Thoughts for the Day

The Visit of the Wise Men

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet...

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

If you wondered why the Wise Men did not appear in these Thoughts at Christmas, well they were saved until the 12th day of Christmas, on the 6thJanuary, when we celebrate Epiphany. The word comes from the Greek epiphaneia, meaning 'manifestation', in other words the coming of the Wise Men from foreign lands was seen as a visual sign that showed that the infant Jesus came to save not just the Jews, but also the Gentiles of the world. Epiphany is one of the three main, and oldest, festival days of the Christian church, along with Easter and Christmas.

Historically the period from Christmas Eve to the 12th Day was all one Christmas festival, leaving Advent clear of any festivities before Christmas. People only did necessary chores, and the festival ended with great revelry as well as worship on the 12th Day, before work started on Plough Monday. Customs varied around the world, and many Orthodox Christians still use the old Julian calendar and celebrate Christmas on 7th January and Epiphany on 19th. At present the Orthodox Churches of Jerusalem, Russia and Serbia, along with the monasteries on Mt. Athos, all continue to stick to the Old Calendar. Note that nowhere in the Gospels does it say the number of Wise Men that appeared or their names, but tradition says three and commonly they are called Balthazar, Melchior, and Casper.

Collect for Epiphany:

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.
Amen.