Epiphany

Jan 6, which was yesterday, is generally celebrated in the universal church as Epiphany.  What is Epiphany?
Epiphany means "appearing", "to show", "to shine forth"...which all means it was a time of "revealing"...a "revelation" of who Jesus as a baby was.

The text is from Matthew 2.

Matthew 2:1-12 (ESV)
¹  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,
²  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.”
³  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;
⁴  and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
⁵  They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
⁶  “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
⁷  Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.
⁸  And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”
⁹  After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.
¹⁰  When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
¹¹  And 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.
¹²  And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.  



These "wise men", were "Magi"...a priestly group from Persia who closely monitored the stars and the night sky for signs.  More importantly, these group (there's nothing in the text that indicates there were 3) of people are "Gentiles"...non-Jews who came to worship Jesus as King.

Corresponding to this was the account of Jesus being taken to the Temple for his circumcision, 8 days after his birth.  His Mother, Mary and Father, Joseph, were fulfilling the requirement of the law for circumcision of all male children.  But here, an old man named Simeon came  upon them and made a startling statement.

Luke 2:22-35 (ESV)
²²  And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
²³  (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”)
²⁴  and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
²⁵  Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
²⁶  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
²⁷  And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,
²⁸  he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
²⁹  “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
³⁰  for my eyes have seen your salvation
³¹  that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
³²  a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
³³  And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.
³⁴  And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed
³⁵  (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” 



Epiphany is a time to say Jesus Christ came into the world to save all people - Jew and Gentile - from their sins.

Peace