Epiphany is a feast celebrating the revelation of Jesus Christ to the world. The word “epiphany” comes from the Greek epiphaneia, meaning appearance or manifestation. Epiphany observes the time when Jesus was made known as God’s Son, specifically to the Gentiles. Christians use the day to celebrate how Jesus came not just for Israel but for all nations. Christians observe Epiphany to honor God’s faithfulness in revealing Christ to the world. The wise men followed a celestial phenomenon, a star, which God used to lead them to Jesus. Their gifts symbolized Jesus’ kingship, priesthood, and sacrifice. These gifts remind us that Jesus came to bring salvation to all people.
What Are the Origins and History of Epiphany?
Epiphany traces back to the early Church during the second and third centuries. The first Christians were primarily Jewish, and they had their own holidays and feasts, often redefining them when they came to Christ, seeing them in light of the Messiah. By the beginning of the second century, most Christians were Gentiles, and they started to develop their own traditions and holidays along with and separate from the Jewish background. By the fourth century, the Church started to develop its liturgical calendar, in which the celebration of Jesus’ birth happened on December 25 and Epiphany celebrated the observance of the Magi searching for and finding Jesus.
Epiphany became one of the earliest Christian feast days, along with Easter and Pentecost. The Church’s celebration on January 6 countered other popular pagan festivals associated with the winter solstice. Over time, like Christmas, Epiphany symbolized Jesus as the true Light breaking into the darkness of the world. In the Middle Ages, Epiphany grew in significance. Medieval Christians would hold pageants or plays to reenact the wise men and their visit. They created customs like the “King Cake” and home blessings, which still continue today.
How Do Different Denominations Celebrate Epiphany?
While many celebrate Epiphany, the expressions are diverse and varied. The Roman Catholic Church observes Epiphany as a major feast day on January 6. Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate Epiphany on January 6 or 19, depending on whether they use the Gregorian or Julian calendar. Anglicans, Methodists, Lutherans, and similar liturgical Protestant denominations come from the Catholic tradition, so they observe Epiphany with worship services that focus on the Magi’s visit, working in the wider theme of Christ being revealed to the nations. Latin America and Spanish cultures developed Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings’ Day) as a feast day, especially for kids who receive gifts in honor of the Magi’s offerings. Families bake and share “Rosca de Reyes,” a sweet bread with a hidden figure representing the baby Jesus.
What Does Epiphany Mean for Christians Today?
Essentially, we can only know God through his self-revelation to us. The Fall of Adam and Eve, bringing in the sin nature, making our hearts rebellious, resulted in a gap between humanity and God that we couldn’t bridge or cross. Only God could. And in his mercy and love, he did. The Lord Jesus Christ, his Son, becomes the greatest revelation of God to the world.
Epiphany calls us to worship God for his revelatory work, share in the witness, and wait for his future glory. Christ has come, is present through his Spirit, and will come again.
Excerpted from an article by Britt Mooney in Christianity.com
