Epiphany

Rembrandt and the Aesthetics of Epiphany

James Diddams on January 15, 2021

On January 6 Dr. Jonathan Powers of Asbury Theological Seminary delivered a beautiful explanation of how we should think about Epiphany and why it matters compared to Christmas. As Powers tells us, Epiphany has actually had more historical significance than Christmas; for most of church history it was among the most important feast days of the Church.

The importance of Christmas is pretty clear without having to think too hard; it is a time for us to ponder the mysteries of the incarnation and what it means for God to be ‘among us’ in the deepest sense.

“The incarnation is a magnificent event, worthy of much praise. It changed the entire course of human history,” Says Powers. So then what makes Epiphany such a special time by comparison? How could there be any comparison to the incarnation?

As Powers goes on to tell us with a beautiful visual metaphor, Epiphany is the time when we celebrate the “Christ who has been revealed to us” as the “Lord of the whole world.” The word “epiphany” simply means manifestation, and so it’s during this time we celebrate the Christ that has been made ‘manifest’ or revealed to us. This is done primarily through three Gospel accounts. These are the Adoration of the Magi, Jesus’ baptism by John and the Wedding at Cana.

The Magi demonstrate to us the universal nature of Christ’ manifestation as Lord of all. The wise men, traveling from afar, speak to the geographically and culturally boundless nature of the Gospel. Regardless of sex, age, class, nationality, whether slave or free, Jew or gentile, all are invited to hear the Gospel. Christ’s baptism shows us that we too are invited to join with him in his light through the waters of baptism; “he meets us in those waters that he sanctified with his own baptism so that through our own baptism we are grafted into Christ.” Lastly, the Wedding at Cana typifies the relationship between Christ and his bride, the Church; “he loves us as a faithful groom loves his bride.”

Epiphany is also known as the time of lights, which accords with Isaiah 60:1-3;

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”

Powers uses a painting by Thomas Kinkade to illustrate one sense we can think about the light of Epiphany. Notice how every light in the house is lit up and even in the church and on the car there is light everywhere. Kinkade wanted to fill the painting with light from every possible source, creating a beautiful and idyllic environment.

“It was almost as if Kinkade was telling the viewer ‘see how wonderful life is when it is full of light,’” Powers interprets. This idea of the light of Epiphany is one way to think about it, and it in true sense because Christ is already with us. The problem is that you can get used to this light — and ultimately ignore it. Powers critiqued Kinkade’s aesthetic sensibilities because this sense of Christ’s light is so overwhelming that “it’s easy to forget you’re in it.” and “it doesn’t seem to demand too much of you.”

In contrast, Rembrandt’s “Adoration of the Shepherds” is more reflective of the world we live in. The painting is overwhelmingly dark, even though there is a clearly identifiable source of light. Isaiah 60:2 talks about the world being covered in “thick darkness” and Christ coming to us as a light in that darkness. Instead of seeing the world as totally overwhelmed by the light of Christ, we should see it as still dark but with Christ’s light still revealed to those who turn their faces towards him. We are in a dark cave and are being shown the light that can get us out. But if you look closer, you’ll see that Christ’s light is reflected on everyone who looks to him. This is because” he empowers us so that his light is reflected in and through those who draw their attention in and towards him. In this way epiphany is reflected in us as we become reflected manifestations of Christ’s light.”

So this Epiphany, think about your own conception of Christ’s light and how it’s reflected in you. Images are powerful and I appreciate Powers for his use of aesthetics in preaching.

  1. Comment by Marc Haughton on January 15, 2021 at 12:47 pm

    You have it wrong. The third “plank” of Epiphany is not the wedding at Cana, but Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding at Cana. Look it up. So much of what we “know” came down to us via Roman Catholicism’s corruption of Christianity. The bridegroom church is symbolized, but not the main point.

  2. Comment by Marc Haughton on January 16, 2021 at 11:41 am

    Oops! I meant the bride church above. Sorry.

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