On this day we celebrate the Gentile Magi coming to
worship Jesus with gifts. They acknowledged the boy Jesus as King with gifts
fit for royalty (gold), and for one who would sacrifice himself (myrrh) and
sacrifice for others (incense).
Persian Magi coming to Jesus is the symbol of all
Gentiles coming to Yahweh through Jesus. It had happened before – Ruth the
Moabitess, Rahab from Jericho, Uriah the Hittite. But now they come explicitly
to Jesus and are given an open invitation to Yahweh, not through Israel or her
temple in Jerusalem, but through Jesus of Nazareth. We are used to thinking of
ourselves as God’s people, but it wasn’t always so. Our people were without God
or hope, until we were brought near as He baptized and discipled our nation or
ourselves.
Epiphany reading
Ephesians 2:11-22
Isaiah 60; Matthew 2:1-18
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