Did Mary actually leave Elizabeth before John was born?

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When Mary heard from the angel Gabriel that Elizabeth was in her 6th month of pregnancy, Mary quickly left to join her. As the two greeted and the baby John leaped for joy in her womb, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and couldn’t believe Mary would come to her that she exclaimed

Luke 1:42-45 “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

After noting the three had all that excitement and gratefulness, we soon read the following verses in an interesting order:

Luke 1:56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about 3 months and then returned home.

Luke 1:57-58 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

Q: When Mary left to go home, Elizabeth would have been in about her 9th month of pregnancy (6th month + “about 3 months” she stayed). With the author having written verses 56 through 58 in that order, was he saying Mary actually left Elizabeth before John was born?

7 Comments

  • Varnel Watson
    Reply December 15, 2016

    Varnel Watson

    Another great question for serious theologians only ! Jim Price

  • Varnel Watson
    Reply December 15, 2016

    Varnel Watson

    Jim Price When Mary left to go home, Elizabeth would have been in about her 9th month of pregnancy (6th month + “about 3 months” she stayed). With the author having written verses 56 through 58 in that order, was he saying Mary actually left Elizabeth before John was born? Henry Volk Charles

    • Jim Price
      Reply December 17, 2016

      Jim Price

      It reads to me as if Mary left before the birth of John. Mary was only 14 or 15 and probably never helped delivery a baby so I have the feeling that she left that to the older more experienced women.

  • Varnel Watson
    Reply December 17, 2016

    Varnel Watson

    Mary rides into Bethlehem on a donkey, urgently needing to deliver her baby. … Although innkeepers play a prominent part in many Christmas plays, at the time of King Herod and the magi (Matthew 2:16), Jesus could been two years old or under

  • Ricky Grimsley
    Reply December 17, 2016

    Ricky Grimsley

    Jesus was about two years old when the magi came because the cane to his house. Also the herod killing the two year olds and under.

    • Jim Price
      Reply December 17, 2016

      Jim Price

      I see the need to add in the 3 wise men in Christmas plays but it points out how easy it is to get the bibles time line out of sorts. I’ve had folks get angry with me when I said that Mark was the oldest of the gospels or when I poined out that Job was the oldest book in the Old Testament.

  • Varnel Watson
    Reply December 17, 2016

    Varnel Watson

    His house in Nazareth? What?

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