1.06.2014

Epiphany

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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