When a story is told, how a main character is introduced usually allows a reader to gain insight into who that person is. The four gospel accounts in the New Testament each have their own way of introducing Jesus. Two of the accounts start with birth narratives. Luke’s nativity account is beautifully written and is the inspirational piece we usually hear on Christmas Eve. The lowly shepherds are the first visitors who get to see who Jesus is in this account. Matthew has a much briefer birth narrative, but it is quickly followed with a more detailed account of the first visitors that this gospel writer mentions. They are the magi, sometimes referred to as wise men.
One of the hymns about them refers to them as three kings, but even though there are three gifts mentioned that they bring to the Christ child, Matthew doesn’t tell us an actual number of how many folks came looking for the one who had been born as the King of the Jews. To refer to the magi as ‘kings’ is probably misleading. They were likely astrologers, coming from the East, perhaps from Persia. They were certainly Gentiles, which is part of the reason why Matthew includes their story. That God helped them to know of such a significant birth that it would be reflected in the heavens above gives gospel readers a sense of the importance of Jesus’ birth. However, Matthew is interested in making the case that Jesus came not only for people of Jewish heritage but for people throughout the world. You might remember that Matthew is the account that begins with Gentiles being the first beyond the holy family to see the Christ child. Matthew is also the account that ends with Jesus giving the great commission, where Jesus instructs his followers to make disciples of people from all nations. The story of the magi is what gets referred to as ‘Epiphany,’ a Greek word for revelation. Through this story, we grow in our understanding that Jesus’ coming had significance far and wide. It is a big story that begins with a little child.
In our part of the church, Epiphany is observed on January 6, twelve days after Christmas. Some people celebrate the twelve days of Christmas, from Christmas Day to January 5. In different regions, Epiphany is observed with a king’s cake, placing grass outside for the magi’s camels to eat, or other fun customs. For us, it is a time when we continue to explore the significance of the birth of the world’s most famous poor child. This Sunday, January 5, will be a time when we in worship reflect on this story found in Matthew 2. We will explore how it continues to help us more fully understand the person of Jesus Christ, where we would be wise to direct our gaze, and to whom we should kneel. Those are fitting things to ponder as we enter a new year.
