The Epiphany & The Magi
This Sunday, January 5th, we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. The word “epiphany” comes from the Greek roots meaning “manifestation.” The Catechism tells us more:
“The Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Savior of the world. The great feast of Epiphany celebrates the adoration of Jesus by the wise men (magi) from the East, together with his baptism in the Jordan and the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee,” (528).
Who were the “wise men from the East?” The Greek word used in translation is “magoi,” or in Latin, “magi.” Scripture doesn’t specify how many magi came to see Jesus. They are depicted as a group of 3 to correlate with the 3 gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Why did the Magi bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh? All 3 were traditional and standard gifts of the time period. Interestingly, each one represented something:
Gold: kingship and divinity
Frankincense: prayer and worship
Myrrh: used for anointing priests and also for burial
It is unknown exactly where the Magi came from, but it is widely held that they came from either Persia, Arabia, or Babylon. They were not Jewish: they refer to Jesus in Matthew 2:2 as the “King of the Jews,” whereas Jews would have called Jesus the “King of Israel.”
The Magi are thought to have had practiced a religion called Zoroastrianism religion and were experts in astrology. To them, the appearance of a new star signaled new kingship. This is why the Magi first visited King Herod in Jerusalem. They assumed a son was born to King Herod before being pointed to Bethlehem as the birthplace of a new king (Matthew 2:2-4).
When the Magi found the newborn king, they “prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh,” (Matthew 2:11). Therefore, this event is called the Epiphany, as the Messiah was made manifest to the audience of Magi before him.
“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy,” (Matthew 2:10).