Luke 1:56
“Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.”
What does Luke 1:56 mean?
Mary had traveled to visit her older cousin Elizabeth when Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist, and this verse marks the end of that visit. After spending three months together (likely until Elizabeth gave birth), Mary returned home to Nazareth, still carrying the secret of her own pregnancy. This simple detail reveals something tender about their relationship. Elizabeth had been isolated by her age and infertility, and Mary's presence during those final months before birth would have been a profound gift of companionship and support. The length of the stay, three months, suggests this wasn't a quick courtesy call but a committed act of love during a vulnerable time.