Delivered Thursday Night
Epiphany
1/6/11
Matthew 2:1-12
Bror Erickson
[2:1] Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, [2] saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." [3] When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; [4] and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. [5] They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
[6] " '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 shepherd my people Israel.' "
[7] Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. [8] 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." [9] After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. [11] 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. [12] And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. Matthew 2:1-12 (ESV)
I don’t have much more to offer you than an Epiphany I had a few years ago reading this text that will form the basis of this sermon for the season of Epiphany. Epiphany, it means a revelation, a showing forth. In Biblical Greek terms it is a word that means God reveals something to you. It has come to have a secular meaning of realizing something, having an epiphany. I had such an Epiphany a few years ago reading this text, and it is a brilliant epiphany if you will. To put it in seminary terms this is an example of proleptic eschatology, to put it in laymen’s terms, this is the end time prophecies being fulfilled in miniature, a head of time, to illustrate who Jesus is, judge of the world, and what the last days will be like. You see such proleptic eschatology happening throughout Christ’s life, with say the resurrection of the saints at Christ’s death. This text fulfills the prophecy that every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
It is such a great text. Every child growing up and hearing the Christmas story sees something special in this text. Magi, wisemen, we three kings as the carol goes, showing up to worship Jesus and give him gifts. And we love the gifts, all representing different aspects of his life and who he is. Gifts worthy of a king, gifts preparing him for death. But it is such a profound text that captures our imagination. Here gentiles reveal to Jews who their Lord, who their King is, Here gentiles come to worship God made man.
For we have come to worship him they tell Herod. Herod is disconcerted for other reasons. The scribes he consulted to find out where this child is to be born must have been even more perplexed! Worship? Why are there pagan priests here in Jerusalem wishing to worship a baby Jew?!
Jews never have been the most liked people in that region. They refused to play nice with the pagan Gods. They were looked on as being backwards. Often they fell victim to slavery, despised in the countries that conquered them. And now men from these regions, were there to worship a baby Jew? And worshiping a man? What good Jewish family would allow that? You worship God, not man. And the men who want to do this? Pagan priests. Yes, these men were the priests of pagan gods. The word Magi, that is used here to describe them is the same word used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament to denote the pagan priests of Babylon. These men made a living practicing the black arts, the satanic arts, associated with pagan worship of perverted gods. It is used in the New Testament to describe the occupation of Simon the Magician, a Samaritan. These people were known for their black arts the same as Haitian voodoo doctors are feared today. A fear one is not completely foolish to have.
Too often I hear people claiming there is nothing to this stuff. But nevertheless I’ve known people addicted the fluffy flattery of News Paper horoscopes and won’t get out of bed without them. I don’t put much stock in them, they don’t do anything but flatter a person, which is dangerous enough. But then we as Christians, if we are to take the Bible seriously, cannot just sit back and say that there is nothing to witchcraft whatsoever. No matter what you might think of your less than intelligent neighbor practicing the feminist religion of Wicca, trying to cast a love spell on her high school crush. It is sin in itself. Even playing with the stuff, even if you don’t really believe it and think it is just good fun. But I’m not one that discounts it completely either. Pharaoh’s magicians pulled off some pretty neat tricks in the name of their gods. We who take the Bible seriously cannot discount that others may be able to do the works Balaam was famous for, which in reality was causing believers in God to stumble through black magic and prostitution. But he was hired because he had a reputation for being able to curse and bless effectively. And that sort of thing tempts many a Christian. It’s so tempting half of “Christendom” tries to use the Bible as some black magic talisman with which they can manipulate God through perverted prayers to bless their lives with earthly goods, or divine the future the same as a gypsy uses tea leaves. These Magi were those types of people.
They made their living in the black arts of pagan worship. They blessed their patrons, and cursed those the patrons asked them too. They divined the future with tea leaves, bones, the entrails of sacrificial victims, and watching the stars. They served the altars of pagan gods, and now God has called them out of darkness, given them an Epiphany in the stars, a revelation that God has been born. These men know the true nature of Jesus even before his compatriots. These men know as only Simeon and Anna have been able to discern, that here is God become man. They come to worship because they know this boy is not just King of the Jews, but the savior promised of Old. And with their knees they bow, and with their tongues they confess for all the world to hear, that this boy is God of gods, king of kings, Lord of lords, Who is of one substance with the Father. He is the one to whom all will bow, all will confess. He is the one worthy of worship, for he is the only God, God who became man, took on flesh to save the world from bondage to sin death and the power of the devil, and even here he, a baby boy, commands the worship of pagan priests and they listen.
Now the peace of God that surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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