A funny name that means manifestation or revealing. Christian tradition holds it to be the day the Magi visited the Christ child in Bethlehem (generally believed to be 12 days to 2 years after his birth -- sorry to mess with all of those children's Christmas pageants.
Anyway, Epiphany is significant because the Magi are the first "outsiders" to recognize the child for who he was. Not just the first born of peasant parents from Nazareth but the Son of God come into the world for the redemption of the world.
I have found myself wondering if the modern Christian church will ever understand the importance of getting outside themselves, outside their walls, and get busy revealing the true Christ to the world. Too many of us have Crocodile Dundee theology "me and God, we be mates". Not that intimacy and friendship with our creator and savior is a bad thing but there is another side of the story the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" part of the story that doesn't just walk in the garden in the coolness of the evening breeze, but commands us to live life for him and to bring heaven to earth.
A understanding of both sides of the story would be an epiphany, indeed.
Good to be back,
DR BJ
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