Feast of the Epiphany
COMMENTARY1ST READINGRESPONSORIAL2ND READINGGOSPEL
DR. BRANT PITRE
Mass Readings Explained
[This Sunday] we celebrate the mystery of the revelation, or the unveiling, of Christ’s kingship and his divinity
Every year on the Second Sunday after Christmas, the Church celebrates the great feast of Epiphany. And on this feast the readings are the same; whether it’s year A, B, or C, we are going to look at the same readings every single year. This is of course the great day where we celebrate the mystery of the revelation, or the unveiling, of Christ’s kingship and his divinity. That is what Epiphany means, it is a kind of revelation or unveiling (or appearing is actually probably a better translation).
SOURCE: Mass Readings Explained by Dr. Brant Pitre.
Read More of Transcript
AGAPE BIBLE STUDY
The Universal Royal Messiahship of Jesus Christ
The word “epiphany” means “appearance, revelation, or manifestation.” Today’s feast celebrates the first of three joyful wonders that signified Jesus’ identity as the long-awaited Messiah.
The first epiphany was the visit of the Magi. They followed a star from the East to find the King of the universe to give Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (the Gospel Reading).
The second was Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River and the first revelation of the Divine Trinity: God the Holy Spirit descended over God the Son in the form of a dove, and the divine voice of God the Father spoke from Heaven.
The third revelation occurred at the wedding feast at Cana when Jesus turned water into wine in His first miracle.
In the Gospel accounts of these three epiphanies, we learn that God appears in creation to move forward His divine plan. He reveals Himself as a guiding star, as a dove accompanied by a voice from Heaven, and in the gift of wine that miraculously came from stone jars of water to prefigure the miracle of the Eucharist at the Last Supper.
Navarre Bible, et alia
Catholic Commentary on Sunday Readings (PDF)
SOURCE: Bible study program at St. Charles Borromeo (Picayune, MS) courtesy of Military Archdiocese. Sources include The Jerome Biblical Commentary, The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, and The Navarre Bible, and others.
Dr. Kieran J. O’Mahony, OSA
Hearers of the Word
Portable Commentary
AN ECUMENICAL BIBLICAL COMMENTARY (BIBLE STUDY)
RICHARD NIELL DONAVAN
Sermon Writer
FIRST READING EXEGESIS
- ISAIAH 60-62: THE CONTEXT
- ISAIAH 60:1-2. ARISE, SHINE; FOR YOUR LIGHT HAS COME
- ISAIAH 60:3. NATIONS SHALL COME TO YOUR LIGHT
- ISAIAH 60:4. THEY COME TO YOU
- ISAIAH 60:5. THEN YOU SHALL SEE AND BE RADIANT
- ISAIAH 60:6. THE MULTITUDE OF CAMELS SHALL COVER YOU
GOSPEL EXEGESIS
- EPIPHANY
- MATTHEW 2:1-12. THE CONTEXT
- MATTHEW 2:1-2. WHERE IS HE WHO WAS BORN KING OF THE JEWS?
- MATTHEW 2:3-6. IN BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA
- MATTHEW 2:7-8. BRING ME WORD
- MATTHEW 2:9-11. THEY OFFERED HIM GIFTS
- MATTHEW 2:12. HAVING BEEN WARNED IN A DREAM
SOURCE: Richard Niell Donavan, a Disciples of Christ clergyman, published SermonWriter from 1997 until his death in 2020. His wife Dale has graciously kept his website online. A subscription is no longer required.
Bible Study
by Richard Niell Donovan
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of Yahweh is risen on you” (v. 1).
The people of Jerusalem have suffered through the darkness of a lengthy exile—and a difficult return to a Jerusalem that lay in ruins—and neighbors opposed to the rebuilding of the city and the temple. They have been beaten down by circumstances—circumstances brought upon them by their sin—circumstances that constituted God’s judgment.
However, God has not punished them to destroy them, but to redeem them. Now the time of their redemption has come, and it is time for them to receive it. They have been living in the darkness of despair, but their “light has come”—”the glory of Yahweh is risen on” them. That light is Yahweh, who has seemed so absent for so long.
“For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but Yahweh will arise on you, and his glory shall be seen on you” (v. 2).
The exiles experienced spiritual darkness in their lengthy exile, but now the great reversal has begun. It will be “the peoples” (Gentiles) who will be enveloped in “thick darkness,” and the former exiles who will experience the light of Yahweh’s glory.
We are reminded of an earlier verse, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who lived in the land of the shadow of death, on them the light has shined” (Isaiah 9:2).
Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
This verse brings to mind the Wise Men from the East who came following the star to the place of Jesus’ birth (Matthew 2:1-12).
“they shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of Yahweh” (v. 6b).
Gold and frankincense are valuable commodities that are compact and easy to transport. Frankincense is an incense used in temple worship and to embalm dead bodies. The Wise Men will bring Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11).
Your light has come!
- The showing forth of God’s glory is apparent in today’s passage from Isaiah.
- All nations will walk by Jerusalem’s light, the glory of God within it.
- The prophet announces to the people that even in the midst of darkness, they will forever be enlightened by the presence of God.
The clipart is from the archive of Father Richard Lonsdale © 2000 which may be freely reproduced in any non-profit publication.
Historical Context
Catholic Praxis
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you…
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
🔴 CATHOLIC VIDEOS
Seeing The Glory Of God - Homily by Archbishop William Goh (03 October 2020)
GOD'S GLORY AND OUR GLORY
2Minutes2Virtue - Using Your Gifts for God’s Glory
RELATED: FOUR MARKS OF THE CHURCH
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
🔴 CATHOLIC VIDEOS
The Church is Catholic
Catholicism is Universal
No Apologies #50 - Church is Universal
🔴 AGAPE STUDY NOTES
Bible Study
NAB Notes
* [Psalm 72] A royal Psalm in which the Israelite king, as the representative of God, is the instrument of divine justice (Ps 72:1–4, 12–14) and blessing (Ps 72:5–7, 15–17) for the whole world. The king is human, giving only what he has received from God. Hence intercession must be made for him. The extravagant language is typical of oriental royal courts.
* [PS 72:2] the king’s son: the crown prince is the king’s son; the prayer envisages the dynasty.
* [PS 72:8] From sea to sea…TO the ends of the earth: the boundaries of the civilized world known at the time: from the Mediterranean Sea (the western sea) to the Persian Gulf (the eastern sea), and from the Euphrates (the river) to the islands and lands of southwestern Europe, “the ends of the earth.” The words may also have a mythic nuance—the earth surrounded by cosmic waters, hence everywhere.
* [PS 72:10] Tarshish and the islands: the far west (Ps 48:6); Arabia and Seba: the far south (1 Kgs 10:1).
Bible Study
by Richard Niell Donovan
NOT AVAILABLE FOR THIS READING
We all share the same promise!
- The earliest Christians, mostly Jews, struggled with the realization that even Gentiles are included in God’s plan of salvation.
- Today’s letter points out that people in former ages did not understand that God’s mercy extended to all people.
- Gentiles and Jews are one body in Christ.
The clipart is from the archive of Father Richard Lonsdale © 2000 which may be freely reproduced in any non-profit publication.
The earliest Christians, mostly Jews, struggled with the realization that even Gentiles are included in God’s plan of salvation. Gentiles and Jews are one body in Christ.
The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
🔴 CATHOLIC VIEWPOINT
The Body of Christ – Sarah Hart [Official Lyric Video]
Lesson 17 - Church, Body of Christ
Are Catholics the only members of the Body of Christ?
God’s mercy extends to all people.
Jesus implemented this Divine plan by extending membership in His Church, making it available to all peoples. Thus, the Jews and the Gentiles “now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Christ Jesus, through the gospel.” Hence, there are no second-class members in the Church among the faithful. If you’ve ever wondered what the word “Catholic” means, here we have it. Derived from the Greek word meaning “according to the whole,” it means that Christ did not come to establish some local religious sect for a select few, one “cult” among many. No, the Church He founded is “catholic” or universal, spread over the whole world, welcoming the whole human race into one nation, one family, under one King.
SOURCE: Rev. Michael Chua’s homily, “Lead us tothe Light, Lead us to the Truth” (January 2, 2019)
Bible Study
by Richard Niell Donovan
Differences between Jesus and Herod
• Jesus was born in a stable; Herod lives in a palace.
• Jesus is a helpless infant; Herod possesses great power.
• Jesus will prove to be a man of great compassion; Herod is cruel and violent.
Parallels between the stories of Moses and Jesus:
• Pharaoh ordered that all Hebrew baby boys should be killed (Exodus 1:16, 22), just as Herod does (2:16-18). The baby Moses was at risk, just as is the baby Jesus.
• Moses was saved by the intervention of Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:1-10), just as Jesus is saved by a dream warning Joseph and Mary to flee (v. 11).
• As a young man, Moses, fearing for his life, fled from Pharaoh (Exodus 2:15).
• The Lord told Moses, “Go back to Egypt; for all those who were seeking your life are dead” (Exodus 4:19), just as an angel will say to Joseph, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead” (Matthew 2:19-20).
Matthew clearly intends for us to notice these parallels—and to see Jesus as a Moses-like figure. However, we need to remember this significant difference: While Moses (at God’s direction) saved Israel from its slavery, Jesus will save the world from its sins.
Allusions to the story of Balak and Balaam in Numbers 22-24.
There are at least four parallels between that story and the story of the Magi:
• A wicked king (Balak)
• A pagan soothsayer (Balaam)
• God’s intervention to foil the king’s plan
• A star (Numbers 24:17)
“They came into the house” (Mt 2:11a).
The Magi find Jesus in a house. Matthew’s reference to a house differs from the manger of Luke’s version of Jesus’ birth story (Luke 2:1-20). There are at least two possible explanations.
• First, it is likely that the manger area where Jesus was born (Luke 2:7) was part of a house, and the Magi may have come to that house.
• Second, a number of scholars think that a considerable time, as much as two years, has elapsed since Jesus’ birth. If that is the case, this could be a house where Joseph took up residence with his little family sometime after Jesus’ birth.
“and saw the young child with Mary, his mother” (Mt 2:11b).
There is no mention of Joseph here, although chapter 1 recounted his genealogy and his obedience to the angel’s command. He will reappear at 2:13, where the angel will tell him to take his family to Egypt to escape Herod’s murderous plans—and Joseph will once again obey the angel’s command.
“and they fell down and worshiped him” (Mt 2:11c)
proskuneo is the word that you would use to picture ordinary people paying obeisance to a king. These great men see in this baby someone much greater than they. They kneel to Jesus, anticipating the day when “every knee (shall) bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue (shall) confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).
They opened their coffers and presented him with gifts
- Matthew’s Gospel clearly demonstrates that all the prophecies of old have come to fulfillment in Christ.
- As promised, Gentile wise men recognize Jesus as Messiah even when the Jerusalem sages do not.
- The official priests and scribes quote the messianic prophecies that identify Bethlehem, the city of David’s birth, as the birthplace of the Messiah. However, they do not follow their own wisdom.
The clipart is from the archive of Father Richard Lonsdale © 2000 which may be freely reproduced in any non-profit publication.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
🔴 CATHOLIC VIEWPOINT
Were There Magi at Jesus' Birth?
Were the Magi the first scientists?
The Wise Men in Search of the King
The Three Wise Men - Vaticano
We Three Kings of Orient Are... From Where?
The Christmas Star
🔴 AGAPE STUDY NOTES
THE MAGI AND FULFILLMENT OF JEWISH PROPHECY
In profane Greek, the word Magi [magos] referred to members of the Persian priestly caste who believed they possessed knowledge revealed in the movement of the stars and planets. It was a common belief in ancient times among Gentile peoples that the stars determined the destiny of men, and the appearance of certain celestial phenomena signaled the birth or death of kings.
The Magi believed the new star they observed was fulfilling a Jewish prophecy that foretold a king’s birth. The Jews lived in exile in Persia for 70 years after the Babylonian conquest (2 Chron 36:21-22; Jer 25:11-13; 29:10). During that time, the prophecies concerning the promise of the Davidic Messiah may have become known to the Persians. They must have connected those prophecies of a star/ruler advancing over Jacob/Israel to the new star they followed to Judea. The star the Magi followed could not have been a natural star or planet because it did not rise and set like ordinary stars and planets. Instead, it led them for months on their journey to a specific destination.
Several Old Testament prophecies are recalled in Matthew’s telling of the story of the Magi:
- The “star” is the ruler foretold to rise from Jacob (referring to Israel) in Numbers 24:17.
- The coming of a ruler from Judah recalls Jacob’s deathbed prophecy of kingship for Judah in Genesis 49:10.
- Micah 5:1-3 prophesized the birth of the Davidic Messiah in Bethlehem.
- The tribute and worship of the Gentile Magi recall the prophecy of homage and gifts of the Gentile rulers to a future Davidic king in Psalm 72:10, Isaiah 49:23, 60:6.
SOURCE: Michal E. Hunt’s Agape Bible Study. Used with permission.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
🔵 VIDEO DRAMATIZATIONS
DISCOVER JESUS – The Visit of the Wise Men (Matthew 2:1-12) ESV
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Nativity Story: The Birth of Christ - The Visit of the Shepherds and the Magi
The Triple Reaction to Jesus’ Birth
by Fr. Tony Kadavil
The Epiphany can be looked on as a symbol for our pilgrimage through life to Christ. The feast invites us to see ourselves in the Magi – a people on a journey to Christ. Today’s Gospel also tells us the story of the encounter of the Magi with the evil King Herod. This encounter demonstrates three reactions to Jesus’ birth, a) Hatred: a group of people headed by Herod planned to destroy Jesus; b) Indifference: another group, composed of priests and scribes, ignored Jesus; c) Adoration: the members of a third group — shepherds and the magi — adored Jesus and offered themselves to Him.
Magi’s Worship, Features of
Allegorical and Moral Interpretations
