Let The Epiphany Be Your Epiphany
Photo from our friends at BiblePlaces.com.
"Photographers from the American Colony in Jerusalem recreated the scene of the wise men traveling to Bethlehem." (Notes from https://www.bibleplaces.com/)
by Robbie Pruitt
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘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 2:1-2, ESV).
Have you ever had an epiphany? What is an epiphany anyway? And what is the difference between any old epiphany and THE Epiphany?
An epiphany is a revelation, or a moment of insight, or an illumination, or a knowledge of something that you had not had before.
An epiphany can be simple, for instance, “I did not know this actor played in this Netflix series.” An epiphany can be profound and life changing, for instance, “I did not know I had a twin and that we were separated at birth.” Now that would be an epiphany!
The Epiphany, on the other hand, is the great manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, observed by the church on January 6.
This manifestation of Jesus was spoken of through the Prophet Isaiah who said, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” (Isaiah 60:1-3, ESV).
God proclaimed that all people would know him, worship him, and glorify his name.
God spoke through the Prophet Malachi, saying, “From the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 1:11, ESV).
"I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6, ESV).
Photo from our friends at BiblePlaces.com.
Photo 1: "This chart records astrological and astronomical observations. It comes from the library of Ashurbanipal in Nineveh and dates to about 650 years before the birth of Jesus. Each month is associated with a constellation and a numeral. This chart is on display in the British Museum."
Photo from our friends at BiblePlaces.com.
Photo 2: "This tablet, which dates to 100 years before Jesus’s birth, is a calendar with Babylonian astrological and astronomical observations. It is on display in the British Museum." (Notes from https://www.bibleplaces.com/)
Photo from our friends at BiblePlaces.com.
Photo 1: "Photographers from the American Colony in Jerusalem took this photograph in the 1930s at a well traditionally associated with the wise men."
Photo from our friends at BiblePlaces.com.
Photo 2: "Photographers from the American Colony in Jerusalem took this photograph as part of a recreation of the Christmas story in the 1920s." (Notes from https://www.bibleplaces.com/)
The Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ is when we celebrate this promise of God’s revelation to the Gentiles, which is fulfilled at the birth of Jesus, as expressed in the gospels.
(To listen to the archive of Doug Greenwold discussing The Epiphany, listen to the latest episode of our Podcast, The Epiphany and Christmas, here.)
In Matthew’s Gospel, we see the wise men, the Magi, coming from the east to worship Jesus. God revealed himself to the wise men and led them to Jesus by the light of a bright star.
Matthew tells us, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘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 2:1-2, ESV).
Jesus came into the world to reveal God to ALL people. Jesus manifests himself to Jew and to Gentile alike, so that everyone may know him and experience his kingship their lives.
May The Epiphany to the Magi be our epiphany, and may we see the light of God’s salvation for us and for all people.
A Collect for the Epiphany: The Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles: “O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
First published with www.PreservingBibleTimes.org
The Rev. Robbie Pruitt is the Rector at Shepherd’s Heart Anglican Church in Fairfax, VA.