Epiphany of the Lord– Year B

Sermon Notes from the Church’s Ministry Among Jewish People

RCL Readings – Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12.

ACNA Readings – Isaiah 60:1-9; Psalm 72:(1-11); Ephesians 3:1-13; Matthew 2:1-12.


Seasonal Introduction. 


Common Theme.


Hebraic Context.


Isaiah 60:1-6. 


Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14.


Ephesians 3:1-12.


Matthew 2:1-11.


Hebraic Perspective.


Optional Context 1


Optional Context 2


Further reading.


Sources and Bibliography.


David Pileggi


Isaiah 60:1-6

  • God’s goal, from the beginning, is to be reconciled to the nations. To call the Gentiles–the nations–to obedience (or back to obedience)
  • God does this first through the Jewish people, and now God is going this through the Jewish messiah.


There’s no redemption of Israel [yet] (which is the first priority in the book of Matthew–Jesus doesn’t go to the Gentiles, nor even the Samaritans. Only at the end of the book do you go to all the nation).

  • Matthew is following an established plan–God’s plan, first to the Jews then to the nations.


Revelation 21:22

  • One of the readings/Context/Perspective
  • The Temple is not in the city, nor sun and moon–for the glory of God gives it light. This is the final, and ultimate submission to God and incorporation of the nations. Nonetheless, even with the incorporation of the nations, the gates are the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles (who were Jewish). And who does John see first? The 12 tribes and 12 thousand… And every nation and every tongue.
  • The 12 Apostles do not, nor should, represent the Church. They shine God’s light as Jewish disciples of God. The church and Gentiles have a dependence on the Jewish Messiah, the Jewish disciples and authors of Scripture.
  • The 12 apostles bring the gospel to the gentiles. Paul, an Apostle out of time but from Israel, takes the gospel to the Gentiles. The apostles go to the Samaritans, they are charged to go to the ends of the earth. Philip, a disciple, meets with the Ethiopian eunuch etc…
  • No one not written in the Lambs book of life will enter…nor anything unclean, detestable or false.
  • Epiphany is the season in which God is revealed Israel and God is revealed to the nations. The connection between Israel and the Nations runs through the entire NT (as well as OT)


Psalm 72

  • It’s the God of Israel who acts, not just for Israel but that the whole world will be filled with His glory.
  • It’s the particular that goes to the universal, the micro to the macro. Many people prefer to start with the universal…and then stay with the universal.
  • Hebrew roots should start with the particular but goes wider into the universal.
  • Sometimes we can also get stuck in the particular and stay with the particular…
  • We should also be aware when a passage adopts non-Hebraic though, such as Roman adoption and not push everything into one thing–Hebraic roots.
  • Largely speaks for itself… clearly universal
  • Also, the Kingship of God is still part of the epiphanic story…
  • God (and Jesus) start their reign in Israel (although Psalm 29 is set in an even earlier context) and extends out to the nations. 
  • The kingship of God is also definitely in the birth narratives, particularly as they quote from Isaiah.


Ephesians 3

  • The call of Israel to disciple the nations, to reveal the messiah to the nations.
  • This is a huge part of Israel’s calling, as connected to Psalm 72 or other prophecies.