THE APPEARANCE OF JESUS IN OUR WORLD

THE APPEARANCE OF JESUS IN OUR WORLD

 (A biblical reflection on THE SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD, Sunday, 6 January 2019)

Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:1-12 

First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalms: Psalm 72:1-2,7-8,10-13; Second Reading: Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6 

The Scripture Text

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: ‘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 govern My people Israel.’”

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared, 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.” When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; 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. (Matthew 2:1-12 RSV) 

Epiphany means “manifestation” or “appearance”. In Greek mythology, this word describes a time when a god appeared among human beings. Thus, it is appropriate that we use the term for Jesus’ appearance in our world.

Matthew’s Gospel is the only one containing the popular story about the wise men who follow a star to Bethlehem in search of a newborn king. Finding the house where Jesus and His parents are staying, they pay homage and give the child gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The rich symbolism in this story deserves our close attention.

The Star: Ancient people believed a new star appeared in the sky each time a child was born. Consequently, when they spotted an extra bright star they concluded someone important had been born, someone who would outshine everyone else. This was certainly true of Jesus.

Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh: A loyal subject who had an audience with the king did not approach him empty handed but brought gifts to show appreciation for receiving such a great honor. Failing to do so would have been a breach of etiquette. Because a gift should reflect the importance of the person who receives it, only the best and most expensive gifts (like gold, frankincense, and myrrh) were good enough for a king. Gold, the most precious of metals, was especially valuable because it was so rare. Frankincense and myrrh, on the other hand, were perfumes only the rich could afford because merchants had to import them from distant lands.

Bethlehem: Many Jewish people thought the Messiah would come from Bethlehem, the city King David came from, because the Messiah was to be one of David’s descendants. Like David, the Messiah would be a military/political leader who would bring peace and prosperity.

The Wise Men: The words “magi” and “magician” (“one who has secret knowledge”) both come from the Greek word magoi, a word that originally referred to the educated priestly class in Persia but later described any knowledgeable individual. Because magoi had nothing to do with royalty, we shouldn’t call Jesus’ visitors kings, but wise men. Being from the East (areas like Arabia or Mesopotamia), these men were not Jewish. Matthew carefully chose all these symbolic details to tell us Jesus was not just an important individual but was also the Messiah-King whom many of the Jews were eagerly awaiting. Including the Gentile visitors may have been Matthew’s way of saying the Messiah would be for all people, not just the Jews.

The three wise men gave the best gifts they could possibly give to the child Jesus. If Jesus were born today, what gift would we (you and I) bring? 

(Adapted from Jerome J. Sabatowich, Cycling Through the Gospels – Gospel Commentaries for Cycles A, B, and C, pages 16-17) 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing that Your plan of salvation is meant for everyone, including myself. Help all those who are searching for You to find the light of truth in Your Son Jesus. Amen. 

Jakarta, 5 January 2019 

A Christian Pilgrim