unapecora
Jan 6 2009, 10:36 AM
EPIPHANY
. . . a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. (Luke 2:32, NIV)
In western Christian tradition, January 6 is celebrated as Epiphany. It goes by other names in various church traditions. In Hispanic and Latin culture, as well as some places in Europe, it is known as Three Kings' Day.
Epiphany is the climax of the Advent/Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are usually counted from the evening of December 25th until the morning of January 6th, which is the Twelfth Day.
This is an occasion for feasting in some cultures, including the baking of a special King's Cake as part of the festivities of Epiphany.
In traditional Christian churches, Christmas, as well as Easter, is celebrated as a period of time, a season of the church year, rather than just a day. The Season of the church year associated with Christmas actually begins with the first Sunday of Advent, four Sundays before Christmas Day. Advent is marked by expectation and anticipation in preparing to celebrate the coming of Jesus. Christmas begins with Christmas Day December 25 and lasts for twelve days until Epiphany.
The one or two Sundays between Christmas Day and Epiphany are sometimes called Christmastide. For many Protestant church traditions, the season of Epiphany extends from January 6th until Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent leading to Easter. Depending on the timing of Easter, this longer period of Epiphany includes from four to nine Sundays. Other traditions, especially the Roman Catholic tradition, observe Epiphany as a single day, with the Sundays following Epiphany counted as Ordinary Time. In some western traditions, the last Sunday of Epiphany is celebrated as Transfiguration Sunday.
The term "epiphany" means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal."
In western churches, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King.
As with most aspects of the Christian liturgical calendar, Epiphany has theological significance as a teaching tool in the church. The Wise Men or Magi who brought gifts to the infant Jesus were the first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus as "King" and so were the first to "show" or "reveal" Jesus to a wider world as the incarnate Christ. This act of worship by the Magi, which corresponded to Simeon's blessing that this child Jesus would be "a light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32), was one of the first indications that Jesus came for all people, of all nations, of all races, and that the work of God in the world would not be limited to only a few.
The day is now observed as a time of focusing on the mission of the church in reaching others by "showing" Jesus as the Savior of all people. It is also a time of focusing on Christian brotherhood and fellowship, especially in healing the divisions of prejudice and bigotry that we all too often create between God's children.
An Epiphany Prayer
Father, we thank you for revealing yourself to us in Jesus the Christ, we who once were not your people but whom you chose to adopt as your people. As ancient Israel confessed long ago, we realize that it was not because of our own righteousness, or our own superior wisdom, or strength, or power, or numbers. It was simply because you loved us, and chose to show us that love in Jesus.
As you have accepted us when we did not deserve your love, will you help us to accept those whom we find it hard to love? Forgive us, O Lord, for any attitude that we harbor that on any level sees ourselves as better or more righteous than others. Will you help us to remove the barriers of prejudice and to tear down the walls of bigotry, religious or social? O Lord, help us realize that the walls that we erect for others only form our own prisons!
Will you fill us so full of your love that there is no more room for intolerance? As you have forgiven us much, will you enable us with your strength to forgive others even more? Will you enable us through your abiding Presence among us, communally and individually, to live our lives in a manner worthy of the Name we bear?
May we, through your guidance and our faithful obedience, find new avenues in ways that we have not imagined of holding the Light of your love so that it may be a Light of revelation for all people.
We thank you for your love, praise you for your Gift, ask for your continued Presence with us, and bring these petitions in the name of your Son, who has truly revealed your heart. Amen.
Dennis Bratcher
unapecora
Jan 7 2009, 10:19 AM
MAGI
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." (Matthew 2:1-2, NIV)
The Magi (or Wise Men) were men from the East who were led by a star to come to Palestine to worship the infant Christ (Matthew 2:1, 7, 16). The Greek word in this account ("magoi") is rendered as "astrologers" where it occurs in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament (Daniel 1:20; 2:2), and as "sorcerer" in its other occurrences in the New Testament (Acts 13:6, 8).
The Greek historian Herodotus, writing in the fifth century B. C., identified the Magi as a caste of Medes who had a priestly function in the Persian Empire. In the Book of Daniel the "astrologers" ("magoi") are grouped with magicians, sorcerers, and Chaldeans as advisers to the court of Babylon with responsibility for interpreting dreams.
The role of the star in Matthew 2 suggests a connection with astrology. These astrologers, pursuing their observations of the stars in the heavens, encountered a sign of God (Matthew 24:29-30). God broke through their misguided system to make the great event known.
The joy, rejoicing, worship, and gifts which mark the response of these wise men to the birth of Jesus is quite a contrast to the troubled state and murderous intent of Herod and his advisers in Jerusalem (Matthew 2:1-12).
Nelson's Illustrated
Bible Dictionary
unapecora
Jan 8 2009, 10:12 AM
MAGI
Having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way. (Matthew 2:12, NAS)
Those magic men the magi
Some people call them wise
Or oriental, even kings
Well anyway, those guys
They visited with Jesus
They sure enjoyed their stay
Then warned in a dream of King Herod's scheme They went home by
another way
Yes they went home by another way
Home by another way
Maybe me and you can be wise guys too
And go home by another way.
James Taylor
(excerpts from "Home by Another Way",
forwarded by Christopher Martin)
They came for one solitary purpose, to worship Him who had been "born King of the Jews," and this they did. We are not told the number of their gifts, only that the gifts conferred were such as should be presented to royalty, like gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We neither know the number of the wise men, learned scholars from the east. But we may rightly assume that they were probably far more numerous than some have traditionally imagined. They very likely formed a considerable delegation, commanding their own caravan, with servants, drivers, security guards, cooks, and other such companions, besides the numerous dignitaries themselves.
The magi, impressed and satisfied to have beheld the King of the Jews in such an humble situation, returned to their distant homes. They spoke no further word to Herod, but went home, bypassing his notable palace altogether because God had warned them that to do so would place the Child in danger.
The Reformed Reader
(www.reformedreader.com)
unapecora
Jan 9 2009, 10:15 AM
MAGI
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him." And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born. And they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet, 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a Ruler, who will shepherd My people Israel.'" (Matthew 2:1-6, NAS)
Not long after His birth, wise men hailing from the direction of Arabia, magi, men of philosophy and learning came to worship the holy Child Jesus. But as soon as he heard of this Babe who was the salvation hope of Israel, old King Herod, wicked and insecure, set out inquiring about this Messiah who was "born King of the Jews," that he might destroy the Child! Indeed, the adoration and worship of the Lord's Anointed and the world's persecution of Him began to transpire early in His life.
Jesus was likely between one and two years old at the time of the visit of the magi, a bouncing toddler of a boy. This we gather from the age-specific record of Luke concerning the atrocity of wicked Herod, who ordered the slaughter of Ramah's children. Some time had passed since his birth, at least a couple months and possibly as much as a year or so. An unusual star had appeared and led those eastern philosopher-astronomers to the land of promise where they inquired of the country's leaders, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him." But their visit gave rise to curious fretting rather than soul-cheering joy.
Herod was troubled at the saying about this One "born King of the Jews." It would appear that the old king thought within himself, "Just who is this newborn rival? I will see to it that he never troubles me!" Little did he know it, but Herod the Great would be 'pushing up daisies' well before the Child was five years old. But almost all old kings fear the loss of their kingdom to newcomers, and they all eventually breathe their last and reign no more. Herod would soon die, but not before he would again display his heartless, cruel distemper, as he ordered the slaughter of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under.
"Then Herod secretly called the magi, and ascertained from them the time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, 'Go and make careful search for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, that I too may come and worship Him.' And having heard the king, they went their way; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshipped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way." (Matthew 2:7-12, NAS)
The instructions given to the caravan of magi might curl one's hair, since from our perspective we know what was the evil, murderous intent of King Herod, who assured them of his own desire to worship the Child, as well -- he said, "when you have found Him, report to me, that I too may come and worship Him." The only "worship" Herod intended would involve the razor's edge of his murderous sword. Not yet perceiving the wicked design of the King, the caravan of eastern visitors made their way to Bethlehem, as instructed, and on their way they again saw the star which had previously led them, this time to show them the very house where Jesus could be found. By this point, observe that Jesus and His family were living in a house, not still in a stable. The visit of the magi clearly followed the Lord's birth by
some fair interval of time.
Think of how impressive such a delegation must have been to the mother of our Lord and to Joseph, a man of humble means. . . Consider the opulent, luxurious gifts and what their value would represent to Joseph and Mary, recently too poor to offer the lamb at Jesus' presentation in the Temple (offering instead a pair of turtledoves (Luke 2:24)). Therefore, from this account we know that Joseph and Mary and Jesus were common, relatively poor people -- up until now. But the visit of the magi changed all that, at least for the time. And ever so shortly after this eventful housecall, Joseph would need more funds than a poor man earns in order to relocate his household completely out of the country, for safety's sake. What a timely blessing of the Lord God! The King of Israel planned to murder of the Child Jesus. The King of Heaven planned the preservation of the Child. Heaven's King had His way.
Much significance has been attached to the three sample gifts mentioned in the Bible text. Some would confidently assert that they know the spiritual significance of each of the three items mentioned. Gold, they say, would refer to the royalty of Jesus, a suggestion of His Deity. Frankincense, some think, speaks of Jesus sweet, spotless humanity. And myrrh, it is said, anticipates the burial anointing of the sacrificed body which would be broken on the cruel Golgotha cross. And while each of the gifts clearly attest to the worthiness of that Person to whom they were given, to make such sweeping assertions as to the "spiritual meaning" of such things is arbitrary and without firm basis in Scripture. However, we do not err to recognize the divine royalty which was witnessed by those Gentile visitors through their notable and extravagant gifts. Such gifts would provide Joseph and Mary with enough wealth to care for the Child for some good while to come.
The Lord God Almighty works in the light of day and in the still of night. "And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way." Every detail of life is attended unto by Him who sees all.
"Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, 'Arise and take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.' And he arose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed for Egypt; and was there until the death of Herod, that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 'Out of Egypt did I
call My Son.'" (Matthew 2:13-15, NAS)
How active is the leading of the Almighty! Joseph was led by the hand, shown how to care for his wife and the Child Jesus. He was told by an angel of the Lord to flee to Egypt, that is, toward Egypt and outside the jurisdiction of Herod. It is likely that Joseph and Mary took the child to a place which was toward Egypt and under the
governmental control of Egypt, and not necessarily to the modern borders of that nation. In any event, the leading of God was clear and the financial means with which to make the trip was safe in hand since the unexpected visit of the adoring foreigners.
One advantage that poorer folks have is displayed in the case of Joseph and his little household. The poor have a certain freedom of flight. They may, without excessive packing or excessive grieving, pull up stakes from one place on the earth and move to another, as compared to the rich. Some rich folk just cannot move, because they have so much. Joseph and Mary could pack all they owned in a short time and be off and traveling before morning.
Matthew Henry, commenting on this portion, wrote: "If rich people have the advantage of the poor while they possess what they have, the poor have the advantage of the rich when they are called to part with it."
How true! Walking away from a little estate, giving it up for good, is considerably easier than parting with affluence. We humans are so quickly spoiled. Here is a warning to the wealthy and an encouragement to the poor. The wealthy are not permanently wealthy unless they are rich toward God. The poor are not nearly so poor as their little estates might suggest, if they have the wealth of Heaven abiding in their souls. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were on the move, seizing the future with only a very little baggage and a large trust in Him who holds all tomorrows.
Joseph was given step by step instructions. Sometimes, God gives us no more than this. Take the step which God has directed. Stand still. Await further direction, since you cannot presume to know where you are going. Say, "If the Lord wills, I will go here, there, etc." as the book of James would tell us. We must remain dependent on our Lord who directs the steps of a man. And it is for our good that we wait upon Him, for He leads His people in the paths of righteousness. As for ourselves, our feet are strangers to paths of peace. The Lord, however, will set our feet in the good way where we find soul-rest, day after day. Meanwhile, we wait for further instructions so that we might not step into the world's bear-traps. Folks who wander through life's woods, meandering through the untamed forest, well, we need a compass and a good map. God's Word is the map, God's Spirit the compass. But let us not wander without His direction. One step at a time is enough.
King Herod, much too old to ever be threatened by any King of the Jews during his own lifetime, ordered the mass slaughter of every male child age two and under in all the region around and including the village of Bethlehem.
"Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its environs, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the magi. Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, 'A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.'" (Matthew 2:16-18, NAS)
The old King had previously "secretly called the magi, and ascertained from them the time the star appeared." (v7) By this information, Herod calculated the approximate age of the Christ Child. And in order to enhance his chances of success at eliminating the toddling antagonist, he ordered the mass slaughter of "all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its environs, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the magi." Matthew Henry cited a certain secular writer of the ancient time, "Macrobius . . . tells us, that when Augustus Caesar heard that Herod, among the children he order to be slain under two years old, slew his own son, he passed this jest upon him, that it was better to be Herod's swine than his son. The usage of the country forbade him to kill a swine, but nothing could restrain him from killing his son."
What are we to think about those innocents who gave their tender lives to the bloodthirsty tyrant? Some have suggested that those baby boys of the Bethlehem neighborhood should be numbered among the earliest martyrs of the Messiah Jesus. How deep their mother's groans! How broken their father's hearts! Ah, but what meaning was granted to their existence! Those boys' Jesus was humble and meek from the very beginning days of His life. In the earliest days, when divine power could have been displayed in visible ways, the Lord was pleased to quietly guard His Child Jesus through inconspicuous means, so that in the proper time Jesus would offer His soul as an offering for sin, "the just for the unjust."
When God sent forth His Son, His Son was not born to the nobler class. He was not housed in luxury but in simplicity. When the Eternal Logos became flesh, He did not come to a home of wealth. "He became poor" for our sakes. Jesus, in His humiliation, laid aside so many of His divine prerogatives that He is said to have "emptied Himself." He "made himself of no reputation." He became as a servant, not One to be served. And His unassuming humility before God was eloquently expressed as He eternally purposed and consented to enter into the carpenter's household for the great part of His earthly life. No servants, no marbled halls, no fine cuisine, no elite relatives or friends. Even when He came to His ministry, the religious leaders found fault with Him because He spent time with common sinners and relatively little with the religious, respectable crowd. Humble in life, more humble in death, "born King of the Jews," our Lord Jesus is now and evermore Prince over the Israel of God, the true circumcision, the Church, the Body of which Christ alone is the Head.
Oh how soon we must recognize our constant dependence upon our Lord Jesus for specific direction! How often does He direct us through life's foggy haze, one step, then another, sometimes telling us where He wills for us to be this day, but not where He wills for us to be tomorrow. Surely our Lord knows we need His direction in even the smallest things. He is keeping us in the state of dependence, lest we lean upon our own folly which we call wisdom.
Generally, the means by which we come to perceive God's will for our particular lives are the Word written, the Spirit of the Lord who dwells within the believer's redeemed soul, and the urgings of God's daily providence, as we behold the unfolding of His secret things. While we do not expect to receive our direction from God through dreams or visions, we must recognize that there is no variation in God Himself. He is always faithful to lead His people although His appointed means have changed.
The Word of God written gives us specific teaching and direction by the principles laid down by direct command, by inference, and by example. Man is to live, said Jesus, "by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." How can we presume to live otherwise? The Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Comforter, is always indwelling to help us. Paul writes that He "helps our infirmities," He helps us especially because of our many weaknesses. And the providence of God, His everyday superintending of this entire universe from top to bottom, teaches us His will. Just as we are to learn God's specific will for our lives by appealing to His Word and His Spirit, we are to take further instruction from all things which the Sovereign Lord providentially brings to pass during the course of time and life. By observing and learning from these three, saturating our lives by prayer, keeping a true humility before the Lord, we will be led and taught by Him. Then we may glorify His worthy Name and simultaneously find a reasonable measure of definition and meaning for our lives, all within the framework of our Lord's good pleasure and sovereign purpose.
Timothy Adkins
(The Reformed Reader,
www.reformedreader.org)