Rejoice with the Magi at Epiphany

“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
Matthew 2:10-11

On 6th January in the church calendar, we enter the season of Epiphany, marking the time the Magi came to see the infant Jesus and worship him. The Collect for the Epiphany is this:

O God, who revealed your only Son to the Gentiles by the leading of a star,
mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith,
may after this life enjoy the splendour of your glorious Godhead,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Matthew in his gospel, cuts from the angel announcing what Mary and Joseph are to call their baby (1:21) to a scene some time after Jesus’ birth, now a child living in a house (Matt 2:11). Matthew wants to show us these Magi for an important reason: because they represent us, the nations, fulfilling the Bible’s storyline (cf. Isaiah 60:1-11, Psalm 72:10-11) and coming to praise, honour, worship and adore this King. And they show us how we are to respond too!

David Mathis in his book The Christmas we didn’t expect comments:

‘The great treasure isn’t what the Magi brought but the one held in Mary’s arms. The surpassing value of Christmas isn’t finally knowing ourselves to be saved, but knowing the Jesus who saves us. The God-man in the Christmas manger – two full natures in one unique person – is then the focal point for our worship…he was a fragile incarnate infant in Bethlehem and is the triumphantly glorified almighty God at his Father’s right hand.” (p.142)

In Matthew 2 we get a foretaste of all Jesus will achieve in gathering people from every tribe, tongue and nation around his throne (Revelation 7:9-12). The collect for the Epiphany understands this well. It is far more than a star – it is a symbol of our inclusion, by faith into the splendour of the glorious Godhead through what Jesus came to do through his death and resurrection. Knowing and enjoying our great God with unsurpassed delight forever, beyond this life.

So this Epiphany, will you rejoice (lit. ‘exceedingly with great joy’ in Matt 2:10) along with the Magi at this Jesus, our great King, and pray this prayer with me?

O God, who revealed your only Son to the Gentiles by the leading of a star,

mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith,

may after this life enjoy the splendour of your glorious Godhead,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

With love in Christ,

Ben Wells (Associate Minister)