Today we celebrate Epiphany.
What exactly is an Epiphany? A
quick look in the dictionary gives four meanings. The first definition is a Christian festival observed
by the Western Churches on January 6, in commemoration of the manifestation of
Christ to the gentiles in the persons of the Magi.
The second definition is the appearance or manifestation of a
deity. The third definition is one is used commonly in our language, and that
is the sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential
meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace
occurrence or experience. The fourth
definition is a literary work or section of a work presenting, usually
symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight.
The Eastern churches celebrate the coming of Christ in a
festival known as Theophany. Theophany
is the manifestation or appearance of God to a person. The Eastern churches celebrate Theophany on
Jan 19 in accordance with the Julian calendar.
Beginning in Matthew, the Gospel says that wise men from the
East came to Jerusalem seeking the child born as King of the Jews. The three men, Magi, were astrologers and not
Kings as legend would have it. Nowhere in
the Gospel of Matthew is it mentioned that there were three Kings. Indeed, Matthew does not say how many Magi
came to see Christ, only that they brought gifts. The Magi, most scholars presume, were
Zoroastrian priests from Persia.
Zoroaster founded a religion in Persia around 600 BCE, and the
priest practiced astrology. The
Zoroasters believed in a supreme deity and the cosmic battle between a good
spirit and an evil spirit. The Magi most
probably did not come to Jerusalem seeking Jesus at his birth, but two years
later. Why do I say that? Haven’t we
been taught that the Magi came to the manger and gave the gifts of gold, frankincense,
and myrrh? The gifts are full of
symbolism; gold is the gift for kings, frankincense is the gift given during sacrifice in the
temple, and myrrh is used as a perfume for embalming the dead.
The Gospel of Luke does not mention the Magi. Luke says that an Angel appeared to the
shepherds in the field and announced the birth of our savior. Then the Heavenly host said Glory to God in
the Highest and the Angels vanished back into heaven. On a side note, Pope
Benedict said that the Angels did not sing, that they spoke, and that to our
ears their speech is singing. Based on
personal experience I would say that is true.
Seemingly, the Gospel of Luke and Matthew therefore disagree on
what happened that night that Christ was born.
However, if we take a closer look at Matthew it does not say the Magi
came to see the baby Jesus, but the Christ child. Herod, upon hearing that a child in Bethlehem
was supposed to be King of the Jew ordered the massacre of all male children
around two years of age. An angel warned
Mary and Joseph and they fled to Egypt.
Now historians do not record the massacre of Jewish children, a
catastrophe that would surely warrant some mention in the records of the
time. Herod was a brute; he had some of
his own sons murdered because he feared they would take his throne. Theorists think that given the population of
a small town such as Bethlehem that perhaps as few as twenty children were
murdered, a small number that could escape the notice of the historians. However, some churches say that thousands
were killed, all the way from a few thousand to 144,000 as postulated by the
Coptic Church. The higher number is
surely absurd; such a number of children killed would have brought the
attention of the Roman authorities and inclusion in the historical records of
the time.
Luke has the couple going to Jerusalem to present the baby at
the temple. Then the family journeys to
Nazareth to live. A flight to Egypt I
not mentioned in any of Luke’s accounts or indeed the Gospels of John and
Mark.
So what is the truth? The simple fact is that we do not know.
Historical accounts differ from Biblical accounts, especially on the death of
the Holy Innocents.
Many sites on the internet explore the contradictions in the
Gospels. The site below http://www.thenazareneway.com/infancy_of_christ.htm explores the infancy Gospels.
What do we need to take away from the explanations of the birth
of Christ? All we need to know is that
Christ was born, made incarnate in the Virgin Mary, came into the world
begotten, not made, light from light, true God from true God, of one being with
the Father. It is all there in the
Nicene Creed.
If you find yourself troubled by the contradictions in the
Gospels, pray for guidance. Follow
Matthew 7:7-8: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall
find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh
receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened.
Ask, Seek, and Knock.
