The Epiphany of Our Lord

Rev. Kenneth Wieting
Text: Matthew 2:1-12

“Where is He who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and we have come to worship him.”

Dear worshippers of the Word made flesh; we don’t know how many wise men there were, but we know that they weren’t Kings from the Orient. Wise men were the university professors of their day. They studied astronomy and medicine and religions. These particular wise men were also men of wealth.

What brought them to Israel was not just a star. Their question shows that they had heard of the King of the Jews. Biblical history tells us that Daniel and others were influential among the wise men of Babylon centuries earlier (Daniel 2). These men had heard of the promised Messiah. By God’s gracious leading, they had connected the presence of the star with the birth of the King of the Jews. They came from the east for one reason, to worship Him! “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews…we have come to worship him.”

Little Jesus wasn’t the only king in the Land. We also hear of the big king, Herod who resisted the coming of the little King. There is a bit of that big king, deep down inside of each of us. We have our own thrones, our own plans of ruling our lives. We may not be in open rebellion, but deep down, we want to be king. We are not able by nature to want God to be God (Luther, Heidelberg Disputation, 1518, thesis 17). Rather, like our fallen parents, we desire His place.

Please note both the similarities and the differences between the big king and the wise men over against the little King. The star had brought the wise men close – to Jerusalem. That stirred up a hornet’s nest. Herod was so troubled he assembled the whole theological faculty to find out where this was to occur. The question was asked. The answer was given, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet…” Out of Bethlehem would come the ruler who would shepherd God’s people Israel.

Herod and the religious elite heard God’s clear Word right along with the Magi. Yet, it is the despised gentiles who believed God’s Word. The privileged insiders sit in the darkness of their own reason and stay in Jerusalem. Herod, the big king, wouldn’t even take a two hour journey to check out the prophetic word about the little one born King of the Jews.

After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. It led them not to a stable but to a house (v. 11). This event was sometime after the night of Christ’s birth – perhaps months later. King Herod’s subsequent order to kill all the boys two years old and younger (v. 16) was based on information obtained from the wise men.

Back to the heart of the matter! And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. These learned, wealthy adults fell to the ground and touched their foreheads to the earth before this little child. Nothing here was very impressive except their loving worship. Bethlehem was a humble city. The parents of this child were poor. No house in Bethlehem had the appearance of royalty.

The worship of the wise men, however, did not proceed from external appearance or from human wisdom. Their worship proceeded from the God given direction of His external sign and His prophetic Word. While God used a star to lead them, He has not connected his promises to the starry host today. Go does not want His people to consult the darkness of those into stars, the astrologers of today. The light of Christ has brought us liberation from bondage to the stars and to other forms of human superstition. As the prophet Isaiah said, “Arise, shine, for your light has come…” The deep darkness in which we Gentiles sat has been pierced by the light of Christ. The brilliant light of His Word and Sacraments still stand over the place where Christ the King is present for us today.

In that light, WISE MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN STILL WORSHIP THIS KING! Such wisdom is foolishness to the world, for now it comes from the foolishness of the cross. Myrrh given to this little King is not mentioned in regard to His person again until Good Friday – there to embalm His body (John 19:39). The title “King of the Jews” is not used again by Matthew until Good Friday. This time it was placed above his head on the cross, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” (Mt 27:37).

No star marked his presence amid the darkness of that day. But that darkness could not extinguish the light of Epiphany! Arise, shine; Isaiah said, for your light has come. Arise, shine, Jesus did breaking through the deep darkness of our sin and death in His mighty resurrection. The glory of the Lord rose upon us!

Today we Gentiles rejoice in the mystery of Christ. We have been made partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. We have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him. St Paul preached to Gentiles the un-searchable riches of Christ. Those un-searchable riches are still given today in the signs of God’s choosing. Through your washing of rebirth, through His treasures to you in word and bread and wine, God penetrates the thick darkness of your sin with His forgiving love. God continue to enlighten your hearts with His wisdom to worship Him! In the Name of Jesus, Amen.