Epiphany of Christ
Jesus is revealed to the nations through the worship of the Magi.
Bibelsk grunnlag
The Magi from the East follow the star to Bethlehem and worship the infant Jesus with gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matt 2:1-12). Herod tries to use them to find and kill the child. The Magi are warned in a dream and return home by another route. Isaiah 60:1-6 speaks of peoples walking toward the light and kings bringing gold and frankincense.
Betydning
Epiphany means 'revelation'. Salvation is not only for Israel but for all nations—the Magi represent the Gentile world bowing before Israel's Messiah. The gifts hold symbolic meaning in Christian tradition: gold for the king, frankincense for God, myrrh for the one who will die. Herod's opposition shows that God's kingdom meets worldly power.
GT-forbindelser
Isaiah 60:1-6 about the peoples' pilgrimage to Zion with gold and frankincense. Numbers 24:17—Balaam's prophecy about the star from Jacob. Psalm 72:10-11 about kings bringing gifts and bowing down. Isaiah 49:6 about being a light for the nations.
Liturgisk kontekst
White color. In the Eastern Church, this was originally Christmas Day. In the Western Church, it marks the end of Christmastide and the beginning of Epiphanytide. 'Feast of the Three Kings' in popular tradition, but the Bible says neither how many there were nor that they were kings.
Historie
The celebration on January 6 is older than the Christmas celebration on December 25. In the Eastern Church, people originally celebrated Jesus' birth, baptism, and the first miracle at Cana on this day. Gradually, the birth celebration was moved to December 25 in the West, while January 6 retained its focus on the revelation to the nations.