And blessed is she that believed.
&c.] Meaning Mary, a woman, a very young woman, and who had
had things very incredible to nature and reason told her; and yet
she believed, without objecting thereto, or requiring a sign;
tacitly referring to the unbelief of Zacharias, who was a man, a
man in years, a priest by office; and yet had been very
incredulous, in a thing that was much more possible; because
there had been instances of it before, in Sarah, Hannah, and
Manoah's wife; than what was related to the virgin, of which
there had been none; and which to reason, and with men, was
impossible: and happy indeed is every one, that has true faith in
any degree; for faith is the faith of God's elect, and is both a
fruit and evidence of electing grace, which is the source of all
blessings; it is the gift of God, and the operation of his
Spirit, and can never be lost: many are the blessings such as
believe are in the possession of, and openly entitled to; as the
justification of their persons, the remission of their sins,
their adoption into the household of God, liberty at the throne
of grace, and a right to the eternal inheritance; they enjoy much
solid peace, joy, and comfort in their own souls; bring much
glory to God, and shall be saved in the Lord, with an everlasting
salvation:
for there shall be a performance of those things which were
told her
from the Lord:
these words may be considered, either as the subject matter of
her faith, and be rendered in connection with the former, thus,
"blessed is she that believed, that there shall be a performance,
&c", being fully persuaded, that what the angel had told her,
concerning the conception and birth of a son, concerning his
name, and the greatness of his person, and the nature, extent,
and duration of his kingdom, should be certainly and punctually
fulfilled; or as a reason of her happiness, because there should
be a sure accomplishment of them. Whatever God has spoken to any
of his people, whether it be with respect to things temporal,
spiritual, or eternal, shall be performed; as may be strongly
concluded from the veracity of God, who cannot lie; and from his
power, who is able to do all things; and from his faithfulness,
which he will never suffer to fail; and from instances, and
matters of fact; from the experience of the saints in all ages,
who know, and are conscious to themselves, that not one of the
good things the Lord God has spoken to them, has ever failed, but
that all have come to pass; see ( Joshua 23:14
) .