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Weekly Bible Notes, 4 January 2004

Epiphany

Year C, White

Jesus Good News for Bad People

Have you taken them down, or are they coming down today? Your decorations should not be up for too long now. The glitz of Christmas is giving way to reality just as surely as the post box so full of cards will soon be replaced by envelopes full of credit card statements and the real cost of Christmas!

We sometimes miss Epiphany, it is lost in the getting back to normal. But the visit of the Magi (AKA three wise men/kings) marks an important stage in the revelation of who Jesus was. It tells us that he was born for all people not just the Jewish elite.

We do not know much about these Magi,  from the East. What we do know is that they were astrologers and looked to the stars. That was enough to make them bad people in the eyes of the Jewish leaders. The message for this week is that Jesus is good news for bad people. God calls the star gazers to the birth of the Saviour, and shows how the Messiah brings salvation to those considered beyond hope. The birth of Jesus should challenge our expectations about the way God can and does act in our world.

Opening Verse of Scripture

The people living in darkness have seen a great light Isaiah


Collect Prayer for the Day—Before we read we pray

Eternal God, by a star you led Magi to the worship of your Son. Guide by your light the nations of the earth, that the whole world may see your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Bible Reading  Isaiah 60:1-6,9


"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. "Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm.
Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.
9 Surely the islands look to me; in the lead are the ships of Tarshish, bringing your sons from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honour of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendour.  (This is the word of the Lord -- Thanks be to God)
 

Second Reading  Ephesians Chapter 3:1-12

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (This is the word of the Lord -Thanks be to God)

Gospel Reading  Matthew Chapter 2:1-12
 
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: "'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'" Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.  (This is the word of the Lord -- Thanks be to God)

Post Communion Prayer

Lord God, the bright splendour whom the nations seek: may we who with the wise men have been drawn by your light discern the glory of your presence in your Son, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Commentary

Jesus and Moses

There are a number of important parallels between the stories of Moses and Jesus:

1. Pharaoh ordered that all Hebrew baby boys should be killed (Exod 1:16, 22), just as Herod does (2:16-18).
2. Moses was saved by the intervention of Pharaoh's daughter (Exod 2:1-10), just as Jesus is saved by a dream warning Joseph and Mary to flee (v. 11).
3. As a young man, Moses, fearing for his life, fled from Pharaoh (Exod 2:15) (Exod 4:19), just as an angel will say to Joseph, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead" (Matt 2:19-20). So when Matthew 2 is read against the background of Exodus 1-2, Jesus emerges like Moses. It is reasonable to say that with these stories in chapter 2 Matthew wanted to express a continuity between Moses and Jesus.

Jesus and the Jews.

Matthew's Gospel is in many ways the most Jewish of the Gospels, but Matthew does surprise us in showing just how much Jesus is welcomed by foreigners. Magi, come from many miles away to worship him, which emphasizes God's love and grace for all people. So too at the end of Jesus' life on earth, Matthew recalls the challenges to the disciples to go tell every nation about Jesus and his good news, baptizing them and welcoming them into God's family. Even in the genealogy of Jesus, Matthew prepares us for the inclusion of all people by God's grace. In the lineage of great King David, and the Messiah Jesus, is a Gentile woman. Her name is Ruth, and hers is a marvellous story of God's grace and the faithful heart that finds its home in the God of Israel. Christ enriches those who bring him their hearts, so the Magi came with joy in their hearts to see the Christ child, and God allowed them to see wondrous things.

Jesus and Herod.

Of course the story also shows that others did not welcome Jesus. The behaviour of Herod is that of one who is afraid. The news of a new child to be “king” threatens his own kingship. Rather than learning from the wisdom of the foreign visitors, he is afraid, and seeks to destroy what they came to discover. Herod the Great was, in many ways, a truly great king. He kept the peace. He built the Temple. He was sometimes generous. However, he seems genuinely paranoid -- murdering rivals, real or imagined. He had his wife and three of his sons executed. His Massacre of the Innocents (2:16-18), is in keeping with his character. The differences between Jesus and Herod could not be greater.

1. Jesus was born in a stable; Herod lives in a palace.
2. Jesus is a helpless infant; Herod possesses great power.
3. Jesus will prove to be a man of great compassion; Herod is cruel and violent.

Herod is frightened. Why would a king fear a baby? Perhaps it is paranoia. Perhaps his paranoia is fed by feelings of illegitimacy. Many people in high positions feel like pretenders, wondering when their legitimacy will be questioned and their power stripped from them. Herod has more reason than most to feel illegitimate. He is of Arab descent, and rules at Rome's pleasure. His father gained power by supporting Julius Caesar, and was named procurator of Judea by Caesar in 47 B.C. His family ruled the area for a century and a half. The Jews, wanting a king of their own, resent Herod. Given half a chance, they would overthrow him. Herod is concerned about the exact time that the star appeared, because that information will help him to track down the baby. He decides to kill all the children in Bethlehem two years old and under, drawing the lines broadly enough to be sure of removing the baby who threatens his throne (2:16-18). His efforts prove futile, however, because God warns both the Magi and Joseph, who flees to Egypt with his little family (2:13-15). The treachery that Jesus will endure later in his life begins in his infancy, as does the hypocrisy of his enemies.

Jesus and the Magi

We think of the Magi as three in number because they give three gifts, but they could be any number. Storytellers have named them Melchior, Caspar (or Gaspar), and Balthasar, but those names are not found in scripture, but first appear in a mosaic in a 6th-century church in Ravenna, Italy. We know little about the wise men or Magi (Greek magoi) from the East. We call them kings, but Matthew calls them magoi -- or Magi. The word, kings, might come from Psalm 72:10, which speaks of the kings of Tarshish rendering tribute and the kings of Sheba and Seba bringing gifts. See also Isaiah 60:6, which speaks of the people of Sheba bringing gold and frankincense. We think of them as astrologers because they are observing stars (v. 2), and astrology was considered a learned occupation. The word, magoi, is also found in Acts 8:9-24 and 13:6-11, where it is translated magician or sorcerer. From the perspective of the Jewish people, magoi look to the stars for answers that legitimately come only from God -- or work magic using demonic powers. They are far from the kingdom of God, which makes them especially useful for Matthew's purposes as he shows how the Messiah brings salvation to those considered beyond the scope of God’s interest. The magi kneel to Jesus, "unwittingly anticipating that day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil 2:10-11).

The Magi are well intentioned but naive, not understanding that a reigning monarch might be threatened at the birth of a potential rival. It is ironic that they ask Herod, whose official title is king of the Jews, about a baby who has been born king of the Jews. They seem clueless that such a request would anger Herod. This title, King of the Jews," will reappear at the end of this Gospel as Pilate asks, "Are you the King of the Jews?" (27:11) -- and when the soldiers mock him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" (27:29) -- and as a sign posted on the cross as the criminal charge against him, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews" (27:37). Magi and the Jews We are struck by the contrast between these Gentiles, who follow the star to Jesus, and the chief priests and scribes, who know the scriptures but who do nothing to seek out the Messiah, whom they have determined to be only five miles away in Bethlehem (v. 5). God's people ignore the Messiah, while pagans eagerly seek him out.

The Gifts

The gifts seem odd for a baby. We expect baby clothes and toys. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh, however, speak to Jesus' future. Gold is a gift fit for a king. Frankincense is used in temple worship (Exod 30:34) -- a gift fit for a priest. The high priest uses myrrh as an anointing oil (Exod 30:23). It is also used to prepare bodies for burial, and Nicodemus will bring a mixture of aloe and myrrh to prepare Jesus' body for burial (John 19:39-40). Gold, frankincense, and myrrh are not only expensive gifts, but they are portable. Very soon (2:13), an angel will tell Joseph to flee Herod. Joseph will not be able to take many possessions, but can carry gold, frankincense, and myrrh to sell along the way and thereby finance the journey to Egypt. Perhaps these gifts are God's way of providing for the journey that lies ahead.

Bethlehem

Bethlehem, five miles south of Jerusalem, was David's birthplace. Matthew identifies it as Bethlehem of Judea to distinguish it from Bethlehem of Galilee, located a few miles north of Nazareth. Bethlehem is a small town, a lowly place, an appropriate setting for Jesus' humble birth. However, it is also a proud town, having given the Jewish people their greatest king. It is worth noting that King David's origins were also humble. He served as a shepherd, a lowly occupation. When Samuel asked Jesse, David's father, to bring his sons so that Samuel might determine which one God had chosen to be king, Jesse did not even think to include David, his youngest. It was only when Samuel had disqualified the other sons that Jesse sent for David. David's early fame came when, unable to manage a man's armour, he faced Goliath armed only with a slingshot. Humble beginnings -- great ends! Now this humble town gives Israel its Messiah. Never again will it be an unknown, backwater village!

Meditation

The visit of these star gazers is astonishing when we remember that Jesus was the Messiah. The message is clear, the birth of Jesus is good news for everybody, no one is excluded from the salvation of Christ. We are warned against our prejudice and discrimination, all are invited to experience the epiphany. Jesus brings good news for bad people!

Hymns

1. As with gladness 121 Tune: Dix 2. We Three kings (On page 3) 3. Brightest and best 123 Tune: Epiphany Hymn 4. O worship the lord 505 Tune: Was Lebet 5. Hail to the Lords anointed 125 Tune: Cruger

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead

Father God, you are the Lord of all peoples, give to us more understanding and make us less judgmental of other cultures and races. Help us to see your image in each person we encounter and see each one's need to know you as Abba Father. Amen.

God of constant surprise, you enter our world in silence but delight and disturb us in so many varied ways. You invigorate us when we are lulled into boredom. You call us to new places when our lives have grown stale and predictable. As we share this Epiphany celebration, may your light of discovery shine brightly within each of us—casting away shadows and enabling us to see ourselves anew, to confess what we have never honestly acknowledged before, to be transformed by love, and to fully receive your spirit of new beginnings. Amen.

O God, who by the leading of a star manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth:
mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith, may at last behold your glory face to face;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Father, we thank you for revealing yourself to us in Jesus the Christ, we who once were not your people but whom you chose to adopt as your people. As ancient Israel confessed long ago, we realize that it was not because of our own righteousness, or our own superior wisdom, or strength, or power, or numbers. It was simply because you loved us, and chose to show us that love in Jesus.

As you have accepted us when we did not deserve your love, will you help us to accept those whom we find it hard to love? Forgive us, O Lord, for any attitude that we harbour that on any level sees ourselves as better or more righteous than others. Will you help us to remove the barriers of prejudice and to tear down the walls of bigotry, religious or social? O Lord, help us realize that the walls that we erect for others only form our own prisons!
Will you fill us so full of your love that there is no more room for intolerance. As you have forgiven us much, will you enable us with your strength to forgive others even more? Will you enable us through your abiding Presence among us, communally and individually, to live our lives in a manner worthy of the Name we bear?
May we, through your guidance and our faithful obedience, find new avenues in ways that we have not imagined of holding the Light of your love so that it may be a Light of revelation for all people.
 

We thank you for your love, praise you for your Gift, ask for your continued Presence with us, and bring these petitions in the name of your Son, who has truly revealed your heart. Amen
      

A copy of this week's sermon about Epiphany has been posted by The Reverend Charles Royden. Epiphany Sermon

You may like to try our Epiphany Quiz

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