The Epiphany of the Lord
Years ABC
Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12
Epiphany is a feast nearly overshadowed, and thus generally ignored, by Western Christians. This liturgical festival reminds us and tries to focus us on what was arguably one of the most controversial issues within the first and second generation Christians: Could Gentiles (i.e., non-Jews) be admitted to the gospel fellowship without first becoming Jewish? The Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s letter to the Galatians describe some of the ecclesiastical debate that occurred. The texts used on today’s feast show that the issue is fundamental to the very Gospel itself.
The second paragraph of the Ephesians reading is clear: “... the Gentiles are co-heirs, members of the same body, and co-partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.” Simply put (unless you are of Jewish background yourself) this text is talking about our non-Jewish ancestors, and thus, about you and me. We are the Gentiles. In the Old Covenant – made with Abraham, and then with Moses and the Israelites – our Gentile ancestors had no claim on the chosen-ness of God’s people. Some would argue that God’s love was not for them in those days precisely because God had chosen the Jews. Today’s text says that while that situation had once been the case (even arguably according to God’s Will), a profound change had come about. We ought not underestimate the complex scope and scale of this divinely ordained shift. It contributes greatly to the unfortunate, permanent separation between Judaism and Christianity around the time of the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD. This message ought to negate and correct any and all anti-Semitism in Christians, but sadly, that has not come about. The message in Ephesians is fundamental to the actual good news of the Incarnation Gospel and Paschal Mystery. Salvation by Christ is meant to be universal, that is, for everyone! Logically and theologically it is very believable that while God indeed had chosen the ancient Jews, it does not necessarily follow that God had rejected the rest of humanity with a permanence more enduring than the Old Covenant itself. Our religious frames of reference and our human biases influence our ability at insight when reflecting on the issue of Divine Salvation! Maybe that’s why God’s Holy Spirit seems to sometimes reform and revise even our sacred religious status quo!
The text of the first reading’s prophetic voice (known as Trito-Isaiah) artistically describes a restored Jerusalem (ca. 500 AD) as the personification of God’s Salvation even for the Gentiles. Written around the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple in the very late 6th Century BC, the restoration of Temple worship was seen as a sign to the ancient Jews that God’s power and grace towards them had been restored. Things would only get better from that point onward. And, what could be better? Nothing less than that the Gentiles, i.e, the non-believers, would come to acknowledge and follow the ways of the God of Israel! Later, in the Christian imagination, the Jerusalem personification came to more likely describe the heavenly Jerusalem, the ideal perfection of God’s presence in the next life to which all of humanity is eligible through Christ’s saving Paschal Mystery. The Gospel of Christ is the universal invitation to that Salvation. We hear the beginnings of this in Luke’s very incomplete description in Acts 10 where Peter preaches to, witnesses the power of the Holy Spirit upon, and finally baptizes the household of, the Roman Gentile named Cornelius. This bold and radical deed of evangelization was criticized by other, more Jewish (read: those very limited by their cultural Jewish faith) Christians, and became the Church’s first major internal controversy.
Today’s Gospel is the story of the Magi (magoi in Greek, from which we get the English words like “magic” and “magician”). In Luke’s story of Jesus’ infancy, it was important that the Incarnation be announced to the Jews. Luke especially included the least important Jews among them, the shepherds in the fields. The Magi story is in Matthew’s Gospel and he takes great care to make sure that the Incarnation is announced to the most important among the Gentiles, the Magi. The Magi are idealized images of the best the Gentiles have to offer. They use astrology as a very sophisticated tool of divine revelation. They are wealthy as is shown by the gifts they bring. They are of great political importance shown by the fact that King Herod receives them in audience. They are considered very wise and insightful, which is why Herod could logically ask them to report back to him. However, Matthew has them divinely instructed through a dream to change their agreed-to plans, just like he has Joseph guided by dream messages. The Magi are giant mythic personalities in the Gospel much like the impossibly long-lived heroes in Genesis 5. But any perceived details aside, the real point of this text is that the new born King of the Jews – the Savior, the Messiah – was to be recognized by the rest of humanity as well as by the Chosen People. The result is that Gentiles can be church members!
The feast’s title, Epiphany, comes from a Greek word for “the showing.” The Gospel’s Epiphany is the showing of the infant Christ even to the Gentiles. The Orthodox Churches consider this festival to have the importance that the Catholic and other Western Christians place upon the Christmas festival. For Western Christians the birth of the Messiah and for Eastern Christians the showing of the Messiah both together describe the fundamental gospel mystery of the Incarnation. Where is the (not so newly born) King of the Jews in your life? Are you still greeting each other with “Merry Christmas!”? Is the Real Presence of the Christ revealed through your words and deeds?
Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12
Epiphany is a feast nearly overshadowed, and thus generally ignored, by Western Christians. This liturgical festival reminds us and tries to focus us on what was arguably one of the most controversial issues within the first and second generation Christians: Could Gentiles (i.e., non-Jews) be admitted to the gospel fellowship without first becoming Jewish? The Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s letter to the Galatians describe some of the ecclesiastical debate that occurred. The texts used on today’s feast show that the issue is fundamental to the very Gospel itself.The second paragraph of the Ephesians reading is clear: “... the Gentiles are co-heirs, members of the same body, and co-partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.” Simply put (unless you are of Jewish background yourself) this text is talking about our non-Jewish ancestors, and thus, about you and me. We are the Gentiles. In the Old Covenant – made with Abraham, and then with Moses and the Israelites – our Gentile ancestors had no claim on the chosen-ness of God’s people. Some would argue that God’s love was not for them in those days precisely because God had chosen the Jews. Today’s text says that while that situation had once been the case (even arguably according to God’s Will), a profound change had come about. We ought not underestimate the complex scope and scale of this divinely ordained shift. It contributes greatly to the unfortunate, permanent separation between Judaism and Christianity around the time of the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD. This message ought to negate and correct any and all anti-Semitism in Christians, but sadly, that has not come about. The message in Ephesians is fundamental to the actual good news of the Incarnation Gospel and Paschal Mystery. Salvation by Christ is meant to be universal, that is, for everyone! Logically and theologically it is very believable that while God indeed had chosen the ancient Jews, it does not necessarily follow that God had rejected the rest of humanity with a permanence more enduring than the Old Covenant itself. Our religious frames of reference and our human biases influence our ability at insight when reflecting on the issue of Divine Salvation! Maybe that’s why God’s Holy Spirit seems to sometimes reform and revise even our sacred religious status quo!
The text of the first reading’s prophetic voice (known as Trito-Isaiah) artistically describes a restored Jerusalem (ca. 500 AD) as the personification of God’s Salvation even for the Gentiles. Written around the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple in the very late 6th Century BC, the restoration of Temple worship was seen as a sign to the ancient Jews that God’s power and grace towards them had been restored. Things would only get better from that point onward. And, what could be better? Nothing less than that the Gentiles, i.e, the non-believers, would come to acknowledge and follow the ways of the God of Israel! Later, in the Christian imagination, the Jerusalem personification came to more likely describe the heavenly Jerusalem, the ideal perfection of God’s presence in the next life to which all of humanity is eligible through Christ’s saving Paschal Mystery. The Gospel of Christ is the universal invitation to that Salvation. We hear the beginnings of this in Luke’s very incomplete description in Acts 10 where Peter preaches to, witnesses the power of the Holy Spirit upon, and finally baptizes the household of, the Roman Gentile named Cornelius. This bold and radical deed of evangelization was criticized by other, more Jewish (read: those very limited by their cultural Jewish faith) Christians, and became the Church’s first major internal controversy.
Today’s Gospel is the story of the Magi (magoi in Greek, from which we get the English words like “magic” and “magician”). In Luke’s story of Jesus’ infancy, it was important that the Incarnation be announced to the Jews. Luke especially included the least important Jews among them, the shepherds in the fields. The Magi story is in Matthew’s Gospel and he takes great care to make sure that the Incarnation is announced to the most important among the Gentiles, the Magi. The Magi are idealized images of the best the Gentiles have to offer. They use astrology as a very sophisticated tool of divine revelation. They are wealthy as is shown by the gifts they bring. They are of great political importance shown by the fact that King Herod receives them in audience. They are considered very wise and insightful, which is why Herod could logically ask them to report back to him. However, Matthew has them divinely instructed through a dream to change their agreed-to plans, just like he has Joseph guided by dream messages. The Magi are giant mythic personalities in the Gospel much like the impossibly long-lived heroes in Genesis 5. But any perceived details aside, the real point of this text is that the new born King of the Jews – the Savior, the Messiah – was to be recognized by the rest of humanity as well as by the Chosen People. The result is that Gentiles can be church members!
The feast’s title, Epiphany, comes from a Greek word for “the showing.” The Gospel’s Epiphany is the showing of the infant Christ even to the Gentiles. The Orthodox Churches consider this festival to have the importance that the Catholic and other Western Christians place upon the Christmas festival. For Western Christians the birth of the Messiah and for Eastern Christians the showing of the Messiah both together describe the fundamental gospel mystery of the Incarnation. Where is the (not so newly born) King of the Jews in your life? Are you still greeting each other with “Merry Christmas!”? Is the Real Presence of the Christ revealed through your words and deeds?