A blessed Christmas to each of you! Today is the 12th and last day of the Christmas season, but tomorrow or tonight at sunset, begins Epiphany! Therefore, a blessed Epiphany to you all, as well!
Epiphany is the Gentile Christmas. It is the day when we celebrate the fact that God manifested, “Epi Phany” that is, shone upon the world and publicly revealed Himself to the Gentiles as their God and Lord. Yes, salvation is from the Jews, but not just for the Jews. On Christmas we remember how God had shown His glorious heavenly glory to the Jewish shepherds so that they would know about Jesus being born in Bethlehem and would go and see their Savior. So, on Epiphany we celebrate the historic event and reality that God also enlightened the Gentiles with the message of their salvation by the guiding of the Star to lead them to the greatest of all light and truth, the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Therefore, on January 6th, which we are observing today, we give thanks and praise that what Isaiah wrote in chapter 9 has come true: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” And in chapter 60
“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.”
In the Gospel text we read that sometime after Jesus had been born in Bethlehem, Magi, often translated as “wise men” from the East came to Jerusalem.
We don’t know much about these wise men. We don’t even know how many there were. It could have been 2, 3, or 23. We just know there was more than one, and they made a big enough of a scene in Jerusalem to warrant an audience with King Herod. The Greek refers to them as magi, which means they most likely were coming from the regions of Babylonia and Persia (modern Iraq and Iran) and they were astrologers, teachers, seers, interpreters of dreams. They were pagan sorcerers and star gazers. Yet to the chief city of Israel they came. Why? They said “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.” They came to see the King of the Jews. Yet if they did not search the royal house of Herod. They were looking for one greater than he. No, they understood that this King of the Jews had command over the stars and creation. They recognized that the great star and celestial sign which they had seen rising in the sky belonged to this one who had been born. It testified to the birth of a god king.
Herod heard of these strangers who were asking these questions. He was greatly troubled because he was afraid of usurpers, he was afraid of losing his power. Historically, we know that Herod killed his own sons, and various relatives to hold on to the title of “king” which had been a position given to him and his line by the Romans. This jealousy drove him into all kinds of evil acts including the slaughter of innocent babies of Bethlehem after this epiphany.
After consulting experts in God’s Word, which could have been an opportunity for Herod to be converted, except for the hardness of His heart. They found that this promised one was to be born in Bethlehem. He was going to be a king who would shepherd God’s people. After finding this out, then Herod called the magi, wise men, to consult them and find out when this star had appeared so as to figure out how old this baby king was. Then King Herod directed them to Bethlehem and expressed an interest in a pious way. He said, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”
Really, he desired for them to spy out this rival so that He could then deal with it according to His murderous plan.
We are told that the magi, listened to Herod and went on their way, when behold the star which must stopped shining for a while reappeared and went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. Where was the child. Often, we place this visit of the wise men as coming to the manger scene in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, but the text in Matthew implies that it was a good amount of time before the wise men came to see Jesus. In fact, it is possible that the reason the star appeared to lead the wise men on, was to lead them to Nazareth and not Bethlehem, for as the Gospel of St. Luke tells us and we heard last week. “And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.”
We are told that when the magi saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. God confirmed their travel of faith, that He was going to lead them to their object of devotion! What joy was theirs.
So then, going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
They went into the house and saw the young child which the Greek calls paidion or toddler. When the shepherds found Jesus, he was a brephos or newborn. So, they saw the toddler Jesus, with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him. They prostrated themselves: laid themselves right out. For they knew that this was no ordinary king, but the Son of God. The creator of the universe. And the gifts they brought were inspired by God’s light and direction even as He directed them to Scripture, and here to their Savior. Gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts pointed to the 3 fold office Jesus the Christ was anointed to fulfill. Gold for His kingship, frankincense for His office of priest, and myrrh for His office of prophecy, signifying that He would die a prophet’s death. For myrrh was often used as a burial spice and ointment. Then they returned a different way having been warned of Herod in a dream.
So, what do we make of all this? We see that God in His mercy comes and shines His light: the light of His Word, His Law/Gospel, and the light of His Son even to those who walk in darkness.
So that we too who have sinned, many who do not have the heritage of Abraham’s blood, we who have so often fallen into the trap of the wisdom of this world, the weakness of the flesh, who all too often have been jealous and selfish and self serving like Herod, carrying on in the darkness that surrounds us. Great sinners that we have been, we too have been called to God’s light and gathered by His truth to see and behold the great light of salvation in Jesus Christ. Though we so often fall back into the darkness of our sin, and the world, God awakens us again. Reminding us of what Jesus has accomplished. He is the glorious morning star. He is the rose springing up from the line of David. Son of God and Son of Man to take our place of judgement by being the prophet of prophets revealing the will of God in Himself, and He is the fulfillment of all priesthood by becoming the chief and perfect sacrifice for sin on the cross so that sin and death were defeated.
It is significant that the magi spoke of “seeing His star when it rose” and that it seemed to cease shining for a time to rise and shine again. For our glorious morning star, Jesus Christ seemed to have his light and life darkened at the cross on Good Friday when He died and then was buried into the ground, but this star, this Jesus Christ, rose again. He showed that the evil jealousy of the devil could not win. That death was truly defeated, that the price of sin was paid at the cross. Now the light of light eternal shines in Jesus Christ who has risen from the dead so that we can see Him as our Savior and our king. For now, He reigns with His righteousness, by His wisdom and grace through His Word and Sacraments. We who were far off have been brought near through baptism into His blood and have been purified and declared forgiven by His name. We are brought to the place of His presence where the King of Kings an Lord of Lords, the creator and redeemer, redeems us again in this Divine Service. Where we too are invited to cast off the so-called wisdom of this world, and behold Him and receive Him in His body and blood given in the bread and wine for us to eat and to drink, and be sent again into the world a different way: a way of life, a way of love. So that we have been freed to live in hope by faith, to be led by the cross of Christ which is our victory. So that as He has shown us His great love we may show the light of His love in His love.
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Let us like the wise men come into His presence with thanksgiving. We have seen His light, we behold here our God and Savior in His flesh and blood. We see His light which has shown upon us in His grace. Now that we see Him our star of beauteous wonder and grace, let us also rejoice exceedingly with great joy. Your Savior is come. A very blessed and joyous Epiphany through Jesus Christ!
Pr. Aaron Kangas