Some weeks ago I came across this meme comparing two passages of Scripture: David’s response to the Ark of the Covenant in 2 Samuel 6:9 and Elizabeth’s words to Mary in Luke 1:43. The suggestion was that Luke intentionally presents Mary in connection with the Ark of the Covenant. My first reaction was to suspect a Catholic-biased interpretation of the passage. But rather than simply dismissing the idea, I became curious: How close are these passages actually in the Greek? Normally, my instinct would be to return to the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, but because Luke wrote in Greek, I wondered whether the Septuagint might reveal something important. In the Septuagint, David asks, “How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?” while Elizabeth asks, “Why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” The wording is not identical, not as the meme suggests, but the similarity is still striking.
The parallels continue beyond these phrases. Luke’s account of Mary’s visit contains several details that echo David’s encounter with the Ark. Mary travels into the hill country of Judah, placing the story within the same region connected with the Ark narrative. Elizabeth responds with awe at Mary’s arrival, echoing David’s reaction to the presence of the Ark. John leaps in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary arrives, reflecting the joy surrounding the Ark’s arrival, and Mary remains with Elizabeth for about three months, just as the Ark remained in the house of Obed-edom for three months. Luke never explicitly says, “Mary is the Ark of the Covenant,” and we should be careful not to claim more than the text gives us. However, the combination of these details suggests that Luke may be intentionally drawing his readers back to the Ark story. Early Christian writers, such as Ambrose of Milan, also recognised these connections when reflecting on Luke’s Gospel.
The significance of this imagery, however, is not ultimately about Mary but about Jesus. The Ark was not important by itself, but because of the covenant it contained and the presence of God associated with it. Within the Ark were the tablets of the covenant, the tangible reminder of God’s promises and relationship with Israel. In the same way, Mary’s significance comes from the One she carries. Luke’s deeper message is that the God who once revealed his covenant presence among Israel has now come near in a new and greater way. As John writes, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The Ark carried the signs of the covenant; Mary carries the fulfilment of the covenant in Christ. Seeing this connection does not draw attention away from Jesus; it reveals more about the mystery of his incarnation.
Perhaps this passage also invites Christians to reconsider some of their assumptions. The Catholic tradition has sometimes developed Marian teachings way beyond what Scripture clearly establishes, but Protestant reactions have sometimes risked diminishing the significance that Scripture itself gives Mary. In seeking to protect the centrality of Christ, Protestants can sometimes overlook the honour given to Mary in the biblical story. Mary is not the source of salvation, nor is she an alternative focus of worship. She is the faithful servant who bears the Son of God and participates uniquely in God’s purposes. A faithful reading of Scripture does not require us to exaggerate Mary, but neither does it require us to ignore her. Instead, it invites us to see what her story reveals about the God who chooses to come near to his people.
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