How to Have an Epiphany

The Writing is on the door. Almost.

I’ve suddenly realised what the word ‘epiphany’ means.

Technically, that’s a joke. You’re welcome. It’s funny because the word ‘epiphany’ means ‘sudden realisation’.

Except it doesn’t. Not quite. An epiphany is when something is made clear to you. It is revealed or manifested. The season of Epiphany celebrates the manifestation of God in the Incarnation of Christ.

The Adoration of the Magi by Edward Burne-Jones1904

It all kicks off on 6^th January, the day of Epiphany, in which the church celebrates the Adoration of Christ by the Magi. Except we don’t anymore because, as I wrote before, we’re through with Christmas in the UK, at least. We lump in the kings with the shepherds with whom we tend to identify. It might be because our nation’s medieval prosperity was built on wool and cloth. Or maybe it’s just because we love an underdog.

We also understand what a shepherd is. But what is a mage? Or are they kings? Are they monarchs or magi? It’s almost like we can’t imagine someone being both a king and wise. You’re either powerful or clever. Not both.

The Gospel of Matthew in which the wise men appear does not tell us their names or how many there were. Three gifts suggest three kings so that became a thing. Three names were attributed to them because tradition abhors a vacuum. Isn’t it interesting that we really like people to have names? It’s almost like God gave us that role. (See Genesis 2:19-20)

Why celebrate Epiphany?

Our ancestors were more excited about Epiphany, celebrating the revelation of Christ’s identity as the King of Kings, emphasising the kingship of Christ over all creation, not just ‘the West’. Even in ‘the West’, we are uncomfortable proclaiming the kingship of Christ of all, but we should do just that. Jesus isn’t the creator and saviour of the world but the sovereign ruler owed allegiance and obedience by all. We probably won’t win the nation with a slogan like “Obey Christ the King or get off his land” but it might be more interesting than our pleading for people to “accept Jesus into their heart”.

Christ isn’t just King. He’s the King of kings. Epiphany, then, was Christ’s first manifestation to Gentiles. At that time, here in England, we were a loose federation of pagan tribes wondering if the Romans were going to have another crack at us after Julius Caesar failed in 54 BC.

Within four hundred years, not only had the gospel of Christ been accepted by the Roman empire, Epiphany had become a regular feature on the liturgical calendar. The earliest mention can be found in 387/388 AD in a sermon by St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople.

Books containing church records (and I have a few) reveal line items in church accounts relating to stars which are dangled from a pole or a high place in the nave. A priest or two dressed as kings would process in. Mystery plays in town squares would retell the story. (Every generation has its own version of The Chosen) Gifts would be given, which is why we give each other gifts at Christmas.

Even today, some people still ‘chalk the door’, writing the initials of the Kings between the year on the door or the lintel. So this year it would read 20+C+M+B+24. Why not do that? It’s probably more worthwhile than putting up a poster for local LibDem candidate.

This is my front door. I’ve not technically ‘chalked the door’ as I’m not sure the chalk would come off. So I’ve gone big on a separate sign and am hoping Amazon delivery drivers don’t think it’s our postcode.

How to be Frowned Upon

We live in an era still shot through with postmodernism.  The proclamation of Christ as King of Kings, including gentile and pagan ones, could be ‘problematic’. As we look back at history, we can see international missionary work became mingled with commerce. An Elizabethan entrepreneur might wake up on Epiphany and say, “Christ is King of Kings! Someone should go to the Far East and tell them,” before going on to say, “And while we’re there, we should probably pick up some local spices that’ll be worth a fortune back home.”

Today, the problem is one of intellectual imperialism. Can one tell a devoted worshipper of another deity to stop worshipping that god and worship Jesus Christ, the true king of kings, like Elijah challenging the prophets of Baal? Try that one on the floor of the UN. Both in international politics and our local communities, proselytizing is severely frowned upon. Bad form. Not very British. Any more.

The Prince of Peace

Yet our only hope of peace on earth is Jesus Christ. This is a common refrain at Christmas, and where does it come from? Places like Isaiah 9:6 which say:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The Biblical witness is consistent and clear. Where does peace from? From God. Not us.

One of the most beautiful passages in scripture is a foretaste of what it looks like for a Wonderful Counsellor and Prince of Peace to rule in this world. 1 Kings 4-5 shows us Solomon’s kingdom which was, for a time, glorious. His wisdom was famed throughout the world. As he built the temple, he traded with his neighbours who held him and the LORD in high regard. And then in 1 Kings 10 the Queen of Sheba comes to pay homage and hear his wisdom. The wisdom was given to him by God so he can’t be accused of mansplaining. The Queen marvelled at his kingdom.

Just for a brief moment, Solomon was King of Kings, not by conquest but by wisdom and the blessing of God. Maybe those chapters could be read during Epiphany.

Peacekeeping Forces

Yet even we Christians continually put our trust in human solutions. The UN or peace negotiators attempt to split the difference and find a solution where everyone saves face. The UN was founded in 1945. How’s it been going on the war front since then?

International diplomacy has its place, but it is widely believed that we can sort everything out if we just talk about it. Then we’ll all discover we all want the same thing: peace. Philosopher René Girard (1923-2015) would say we probably do want the same thing. Mimetic desire is the problem. We want something – and we want our rival or enemy not to have it. The fuel in the tank for an awful lot of humanity is envy.

Epiphany reminds us that there is no hope of unity without Christ. In Colossians 3, Paul explains how our death with Christ, our rising with him and our putting off the old self means there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free.” Why? How? Because “Christ is all and is in all.”

Back to the Magi

We know the story of Epiphany so well, and it’s jumbled up with shepherds, angels and a non-existent innkeeper, that we don’t notice what is so striking about the behaviour of the Magi. They bow down and worship the King of Kings. It was rather thrilling to hear the hymn ‘Love divine, all loves excelling’ sung at Queen Elizabeth the Second’s funeral, containing the line “Till we cast our Crowns before Thee, Lost in Wonder, Love, and Praise!” (below)

The Magi – and our late Queen - did what Herod will not do. Desperate to cling to power so he can at least be a puppet king, Herod will sacrifice scores of infants to kill the Christ child because he would not pay homage to the true king, the Son of David.

We may not be those who slaughter the innocents, but we will look for all kinds of ways to withhold our gold. Or skimp on the incense and myrrh. In this season of Epiphany, let us go all in on Christ who went all in on us. After all, he is the King of kings.

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If you’d like to know more about Girard, this is good: