Luke 1:54,55 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He hath holpen— 'Αντελαβετο, here translated He hath holpen, signifies properly "supporting a thing that is falling, by taking hold of it on the falling side." The virgin's meaning therefore was, that God had now remarkably supported the Jewish nation, andhindered it from utterly falling, by raising up the Messiah among them, the matchless renown of whose undertaking would reflect infinite honour on the nation which gave him birth. Or rather, by his servant Israel, she meant, or at least the Holy Ghost meant, all those who are spiritually so called. It is indeed in remembrance of his mercy. When men remember things which they want to perform, they commonly perform them, if no object lies in their way. For some such reason as this, the Scriptures say that God remembers his attributes, when he exerts them in a signal manner; and his promises, when he fulfils them in spite of all opposition. So he is said to forget a thing, when he acts outwardly as men do when they have forgotten; yet, properly speaking, forgetting and remembering are both of them absolutely inconsistent with the perfection of God, to whose view all things past, present, and to come are ever open. Mary adds, Luke 1:55 as he spake or promised to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed, that is to say, to all his seed, Gentiles as well as Jews: for though the virgin might not have a distinct conception of what she uttered, understood in this extensive view; yet as she spoke by inspiration, there is nothing to hinder us from affixing such a meaning to her words, especially as the construction of the sentence will scarcely admit of any other. It might therefore be better translated thus: In remembrance of his mercy to Abraham, and to his seed for ever, as he spake to our fathers.