Ephesians 3.1-12
Matthew 2.1-12
Feast of Epiphany 2026
©Suzanne Grimmett
When I was a child I was given a magic set and loved practising tricks for hours, becoming more deft with sleight of hand so I could bemuse and astonish anyone I pressured into being my audience. Everyone of course knew that I didn’t have any real magical power- they were all in on the game of pretence. And I knew, even as a child, these tricks of mine were very different to the dark powers of magic that I had been warned about in church- those summoned by astrologers, fortune tellers and tarot card readers. Such dark fears, however, never prevented my mother from having a sneaky peak at what the Courier Mail said would be in store each day for Capricorns!
Ancient and medieval Christianity has always been more open to the possibilities of astrology or magic than we might have been taught. Indeed, today’s story of the wise ones or ‘Magi’ is evidence in scripture of such approaches leading to correct deductions and insights. The grounds for rejection has not been because all expressions of astrology and what might be broadly termed magic were thought to be universally false, but because such arts lay those who involve themselves open to exploitation. Power and knowledge from mysterious sources can all too readily be abused.
We have an excellent example of this from scripture in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. It is a pertinent example because we have just passed the Feast Day of St Stephen, so often overlooked on Boxing Day. Stephen was one of the first followers of the way chosen to be deacons- to serve amongst the people. He is the most famous because he was martyred for his faith in Christ with the presence and approval of Saul- who would be St Paul. The next amongst those who were named Deacon in the Church was Philip. Scattering with the others in the increased persecution after Stephen’s martyrdom, Philip ended up preaching, teaching and healing in the city of Samaria. In this city was a man named Simon, a magician who the scripture tells us ‘practised his magic in the city and amazed the people, saying that he was someone great.’ I love the suggestion in this translation that it was Simon himself going around saying he was someone great- just imagine what Simon could have done with own social media channel! The story confirms that the people of Samaria lapped it all up and would say of Simon that he was harnessing the very power of God. When Philip turns up in town, sharing the good news of Jesus, even Simon is intrigued and is baptised. Following Philip closely and meeting the apostles Peter and John, Simon is astounded at the miracles he witnesses and recognises that great power is at work in the ministry of the apostles. In a desire to have that kind of power to wield, Simon the magician offers Peter and John money, saying, ‘Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’
Even if you don’t know the story, you might well imagine the response of the apostles. Simon is sent away by St Peter to rethink his motivations with a stern, “May your silver perish with you!” The grace of God poured out upon humanity in the incarnation and the indwelling Holy Spirit is not something that can ever be bought or traded.
It is this power that drew the Magi to follow the celestial sign to a humble dwelling where they find the embodiment of grace and truth. Grace is the magic that can never be manipulated which it is why in a world where everything seems to be for sale, crafted into status or able to be weaponised in some way, it is good news for a soul-sick world. Grace took on human form in the God who did not stay aloof from the sufferings of humanity but shares our sorrows and redeems our brokenness. It cannot be earned, purchased, harnessed, influenced or obtained by proxy or entitlement. All the church-going or private school education or good deeds will not make you a more worthy or natural recipient. Neither will any amount of failure or messing up your life prevent you from receiving its fullness and liberation- in fact such a life is the only thing that might give you an advantage because self-righteousness and pride are sure barriers. Grace like death, is the great leveller and we should pray that, like death, it will come to us all eventually.
A world without grace is a world without enchantment. We do not know exactly what these men of magic in Matthew’s Gospel were looking for in seeking out ‘the one born king of the Jews’. We do not know if they were in a group of three, whether they arrived on camels, had royal status, if they were truly wise or even if they were men! Apart from the three gifts heavy in symbolism, we know little else except that they were outsiders- geographically, ethnically, culturally and religiously. Epiphany means a manifestation or appearance, and all their craft in discerning the signs of the heavens had led them accurately to the revelation of heaven and earth meeting, the star aligning with the human child. When they arrived, whatever had been their motivations, their response of joy points to encounter with grace. Whether they were kings of high status or magicians with great power, they end up falling down in worship before a child of poverty.
I do wonder if they had any premonition of the enormity of the divine epiphany they would experience. I suspect for most of us, even when we go looking for God, we cannot help but imagine God smaller, on our own understandable terms. The power of the visitation story of the Magi is that it begins the stretching of the Hebrew God to receive all the nations- ‘a light to the Gentiles and the glory of my people Israel’ as the righteous man Simeon announces in another epiphany when the child Jesus is brought to the temple. It is a foreshadowing of the spread of the gospel across the world, for which Paul is imprisoned. Both this commission and his persecutions are declared in the letter to the Ephesians to be a grace, ‘for the sake of you Gentiles.’ Epiphany can result in a sudden understanding that God is so much bigger than we could have ever expected or imagined, and the hospitality of the gospel more expansive than we could have dreamed.
I wonder too at how these king-seeking Magi, skilled in studying and directing mystery, would have reacted at first to the divine humility before them. That God would appear in such a way is in sharp contrast to the expectations of finding a king of earthly power. Were the Magi’s motivations in seeking out this king about personal gain or influence? Before we look too critically at dealers in mystery and magic, we should be aware of how Christianity and the Church also can be guilty of making God into some kind of power that can be tapped. Prayer can be reduced to a human vehicle for directing divine attention and acquiring what we want or need. Sam Wells notes that Christianity has been guilty of presenting itself just as ‘a better kind of magic’, often peddling the same sense of belonging and identity that comes with being part of a secret society.[1] It seems a human frailty to reach for power and seek to turn it to personal gain. Grace meets us here, too, when we allow ourselves to gather around the manger in wonder and awe, laying down our striving to control our lives, our world, and even God.
Epiphany offers a moment of awakening that can lead us into the paradox of the God who is far, far bigger than we can possibly dream or imagine, encountered as a vulnerable child without power, wealth or status. Maybe this revelation might strike us anew this year with the wonder and transforming power of God’s love and grace.
May it lead us, like the Magi, to abandon all our pride and pretences and find ourselves on our knees in worship.
+Amen
[1] Revd Dr Sam Wells, “The Magic of Epiphany’ A sermon preached at St Martin-in-the-Fields on January 7, 2024. (Note: I am also indebted to this sermon for the reminder of the Simon the Magus story in Acts)