What is Epiphany? Matthew 2:1-12

Intro - As with Gladness Men of Old

Written by William Chatterton Dix (1859), a layman and son of a poet, As With Gladness Men of Old is the less popular ‘wise men’ or ‘magi’ Christmas carol. This is ironic, as it is the more historically accurate carol not called them ‘kings’ or numbering them as ‘3’.1 Written from the text we are using today, Matthew 2:1-12 - as he was ill and disappointed that he was missing the Epiphany service at his church.

In the lyrics we see “a theme to compare the journey of the Biblical magi to visit the baby Jesus to each Christian’s personal pilgrimage and as a reminder that it is not the value of the gifts, it is the value of giving and adoration to Jesus that is what Christians should seek.”2 Also, in the lyrics we find a theme of light which has been traditionally associated with the magi, who found Jesus by the Bethlehem star. Dix, an Angelican, was likely familiar with the Angelican preface to the Epiphany prayer which reads - “Because in the mystery of the word made flesh you have ​ caused a new light to shine in our hearts to give knowledge of Your glory through Your son ​ ​ Jesus Christ.”3 ​

1. As with gladness men of old Pure, and free from sin’s alloy Did with guiding star behold All our costliest treasures bring As with joy they hailed its light Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King Leading onward, beaming bright So, most gracious God, may we 4. Holy Jesus, every day Evermore be led to Thee Keep us in the narrow way And, when earthly things are past 2. As with joyful steps they sped Bring our ransomed souls at last To that lowly manger bed Where they need no start to guide There to bend the knee before Where no clouds Thy glory hide. Thee whom heaven and earth adore So may we with willing feet 5. In the heavenly country bright Ever seek Thy mercy-seat Need they no created light Thou its light, its joy, its crown 3. As they offered gifts most rare Thou its sun, which goes not down. At the manger rude and bare There forever may we sing So may we with holy joy Hallelujahs to our King.

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_with_Gladness_Men_of_Old 2 Ibid... 3 Word & Table podcast, episode 17 (Jan 30, 2017)

What is Epiphany?

Epiph-a-ny noun ​

1. A (1): usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something; (2) an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking; (3): an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure; b: a revealing scene or moment. 2. An appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being. 3. Capitalized: January 6 observed as a church festival in (1) commemoration of the ​ coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or (2) in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ 4 (and (3) Jesus miracle at the wedding of Cana where he manifests himself to his disciples).5

“The Greek word epiphaneia, of which ‘ Epiphany’ is a transliteration, means “manifestation” - ​ ​ thus the non-religious usage of the word in the sense of “a revealing scene or moment.” (Hararmon).”

Simply put - Epiphany is a manifestation of God to people - sometimes HIS people (those who already trust and acknowledge him) and sometimes ALL people (as a means to extending his grace and divinity). Personally, until this week I did not know that Epiphany was tied to anything other than the appearance of the wise men to worship Jesus - a significant event for those of us who are Gentiles - as this is the first sign of Jesus kingdom being one that included non-Jews. In fact, this became such a popular theme (especially in their art) for early Gentile Christians that some church fathers became concerned as it was beginning to rival significant important doctrines and practices such as baptism and the Trinity.6

Secondly - Epiphany has always been associated with light. Part of the reason is tied to the Bethlehem star - “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it ​ rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2) Another reason, is the famous opening of ​ Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word ​ was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:1-5) ​

One author put it this way -

4 Harmon, Stephen - Seeing Epiphany Whole - Christmas and Epiphany: Christian Reflection by Baylor University (Christian Reflection - A series in Faith and Ethics). 5 IBID. 6 IBID - Word & Table podcast Epiphany is a celebration of a light that has shone and is shining - it shone in Christ, and it shone into our lives - and as a celebration, Epiphany is a response of gratitude and of trust, (for) we have seen this light and we have confidence in this truth; we have come from the darkness to light. To have come to see this light which shines through the gospel story, to have come to see it without refusing it, rejecting it, or perverting it, is to live truthfully.”7 (Colwell)

As a result - worship, historically, has been centered around themes of light during the season of Epiphany; celebrated sometimes the Sunday prior to January 6th, sometimes from that date until the beginning of Lent.

Which leads me to a question I suspect some of you might be asking - why should I care?

1. There is value in the ancient church. In church planting circles, pastors often will say ​ they want to model their church experience after the first century church - well, we know a lot about the early church through the church fathers, that, while not Scripture and so it should not be handled as such, does shed some light onto church practices. Furthermore, Said another way, “We hoped to recover the practices of ancient ​ Christianity and in Milton’s phrase, to “fetch the age of gold.” (Griffin)8 ​ ​ 2. Remembering the manifestation of God to all nations is core to the Gospel. God ​ ​ ​ never abandons the non-Jewish, or Gentile, nations. This reminds us of God’s grace for all people - both as God’s sovereign will, but also as His people engaged in evangelism. Augustine, in a sermon on Epiphany in 412 AD, said it this way - “Therefore, the whole ​ Church of the Gentiles has adopted this day as a feast worthy of most devout celebration, for who were the Magi but the first-fruits of the Gentiles? The shepherds were Israelites; the Magi, Gentiles. The one group came from nearby; the other, from afar. Both, however, were united in (Christ) the cornerstone.”9 ​ 3. God can use anything to make himself manifest - a star, a vision, even judgement… We see two of these methods employed in this very passage (a star and a ​ vision) - and just one generation later, when Herod’s grandson, Herod Agrippa, is on the throne, we see it through judgement when he is struck dead for accepting the adoration of a deity (Acts 12). Romans speaks of God’s use of general revelation in 1:20 (through nature) and 2:15 (through intrinsic moral understanding). But we see other examples in Scirpture of God’s super-natural revelation to those who express a desire, like the Magi, to seek him - for example Cornelius in Acts 10 is visited by an angel. 4. Epiphany is often associated with the practice of Christian hospitality & sharing of our faith (evangelism). We see hospitality as a creedal value (“the breaking of bread”) ​ expressed in Acts 2:42 at the inception of the church. Christianity has always had a place at the table for the sojourner, the seeker, the outsider, to come and behold Christ.

7 IBID - Christmas & Epiphany article 8 IBID - Christmas & Epiphany, The Color of Christmas Extended 9 IBID - Christmas & Epiphany - A Feast Worthy of Devout Celebration Through this practice we, as followers of Jesus the “light in the darkness” are called to become salt and light (Mt 5:13-16). “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill ​ cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” ​ All Nations Will Be Blessed10 - Epiphany through Scripture Through Abraham in Genesis 18:18 – “Abraham will surely become a great and ​ powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.” ​ ​ and Issac in Genesis 26:4 – “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars ​ in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on ​ earth will be blessed,..” ​

And Jacob in Genesis 28:14 – “Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, ​ and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All ​ peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.” ​

Through Moses (during the plagues) in Exodus 9:16 – “But I have raised you up for ​ this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” ​ ​

Through the conquest of Canaan in Joshua 4:24 – “He did this so that all the ​ ​ peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you ​ might always fear the LORD your God.”

Throughout the Psalms of David (and others) Psalm 22:27 – “All the ends of the ​ ​ earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow ​ ​ ​ down before him,..”

Through the dedication of the Temple by Solomon 1 Kings 8:43 – “..then hear from ​ heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the ​ peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, ​ and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.”

10 A great resource I drew from when selecting verses to show this theme in Scripture https://www.ywam.org/get-involved-2/all-nations-verse-list/ Through the prophecies of Isaiah (16 in total) Isaiah 40:5 – “And the glory of the ​ LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD ​ ​ has spoken.”

And Ezekiel 39:21 – “I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will ​ ​ ​ see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them.”

And Daniel in Daniel 7:14 – “He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all ​ ​ peoples, nations and men of every languageworshipped him. His dominion is an ​ everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

And Zephaniah 3:9 – “Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder.”

And then to the first century church in Acts 1:8 – “‘But you will receive power when ​ the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'” ​ ​ Hospitality At Epiphany What would you do if three eastern travelers showed up at your door and asked to see you kid? Scholars believe that the Magi were from Persia - modern day Iraq. What would you do if three Iraqes showed up claiming to be interested in Christianity and that another galaxies sun, light years away from our planet, had led them to your doorstep in search of Christianity? What would you do if men who had only a couple hundred years earlier (Cyrus) had been your conquering oppression, show up in search of your King? What would you do if you were living under the thumb of a crazy despot King, not unlike Sadam Hussian or Kim Jung Un, aware that any hint of your child being tied to prophetic royalty could mean death, when three middle-eastern men show up, having marched through your nations capitol, and annouced they were looking for a King?

So how should we remember Epiphany?

A couple suggestions - 1) celebrate it somehow.