January 3, 2021

The Epiphany of the Lord

Today we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, the story of the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus in Bethlehem as told by Matthew (Mt. 2:1-12). Whether frequent church-goes or not, this passage is probably familiar to most Christians due to the fact that home nativity scenes often include statues of the “Three Wise Men” among the other figurines found in the manger.

However, if we take a more detailed look at the Jewish background of this feast day as found in today’s readings, we can gain a much greater appreciation for the importance of the visit of the Magi and what it means for our Christian faith.

Since the promise of an everlasting dynasty to David (2Sam. 7), through the trials and tribulations of exiled captivity in Babylon, the Jewish people of the Old Testament had been looking forward to a time when God would save them from the oppression of their enemies and restore the kingdom of Israel to its original grandeur. In the First Reading for today the prophet Isaiah announces that this time has arrived (Isa. 60:1-6). He declares, “Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem!  Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you… and over you appears his glory.” (Isa. 60:1, 3b).

Included in this prophecy of Isaiah is the idea that all the nations of the world will see the splendor of Israel and the glory that the LORD has done for the Holy Nation and they shall be drawn to God’s people bearing gifts. Here we find what appears to be the foundational prophecy for the story of the magi: “Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.” (Isa. 60:6).

These magi would have been from the priestly class of Persia, the nation who had freed the Jews from their captivity. They were most likely familiar with the Hebrew promise of a coming Messiah. They were considered to be very wise, using a form of astrology to read the constellations to predict when certain important events might occur, like the birth of a great ruler.

We hear about this ability in the Gospel reading: “When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.’” (Mt. 2:1-2).

Ironically, King Herod, the reigning ruler of Judea, has no idea that a child has been born who will become the new “King of the Jews” and he is greatly troubled by this information. He does not know the answer to the question of the magi as to the location of the child. So, he searches out the chief priests and the scribes to find the answers that he needs.

Notice where the Jewish religious leaders go to find this information – the books of the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures. Specifically, it is Micah, the last prophet found in the canon of the Old Testament, that is, closest to the time period of Jesus. This is what they discover and then relay to Herod: “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.” (Mt. 2:5–6 cf. Mi 5:1).

Of course, the story then continues with the magi traveling to Bethlehem to find Jesus in the stable with his mother. They pay homage to Jesus by prostrating themselves and present their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They then return to their own country by another route after being warned in a dream not to report back to Herod.

These magi embody what we hear in our psalm for today about kings from far off nations who “shall pay him homage.” (Ps. 72:11a). The significance of their visit to Jesus cannot be overemphasized. They represent the Gentiles (non-Jews) who will be drawn into the salvation which is promised to the Jews through the birth of the Messiah.

They also stand for all of us, the members of the Church who celebrate the birth of the Savior this season. Although we are not people of God’s chosen nation, Israel, we share the benefits of the redemption brought by Christ’s Paschal Mystery – his life, death, Resurrection, and Ascension.

This is why St. Paul tells us today, “That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and co-partners of his promise in Christ Jesus, by the gospel.” (Eph. 3:6).