The Epiphany of the Lord – Jan. 4,
2026
Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a; 5-6;
Matthew 2:1-12.
Theme: We are Called to Be the Epiphany of Jesus, Just
as Jesus is the Epiphany of God
1.
Historical and Literary Contexts
According to Brown’s setting of the Gospel
of Matthew, our text is situated in the first section called “Introduction:
Origin and Infancy of Jesus the Messiah,” which forms the prologue of the
Gospel (1:1 – 2:23).[1] This
prologue consists of a genealogy (1:1-17) and five stories. Our text comes
immediately after the story of the “birth of Jesus” (1:18-25), and it is
followed by the “flight to Egypt” (2:13-15,) the “massacre of the Infant”
(2:16-18,) and the “return from Egypt” (2:19-23) which concludes the section.
Through this infancy narrative, the narrator presents the coming of Jesus as
the climax of Israel’s history and the events of his conception, birth, and
early childhood as the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy.[2]
2.
Form, Structure, and Movement
Our text is a narrative story. It can be
structured in three movements. First, the narrator puts in the scene the magi
who need further information on where the newborn king is born, Herod and all
Jerusalem who become troubled in hearing this information, and the chief
priests and scribes from whom Herod got information regarding what the Old
Testament prophets wrote about the Messiah (vv. 1-6). Second, the narrator
tells Herod's request to the magi (vv. 7-8) and the encounter of the magi with
the Infant Jesus and his parents (vv. 9-11). Third, the story concludes with
the magi departing for their country, not returning to Herod, but in another
way (v.12).
3.
Detailed Analysis
Vv. 1-6.
V.1. In the days of King Herod: From the beginning of his account
of the birth of Jesus, Matthew immediately puts it in relationship to broader
political and social events.[3] Herod:
This is Herod the Great, who reigned from 37 to 4 B.C. He was a vassal king
under the Roman emperor. Magi: They were a caste of wise men who were
associated with the interpretation of dreams, astrology, Zoroastrianism, and
magic. They became kings in later Christian tradition under the influence of
Psalm 72:10; Isaiah 49:7; 60:10. Their names eventually are Caspar, Balthasar,
and Melchior. They were understood as representatives of the Gentile world in
all its racial diversity who come to Christ.[4]
“From the East”: This was probably East Syria, Persia, or Arabia.
V. 2. King of the Jews: Jesus is
the royal Messiah, so he is the king of the Jews. We saw his star: The
stars were associated with special births, such as the births of Alexander the
Great and Augustus. This one in Matthew’s account evokes Balaam’s messianic
prophecy of a star arising from Jacob (Numbers 24:17), although Balaam’s star
does not mean an astral phenomenon but the king himself. Modern Bible scholars
have often thought about an astronomical explanation. Boxall argues that the
peculiarities of this star in Matthew’s Gospel suggest that the narrator
imagines an angelic being (cf. Job 38:7).[5]
V. 3. The news about the Newborn King
Jesus troubled Herod greatly. Matthew tells us that “all Jerusalem” was
troubled along with him. That was not good news for Herod, who did not want
anyone to threaten his power. Note that Herod was extremely paranoid. He had
such control over his subjects that they were too afraid to show any disloyalty
to him. When Matthew says that all people in Jerusalem were afraid along with
Herod, this does not mean that they worry about the power of their king Herod.
Instead, they worried about their peace because they knew that when Herod was
distressed, people would die.
Vv.4-6. The chief priests, who were senior
members of the Jerusalem priesthood, and the scribes, who had expert knowledge
of scripture, informed Herod of where the Messiah was supposed to be born
according to the prophecy of Micah (see Micah 2:6; 5:1-2). Matthew or Christian
scribes reworked this quotation. They identified “Bethlehem” as the “land of Judah”.
They changed “clans of Judah” to “rulers of Judah” to bring out the messianic
point. They added “who will shepherd my people Israel,” which is taken from 2
Samuel 5:2 and 1 Chronicles 11:2. They also transform “least” into “by no means
least,” which describes Bethlehem’s new prominence following Christ’s birth.[6]
Vv. 7-8. Herod does not have any intention
to do homage to the Infant Jesus. Instead, his strategy is to find out where he
was born so that he can execute him.
Vv. 9-11. The list of gold, frankincense,
and myrrh suggests prophetic fulfillment (see Isaiah 60:6, 11, 13). Gold
signifies that the newborn Jesus is a King. Frankincense means that
Jesus is God. Myrrh is associated with royalty, priestly anointing, and
mainly with the burial of the dead, which overshadows Christ’s redemptive
passion and burial (see John 19:39).[7]
V. 12. The Magi did not return to Herod to
inform him where the newborn King Jesus was born as Herod requested. “Having
been warned in a dream” suggests a divine revelation attesting to Herod’s
intention of killing the Infant Jesus.
4.
Synthesis
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judah,
David’s hometown, in the days of King Herod, a usurper and paranoiac. The magi
from the east, the representatives of the Gentiles, were led by the star toward
where the newborn King Jesus was born to do him homage. They made one stop in
Herod’s territory, Jerusalem, to get more information on where Jesus, the king
of the Jews, was born. Herod became greatly troubled on hearing that news
because he did not want anyone to threaten his power. Inhabitants of Jerusalem
also became greatly troubled along with Herod, not because they worried about
the power of their king, but because they worried about their peace. They knew
that when the paranoid Herod was distressed, people would die. Herod assembled
all the chief priests and scribes to get information on where the Messiah was
supposed to be born according to the prophets. From the quotation from the
prophet Micah that Matthew reworked, they informed him that Bethlehem was the
town where the Messiah was supposed to be born. He gave this information to the
Magi and asked them to bring him word once they found the newborn Jesus,
pretending that he, too, would go to do him homage. The magi found Jesus with
his mother Mary. They prostrated themselves and did him homage before they
offered him three gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, signifying the kingship
of Jesus, his divinity, and his redemptive passion and death. On their way back
home, the magi did not return to Herod as he asked them to because they
received a divine revelation that Herod intended to kill the Infant Jesus.
B. Pastoral Implication
1. Liturgical
Context
From its Greek origin: epi, “on,
upon,” and phaino, “to appear, to shine,” the word “Epiphany” refers to
the divinity of Jesus “shining upon” the world. In other words, Epiphany is the
manifestation of Jesus' divine nature. The early Church identified three
specific events that reveal Jesus’ divine nature. The modern Lectionary and
liturgical calendar maintain them together in three celebrations. (1) The visit
of the Magi that we celebrate today. (2) The Baptism of the Lord, which we will
celebrate this coming Sunday, January 11th. (3) The Sunday that
follows the Baptism of the Lord (the second Sunday in Ordinary Time) always has
either a Gospel passage of the Wedding at Cana (Jn 2:1-11) or John the
Baptist’s testimony to Jesus, the section that comes right before the Wedding
at Cana (Jn 1:29-42), which all reveal Jesus’ divine identity.
In our Gospel, Matthew tells us that the
first individuals to whom the divinity of Jesus was revealed were not the
insiders from the Jewish community but the foreign magi who came from the East.
This highlights the universalism of God’s revelation. In our first reading, the
Prophet Isaiah already prophesied that caravans of camels shall fill Jerusalem;
all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, proclaiming the
praises of the Lord (Is 60:6). Additionally, in our second reading, Saint Paul
confirms this universalism of God’s revelation when he states that through the
Gospel, the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in
the promise in Christ Jesus (Eph 3:6). God continues to reveal himself to
people from diverse backgrounds. The Church is the visible sign of God’s
revelation as it welcomes individuals from all nations and cultures.
2. What
the Church Teaches Us Today
Jesus is God’s Epiphany; he reveals God to
us. We are called to be Jesus’s Epiphany. Let us reveal him to our brothers and
sisters. This mission requires us first to know, follow, love, and serve Jesus
before we can reveal him to others, as the three wise men of our Gospel did.
They traveled a long distance to discover where the newborn King was born. No
doubt they were tired, but did not give up. They identified the revelatory star
and faithfully followed its guidance. Likewise, we should first identify our
revelatory stars that lead us to Jesus and second, follow their guidance
faithfully.
The Eucharistic celebration (Mass) is the
first and most excellent star that draws us closer to our Lord. During Mass, we
sit at the same Eucharistic Table with Jesus, listening to him through the
Scripture readings and receiving his Body and Blood in the Holy Communion. When
the Magi encountered the newborn Jesus, they prostrated themselves, did him
homage, and offered him the presents of gold (meaning that Jesus is a King),
frankincense (Jesus is a high priest and God), and myrrh (predicting the
redemptive Passion and Death of Jesus). The gestures of the Magi and the
meaning of their gifts are found in the liturgy of the Eucharist. At Mass, we
praise Jesus, our Lord, the king of the universe. He is the Higher Priest who
celebrates his own Mass through the human priest. At Mass, we commemorate the
Paschal ministry (the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus).
Besides the Mass, reading, sharing,
studying, and praying with the Word of God (the Bible) are other stars that
lead us to Jesus. Saint Jerome says, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of
Christ.” Pastoral ministries and charitable works are also our stars. They help
us deepen our spiritual relationship with Jesus.
After experiencing the “Epiphany of the
Lord” through their mystical contact with Jesus, the Magi departed for their
home by a different route, avoiding the path leading them back to Herod, the
symbol of sin in this context. During the liturgy of the Mass, a mystical
encounter occurs between us and Jesus, prompting a metanoia, or “conversion.”
This is why, at the end of the Mass, transformed, we are called to return to
our homes by a different spiritual path, which represents the way of
conversion. We leave our old life behind and begin anew with Jesus.
Consequently, we become the “star” for our brothers and sisters, guiding them
to Jesus so that they, too, may sit at the Eucharistic Table with him and
experience the “Epiphany of the Lord” in the Mass as we do.
May the liturgy of this Mass help us
fulfill our Christian mission of being the Epiphany of Jesus to our brothers
and sisters, just as Jesus is God’s Epiphany to us. Amen.
Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD
Pastor of Holy Family Church &
SVD USS Biblical Apostolate
Coordinator
[1]
Raymon E. Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament, 172.
[2]
NABRE, note to Matthew 1: 1-2:23.
[3]
Benedict T. Viviano, “The Gospel According to Matthew”, in The New Jerome
Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J.,
Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm., (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall,
1990), 635.
[4]
Benedict T. Viviano, “The Gospel According to Matthew”, in The New Jerome
Biblical Commentary, 635.
[5]
Ian Boxall, “Matthew”, in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the
Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, 1176. See also NABRE,
note to Matthew 2: 2.
[6]
Benedict T. Viviano, “The Gospel According to Matthew”, in The New Jerome
Biblical Commentary, 636. See also Ian Boxall, “Matthew”, in The Jerome
Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, 1176.
[7]
Benedict T. Viviano, “The Gospel According to Matthew”, in The New Jerome
Biblical Commentary, 636. See also Ian Boxall, “Matthew”, in The Jerome
Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, 1176-1177.
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