Epiphany, (January 6, 2023)
Rev. Thomas Van Hemert
St. Matthew 2:1-12
Epiphany
January 6, 2023
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit.
The Gospel of Matthew is the only Gospel that speaks of the Wise Men or Magi. There are a few questions that need be addressed. The first (1) is who are the Magi and why is their appearance important? The second (2) is how did they know about Jesus being born in Bethlehem? The third (3) is why their gifts are significant.
I. Who are the Magi and why are they important?
Matthew records “after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem.” We use the term Wise Men in English to describe the Greek word Magi but the Biblical term is Magi. Admittedly, they probably were wise men. At least they were learned men. They studied philosophy and other areas of knowledge. They’re scientists. More specifically, however, they’re astrologers—they study the stars and movement of patterns in the sky. So, it would make sense that they have followed this star from the east to Bethlehem.
They come from the east. In fact, that’s all we are given in the text. The Magi came from the east. What we do know, for certain, are the countries that lie east of Jerusalem and Israel during this time period. It is likely that they either came from Babylon or Persia—so they’re either Babylonian or Persian priests. What they really are, are Babylonian or Persian sorcerers who enjoy the study of astrology—much like people who believe in silly things like horoscopes and the like—and have been led by a star to Jerusalem because they are seeking out the Christ child in order to worship Him. That’s why they have come. They’ve come to worship Jesus. God has become a man. God has joined man in the person of Christ. This is whom they have come to worship.
The appearance of the Magi, these gentile sorcerers from the East, show us that gentiles also now share in the Gospel. Though He is an Israelite, a Jew, Jesus is not only the God of the Jews. He is also the God of gentiles. He is even the God of the worst sort of people: astrologers who practice sorcery from the East. This is the mystery that was revealed to St. Paul. Gentiles are fellow heirs of the same body, and partakers of the Promise in Christ through the Gospel through faith. This means that in order to be saved, a gentile no longer must become a Jew first and receive the Old Testament sacrifice of circumcision. Because in Christ there is no Jew or Greek. Instead, there is a new creation, a new person who becomes justified by faith.
II. How did they know about Jesus being born in Bethlehem?
Which brings us to our second question: How did they know Jesus would be born in Bethlehem? How did they know anything about Jesus at all—that He was the Christ, the promised Messiah—the one that would save His people from their sins? The Magi aren’t Jews—they aren’t Israelites. They were foreigners. Gentiles. They didn’t attend church services in the synagogues or make sacrifices in the Temple in Jerusalem. So how did they know anything about Jesus at all?
Well, it could have been that God revealed this information to them through means like in a dream or vision. After all, God did reveal information to great men of the Bible through dreams and visions like Samuel, Ezekiel, and Joseph.
Or perhaps the Magi had the Book of Daniel. After all, the prophet Daniel was sent to live in the country of Babylon some hundreds of years earlier when Nebuchadnezzar exiled Israel to Babylon. Many wondrous works and teachings came through Daniel. The Magi may have remembered Daniel or had record of what He had said. For the Word of the Lord does endure. It does not return empty.
And so they journeyed to Jerusalem that they might worship their Lord. There’s something interesting to note here about how they worshiped Jesus. When the Magi came to worship Him, they didn’t waltz in as if Jesus was their best friend or fishing buddy. They didn’t casually walk into the Lord’s presence as if it wasn’t really a big deal or as if they could be there by right. Matthew records in his Gospel that when the Magi came into where Jesus was, they fell down and worshiped Him. The bowed their bodies down and became as beggars in the presence of their Lord. Though at that time, He was a child, He was their Lord. He had transcended space and time and taken up the form of a servant. And their response is to bow down to worship Him. In the same manner, that’s how we worship our Lord. For we too, humble ourselves and confess our sins in order that we might receive absolution, that is, forgiveness. We bow down, quite literally, at the communion rail, as we are able, to receive our Lord shrouded in bread and wine, yet it’s His Body and Blood. That, in itself, is true Christian worship. Not a irreverent church service disguised as a rock concert and not even, dare I say, a simple Vespers service where we can get out early because our time is “more important.” But the Divine Service: the Lord’s Supper. This is true Christian worship: receiving God has He comes to us. The Magi received their Lord as He was and as He came to them—a baby. Yet, He was fully divine. He had came to them and for them in the meek form of a servant. And so, He comes to us in the same manner so that we might receive Him and not be destroyed.
As a response to seeing their Lord in the flesh, the Magi presented Him with gifts.
III. Why are their gifts significant?
The gifts of the Magi are not to be overlooked as if they were simply expensive gifts bought for the purpose of impressing someone. For they present our Lord with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. It is not without reason that these exact gifts were given to Jesus.
The gold that was given to Jesus was a confession that Christ is king. Gold was a gift traditionally and customarily given to kings. Jesus is a king. He is our King. He will come again on the Last Day to rule the nations and at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow.
Jesus is a king. And at the same time, He is also a priest. He is our mediator between God the Father and us. He is one who offers a sacrifice on our behalf. The sacrifice that He offers is His own body, beaten and bloodied. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He atones for our sin by shedding His blood—a sacrifice accepted by His Father in Heaven who has become our Father. As a confession of this priestly office, Jesus is given the gift of frankincense. Frankincense was a type of incense only offered by the priests in Jerusalem in the temple. It was offered up along with all the prayers of the people. Jesus is the one who prays for us on our behalf. His prayer is heard by His Father in heaven.
Finally, Jesus is given the gift of myrrh. Myrrh was a spice or an aloe that was used during the burial process in Israel. The gift of myrrh that was given to Him signified that the Christ shall die and rise from the dead.
These foreigners knew that Jesus, this little child, was appointed to the task of dying for all people, yet He would rise again from the dead. They offered Him gifts that were the most precious things in the lands that they had come from. Yet they were offered to the greatest of Lords. Hence, they also belong to Christ.
But even more precious to Him than these gifts are the people who He suffers for—not only the Jews, the descendants of Abraham according to the flesh, but also the Gentiles, the descendants of Abraham according to faith. He is epiphanied to the nations, that is, He is revealed to the nations so that He might manifest His glory among them and save them. The people of earth are more precious to Him than gold, frankincense, and myrrh—you are more precious than all of these material gifts. He manifests His glory to show you that He has come for you and that He loves you. He goes to offer sacrifice for you on a new altar of His cross in order to purchase and win you from all the things that attempt to bring you down.
God in Christ has been made manifest and His glory overshadows all darkness. You have been redeemed. His star shines bright. For even He is the bright morning star. His light shines over you and the darkness has not comprehended it.
In +Jesus’ name.
