The Epiphany of our Lord, 2024
Rev. Thomas Van Hemert
Matthew 2:1-12
Epiphany
January 6, 2024
In the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
“The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see: they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. The multitude of camels shall cover your land, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and incense, and they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.” (Isaiah 60:3-6)
This is Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the appearance of the Magi who would appear to the Christ after His birth, in order that they might worship Him.
There are two locations that are called “Bethlehem,” recorded in the Bible. The first is Bethlehem in Zebulun, now a ruin. It is mentioned only in the book of Joshua.
“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” The prophet Malachi identifies this Bethlehem, the Bethlehem in Judah, as the town where the Ruler of Israel, the ancient king, the king of the Jews would be born. The word Bethlehem means, “House of Bread” in Hebrew.
Now Herod the Great is reigning as king. But Herod is not a real king. At least, he isn’t a king in the sense that we think of when we think of someone who has the title of “king”. He’s really a puppet of the Roman Senate. Herod answers to Rome. His kingship was not an absolute monarchy, yet he calls himself “king.” He was not anointed by one of God’s prophets like Saul or David.
What confounds Herod are the Magi who come from the east and ask him, the supposed king of Judea, where is he who has been born King of the Jews. Herod would be right to be confused and troubled. He perceives this as a threat to his reign. He searches the Scriptures and finds the passage from Isaiah about these men who are at his door. The prophecy is true. Now his desire is to find out where the child is so that Herod too might find the child and worship him.
But we know the end to that story. Herod of course does not wish to worship the Christ child—the true king, Herod’s king. In his state of paranoia, Herod commands the massacre of the Holy Innocents—boys two years and younger because he realizes these Magi from afar will not reveal Jesus’ location. God does not reveal himself to King Herod. He does not reveal himself to the mighty, to the just, to the righteous, but to shepherds and foreigners called Magi.
The word Magi is a transliteration from the Greek word “Magi.” The definition “wiseman” simply will not do. The word Magi is a term for someone who is a sorcerer or an astrologer. These men come from among pagans; they come from among star-worshippers. They are among the most offensive of sinners. They have been following this star. Those from their homeland would have worshipped this star as a God and looked to it for answers. These men known as the Magi were not worthy to receive God in his fullness and holiness. They were guilty by association. Their friends and family were pagans and maybe they were too. We don’t know for sure.
This is what Epiphany is about—God revealing and manifesting himself on earth, not only to Jews but also to Gentiles. And he does so in a way that you may behold him and not perish. Before God revealed himself as a child in the person of Jesus, whenever he would reveal himself to the Israelites, it was terrifying. Remember what the Israelites said at Mount Horeb? “Let us not hear again the voice of the Lord our God or see this great fire anymore, lest we die.” The voice of God is terrifying; God is terrifying for sinners to behold because the Holy cannot dwell among the unholy lest the unholy be wiped out.
God’s holiness is so perfect and terrifying that after Moses descended Mount Sinai, his face was shining because he had been talking with God. And when all the people saw Moses and saw that his face was shining with the glory of God, they were afraid to come near him because of God’s glory. They even made Moses put a veil over his face.
Likewise Isaiah, who in a vision, saw the Lord in his temple. He saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of the Lord and the house was filled with smoke. Isaiah was terrified, “Woe is me!” Isaiah cried out. “For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.” Isaiah did not belong in God’s presence but God took away his guilt, and atoned for his sin.
We don’t belong in God’s presence. We are just like the people Isaiah described. We are a people of unclean lips and surely we dwell among a people of unclean lips. We dwell among sinners, pagans, people who curse, swear, use witchcraft, lie, and deceive by God’s name. We are worthy of none of the things for which we pray and plead for, for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, neither have we deserved them; we daily sin much, and indeed deserve nothing but punishment.
God epiphanied himself among us so that we would not be terrified at the sight of his presence and not cry out, “Woe is me!” but rather, “Grant us thy peace!” And God grants you his peace because he has taken away your guilt and atoned for your sin through his Son who epiphanied himself on earth and who made satisfaction for you on the cross.
Usually when we think of the word Epiphany we think it to mean a sudden realization of an idea or a thought such as, “Oh I just had an epiphany. I just remembered something or realized something.” But what we celebrate during Epiphany is a theophany—a visible manifestation to humankind of God. Shepherds and Magi are whom God reveals himself to.
God manifests himself among his people. The creator has taken upon himself his creation—Very God of Very God, begotten of his father before all eternity now has a human body. He reveals himself not to the righteous and holy, not to Herods, Pharisees, and kings, but to the poor, lowly, and pagans. He reveals himself to the outcasts of society, to people who believe in horoscopes, and who practice witchcraft. Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners.
Throughout Jesus’ entire ministry he revealed himself to those who did not know him. And even while hanging dead on the cross, having offered up his sacrifice to God the Father, the centurion who guarded him said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” Jesus died even for this man, one of the men who helped crucify him. There is no sin so great for which Jesus did not die. Now this centurion is wise. He knows that this man who suffered a death by crucifixion is the Son of God. And the same is for the Magi. Now they too are truly wise. For they came and worshipped him who, though he was a lowly child, is God and man in human flesh. Truly they are wise men.
And now he calls both Jews and Gentiles, Jewish shepherds and Gentile sages, all sinners alike to Himself. He calls all of us, who prior to Baptism, were pagans. Now he manifests himself to you in bread, which is his body and wine, which is his blood. Christ’s birth was not spectacular, but rather, unassuming. He was laid in a manger—a feeding trough for animals. Now he gives himself as a meal and that meal that he provides for you does not look spectacular nor is it cute by outward appearance. But it is a foretaste of the feast to come and you are wise because you know this. For in this meal, Jesus calls you, the lowly shepherd, the outcast, and the former pagan to partake of his heavenly feast to your salvation. He who was born in Bethlehem, the House of Bread, is himself the Bread of Life, who gave up his own life so that you may have life eternal.
In +Jesus’ name.
