The Feast of the Presentation is one of the oldest celebrations in Christianity. In ancient Judaism every first child that was male was presented at the Temple and an offering was made. In those days, the “first fruits” were offered to God and in the case of male children, they were either given to God or they were ransomed from God. Ordinarily a first born male child would become a Nazirite, which was roughly the equivalent of a monk, a life-long dedication to the service of the Temple. Those sons would live their lives in the service of God by working in the temple from a very young age. It was accepted practice that the child could be redeemed from this requirement, if the parents desired, by making an offering of a lamb, or if they were poor, by offering two turtledoves.

When Jesus was presented in the Temple on the 40th day after his birth, as the rules required, the Priest Simeon recognized him as the long promised Messiah. One of our most beloved Canticles comes from this encounter. It is written that Simeon exclaimed, “Lord, now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel.”

God had told Simeon that he would not be permitted to die until he had laid eyes on the Messiah. On recognizing Jesus for who he was, Simeon asked God for permission to die now that he had seen the greatest sight that any man could behold. In the old calendar, the Epiphany season ended with the feast of the Presentation because with Simeon’s declaration the full realization of Jesus’ coming into this life was declared.

So Epiphany begins with Jesus’ manifestation to the Gentiles in the form of the Wise men from the East. The Epiphany ends with the People of God having their Messiah manifested to them in their own Temple. You would think that the great revelation would go the other way. But that is not how God works.