Today is Epiphany, the culmination of the Christmas season. Functionally, it is the reminder of the mission of the church to the world in light of the Nativity. God the father gave his son as the light of the world to the world. Read more about Epiphany if you’d like.
Luke 2:21-38 | Matthew 2:1-12
There are several aspects to Epiphany, but they relate to light, mission, and the gift of God to the world through the people of God centered in Christ.
We’ll come back to Acts tomorrow. With today being Epiphany, Matthew’s account of the magi stands in. Within Matthew, the story of the magi represents Christ as a gift to the whole world, not just Israel, but Gentiles, too.1 The magi are not Jews, but are decidedly foreigners who followed stars and such. Matthew is telling us that from the very beginning, Christ is for all people.
Luke tells us of the Christ child’s encounters with Anna & Simeon. In great part, these meetings represent the history and path of Israel’s deep connection to the new-born Messiah. Jesus will greatly enhance and reveal the Kingdom of God as never before, but his role is not entirely new. Israel remains, and the Christ child is born from within. Anna and Simeon are reminders, links in the chain of God’s revelation.
Simeon’s prayer tells us of the heart of Epiphany: a light for revelation to the Gentiles and a glory for your people Israel.
Luke 2:21-38
When eight days had passed, Jesus’ parents circumcised him and gave him the name Jesus. This was the name given to him by the angel before he was conceived. When the time came for their ritual cleansing, in accordance with the Law from Moses, they brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. (It’s written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male will be dedicated to the Lord.”) They offered a sacrifice in keeping with what’s stated in the Law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
A man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. He was righteous and devout. He eagerly anticipated the restoration of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he wouldn’t die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple area. Meanwhile, Jesus’ parents brought the child to the temple so that they could do what was customary under the Law. Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said,
“Now, master, let your servant go in peace according to your word,
because my eyes have seen your salvation.
You prepared this salvation in the presence of all peoples.
It’s a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and a glory for your people Israel.”
His father and mother were amazed by what was said about him. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “This boy is assigned to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that generates opposition so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your innermost being too.”
There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher. She was very old. After she married, she lived with her husband for seven years. She was now an 84-year-old widow. She never left the temple area but worshipped God with fasting and prayer night and day. She approached at that very moment and began to praise God and to speak about Jesus to everyone who was looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Matthew 2:1-12
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We’ve seen his star in the east, and we’ve come to honor him.”
When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and everyone in Jerusalem was troubled with him. He gathered all the chief priests and the legal experts and asked them where the Christ was to be born. They said, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what the prophet wrote:
You, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
by no means are you least among the rulers of Judah,
because from you will come one who governs,
who will shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod secretly called for the magi and found out from them the time when the star had first appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you’ve found him, report to me so that I too may go and honor him.” When they heard the king, they went; and look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. Falling to their knees, they honored him. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Because they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route.
Prayer
God,
You gave us Christ as the light of the world. Help my life be a reflection.
Frankly, it’s pretty easy to feel the darkness today. The “light” of my screens regularly lets me know there are terrible things out there. And there are. But God, don’t let me wallow in these heralds of darkness. Though the calendar says one thing, may the glory of the angels’ light continue to shine forth in me and through me.
January is also so dark in this part of the world, so keep me close to the light of Christ. Fill me with your spirit, your warmth, your justice, your love. I humbly ask this for myself, but also for the world around me.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.
A Gentile is most simply, a non-Jew. God gave his mission on earth first to Israel, the Israelites, the Jews.