House Church Talk - the cultural setting of the magnificat

[David Anderson]

We certainly cannot return to these times of old yet they do intrigue the 
modern reader. Once Mary spoke the Magnificat, she staid with Elizabeth 
for a three month visit. How many guys today would allow their fiancees 
to disappear for that long? And speaking of romance in 1st century 
Palestine, how blessed -?- they were to be able to marry while so young. 
No frustrating dating, embarrassing pimples, or waiting for years for 
guys to began acting their ages. Oh, and how convenient to start the 
family just when the hormones kick in.... 

Sighhhhhh. :-)

Those private opinions of mine out of the way, what we have in Luke One 
is an intelligent, young - maybe 13-15 years old - women demonstrating 
her skill in the scriptures, apparently familiar with the words of 
Deborah, Hannah, Miriam, the Psalms, the prophets. Whoa... amazing... did 
you already notice the source material of the Magnificat?

Those in the house church circle who fancy that the 1st century believers 
were by and large "illiterates without the scriptures" should reconsider 
their careless words.

father of 2 teen girls, sometimes restless,

     David Anderson

PS: Is 'magnificat' a suitable name for a cat?