her husband. Prior to the visit of the angel to Mary.

Points of interest and difficulty:

• only in Luke

• the words of Elizabeth on her pregnancy

• part of the birth narratives in chapter 1 which highlight the role of women in Luke

• ‘my disgrace’ – ‘his favour’: children were a blessing from God in Judaism. A barren woman was looked upon as being out of favour with God.