Monday, January 16, 2012
Matthew 2:1-6 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." When King Herod ... had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"
MANIFESTED BY THE STAR TO THE SAGES FROM AFAR
Epiphany comes from the Greek word "epiphaneia," meaning appearance or showing. This Christian observance is much older than Christmas. It began to be celebrated in the Eastern Church in the third century when four manifestations of Christ as the eternal Son of God made man were commemorated -- to the shepherds, to the magi, at His baptism, and in His first miracle at Cana. Later, the first manifestation of Christ became known as Christmas in the Western church and the date of its celebration (December 25th) was fixed in 440. Epiphany (January 6th) was then reserved for celebrating the coming of the Magi to worship the Christ-Child. The Baptism of Christ and His first miracle were then commemorated on the following two Sundays after the Epiphany.
You probably recognized that this Christian calendar is usually followed in your church. This not because of some "church law" but because this sequence is of significant spiritual value. Just as we naturally unwrap the Christmas gifts we receive and, after that, often think on exactly what they are and how we will make use of them -- it is good for us at Christmas to rejoice in God's great Gift to us and then, during the Epiphany Sundays that soon follow, to consider those Scripture events in which this Gift is clearly revealed or manifested as the very Son of God -- come to be our Brother, Redeemer and Savior.
Even the experience of the Wise Men followed along these lines. When they came to Jerusalem they only knew a King worthy of their worship had been born to the Jewish nation; that God had revealed to them by a star specially created just for the occasion of His birth. When they left, God had used the word of the prophet Micah to reveal to them that the One born was the Messiah-King and had been born of David's line in David's hometown. Truly an event worth commemorating with worship -- and worshipful songs.
Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord, to Thee we raise,
Manifested by the star To the sages from afar,
Branch of royal David's stem, In Thy birth at Bethlehem.
Anthems be to Thee addressed
God in man made manifest.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 134:1)
