What Is Epiphany?

Many of us think Christmas is over after December 25. We take our trees down and undecorate our homes. Epiphany is one of the oldest festival days of the Christian Church. The other two are Easter and Christmas. Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans and yes, we United Methodists observe the feast on January 6. The festival originated to commemorate Christ’s birth. By 354 A.D., Christ’s birth was celebrated on December 25, and later in the fourth century the church in Rome began celebrating Epiphany on January 6.

In the Western Church, the festival commemorates the visit by the Magi to the infant Jesus, which is also seen as evidence that Christ came for the salvation of the Gentiles. In the East it commemorates the baptism of Christ and celebrates the revelation that the incarnate Christ was both fully God and fully man.

The evening preceding Epiphany is called the Twelfth Night. The time between December 25 and January 6 is known as the Twelve Days of Christmas. A symbol of the holiday in some traditions is water signifying a reflection of Jesus’ baptism, including the blessing of houses with holy water.

We know Epiphany as the time to celebrate the Magi’s visit to the baby Jesus. There is also a focus on Jesus’ baptism as the manifestation of Christ as both fully human and fully divine. The focus on the Magi’s visit is seen as the first manifestation of Christ as Savior of the Gentiles as well as the Jews. As you can see, Epiphany is a very important day in the life of us as Christians. As you think about January 6, please remember that Christ has been born and is now celebrated by the Magi. Christ has always been fully human and fully divine.

Prayer – Lord Jesus, we thank you for coming in the form of a baby. We thank you for being fully human and fully divine. Amen.

Matthew 2:9 –… “and the star they had seen in the East went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.”

Author: The Rev. Tommy Herndon
Photo: Courtesy of AdobeStock