Epiphany: Looking for Jesus
What does the word epiphany mean? According to the dictionary the first definition is January 6th the Christian festival commemorating the coming of the magi to honor the infant Jesus at Bethlehem. The second definition is the appearance or manifestation of a divine being. The third definition is a moment of enlightenment when the underlying truth or essence of a thing is suddenly made clear.
Today we are going to explore what Epiphany means through the story of the Magi found in Matthew 2. Before I read that passage, I want to give you just a little background information in case you are unfamiliar with the birth narratives of Jesus or have forgotten. Only two gospels contain a detailed birth narrative, Matthew and Luke. The major commonalities between the two are Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, and that Jesus was conceived through the Holy Spirit and he was born in Bethlehem. Otherwise, the stories are very different. Matthew features Joseph and his lineage and actions as the primary focus. Luke, on the other hand, features Mary and her extended family, Elizabeth and Zacharias. In Luke, God communicates through angels. In Matthew, God communicates through dreams. In Luke, the visitors who come to welcome baby Jesus are poor shepherds working 3rd shift. In Matthew, the first recorded visitors are the Magi, wisemen from the East, wealthy foreigners, who followed a star and brought not casseroles and diapers but gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The timing of the visits seems to be different. The shepherds came shortly after delivery when Maty and Joseph were still in an enclosure meant for animals and using a manger for a crib. The Matthew account has Mary and Joseph in a house in Bethlehem. Scholars believe the Magi visited some time in the first two years and, contrary to most of our Nativity sets, were not present when Jesus was sleeping in a manger. Matthew is very concerned with showing Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies that had been given long before. Luke does not focus on those at all. The two accounts are very different, showing the different perspectives of the writers, the different audiences they were writing for, and their different slants on sharing the good news of Jesus.
Let’s take a look at the passage now. Read Matthew 2:1-15.
Let’s unpack this passage together.
First, who were these wise men? The Greek word here is Magi, which, by the way, is where we get the word magic. They were likely astrologers combined with astronomers, specialists who watched the stars for signs and changes in order to predict the future or note, as here, the potential fulfillment of prophesy. It is probable that they are Babylonian/Iranian and learned of the prophecies from Jews who had been exiled there centuries earlier. We see stories of Daniel interacting with magi. They were probably a part of the royal household, well-educated and wealthy, based on their ability to travel a long distance and bring really nice presents. Church traditions over the centuries tell us there were three, named Gaspar, Balthasar, and Melchior. However, the Bible does not give a number. We see three gifts but no specific number of wise men.
Apparently, they see a new star rise in the direction of Israel and conclude that this is a sign of the birth of the promised Messiah that they had some knowledge of. They pack up for a journey and set off to find him. They state they are seeking him to worship him. They go to Jerusalem, probably thinking that it is the logical site for a new king. It is likely they have quite an entourage of people who travel with them to take care of them, attracting lots of attention in Jerusalem. They are asking around for directions (showing they were wise or that they had women traveling with them) and word gets to King Herod, who is quite disturbed. Herod was infamous for his cruelty and penchant to have people killed, especially those who might be seeking to become king in his place or challenge his authority. So hearing that a new king is born has to be quite disturbing. “And all Jerusalem with him” I take to mean—if Herod ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. He calls the chief priests and teachers together to find out about what they might know about this promised Messiah. They provide him with a quote from Micah 5:2 and 2 Samuel 5:2 that identifies Bethlehem as the birthplace of a ruler, a shepherd king.
Herod arranges for a private meeting with these visitors, asking for the specific time the star appeared. He then tells them to go find this child and then to come back and tell him where he is so that he, too, can go worship him. Herod didn’t dare say that in public—hearers who know him would clearly see his evil intentions.
They leave Jerusalem and head to Bethlehem, being led by the star. The star stops over the house where Jesus is. They are welcomed by Mary. They bow down and worship the baby and give him their gifts that are appropriate for a king. We don’t know how long they stay, but it has to be long enough to allow them to be warned in a dream to avoid Herod and go home another way.
After they leave, Joseph is also warned in a dream to take the baby into hiding in Egypt to protect him from Herod. At this point, Mary, Joseph and Jesus become refugees and another prophecy is fulfilled.
So what here is notable for us? What are the epiphanies?
Danny and I were talking about it and he said the application is that when we have our grandchild, people should bring really nice gifts. I don’t think that is a real takeaway. However, those really nice gifts probably financed the family’s escape to Egypt.
Matthew is very intentional in his Gospel to prove Jesus is the fulfillment of the promised Messiah, “King of the Jews.” In these few verses there are two direct quotes from the Hebrew Bible and allusions to many others. That is why it is ironic that the first visitors to the child in the Gospel of Matthew are not Jews, but they are the first to refer to Jesus as King of the Jews. These foreign astrologers have studied the Hebrew scriptures and have allowed God’s word to lead them to Jesus. They do so with great joy and an attitude of deep reverence. Through the witness of these very first visitors, we see barriers and stereotypes being destroyed. These foreigners would be seen as impure and their practices of astrology as an abomination against God. However, through their testimony, we see that Jesus is not only King of the Jews, he is the savior of the world. Even at Jesus’ birth, the circle is being drawn wider. How does the Gospel of Matthew end? Go into all the world making disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them.
I find it interesting that no one in Jerusalem seems to have any curiosity about a strange star in the sky. For the wise men, it is a calling, an invitation from God. For Herod and the chief priest and scribes, it is a disturbance brought to their attention by the appearance of the wise men. It brings about conversation, but it apparently initiates no action on the part of the religious leaders. For Herod it brings fear and paranoia that then lead to cruelty and murder of innocents. I would like to think that if I were one of the religious leaders l would have tagged along with the wise men if I thought there was any validity in their search. It is interesting that they can quote the scripture, but it does not move them to any action. We need to be aware of that danger ourselves. If we have been at this faith thing for a while, we probably know a lot of scripture, but do we let it shape our actions? When we say Do justice, show mercy and walk humbly with God, do we really try to live that out daily? Do we search joyfully for God in an attitude of worship like the wise men? Do we bring our gifts to God filled with joy? It is something to think about.
Epiphanies have potential to happen for us throughout our lives, but here as in other examples in scripture, we need to be paying attention. When God was calling Moses to lead the people out of Egypt, the scripture says, “When God knew he had Moses’ attention, he spoke to him from the burning bush.” When I read that, I wonder how many times before God tried to speak with Moses. We have to hand it to the wise men. They are paying attention when God provides them an opportunity. They see a light and they pay attention. They go to a lot of trouble to follow the star to Jesus. Then God sends them a dream to avoid Herod and they pay attention.
In small group Bible studies I have led, one of the first questions we ask at each gathering is, “where have you seen God at work this week?” or “When in recent days have you been aware of God’s presence?” When these groups first start, the responses to those questions are often slow to come, but as people become aware and begin paying attention, they begin to notice and are able to voice places they see God at work. Experiencing epiphanies becomes easier as we train ourselves to be sensitive to and observant of the work of the Spirit in our midst. As we take notice of God at work, we grow in our faith and in our abilities to bring our own giftedness to God. We become more willing to join God in the work God is doing.
Epiphanies happen around here all the time: When Charles says “I have nothing to give out at Worship Meal clothing closet” and socks appear; When Glenda asks God for chocolate bars for our guests for Christmas and the next week Fresh Market gives us 41 bars. That is God showing off. Those are small ways that God shows us He is with us. I think I told you once about being on a mission trip in Honduras when one of our ladies, our Mother Teresa in residence, decided we were going to feed a crowd of hungry people who had walked miles for our medical clinic. With some canned chicken and egg noodles on an outdoor turkey cooker, she went to work. We fed every person in the line and had one cup left over. Sometimes we just have to be at the right place at the right time but we have to be paying attention. In our biblical story today, the chief priests and scribes were in the right place at the right time, they knew their scriptures, but they failed to pay attention and missed out on a real encounter with God.
The good news of the Gospel is this: God is with us. God became flesh in Jesus Christ to show us who God is, what God wants, and to save us from our sins and assure us of eternal life, an eternal relationship with God. God is love. God wants to be in relationship with us now, and there are epiphanies all around us that draw us closer. A big part of our spiritual growth is learning to recognize these epiphanies, these nudges, the awareness of God’s presence. I challenge you this week to pay attention. Be a wise person. Look for God at work. And as you have that experience, tell someone. As we encourage each other, our vision becomes clearer. In the 1200’s Saint Richard of Chichester wrote a prayer that continues to be meaningful today.
Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ
For all the benefits Thou hast given me,
For all the pains and insults Thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother,
May I see Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly.
The musical Godspell added “Day by day.”
May God bless us with epiphanies. May we all learn to pay attention and join God on the journey.
