Ephesians 3:1-12

God surprises us. This is the theological significance of Epiphany. Yet, I often wonder to myself whether or not we are open to the possibility of a God-sized surprise. Have we figured God out? Have we closed the canon? Have we bottled up all possibility of mystery by emphasizing the necessity of doctrinal clarity and apologetics in modern Christianity?

Any theology that leaves room for no surprises is anti-Christological. This is the revelation of epiphany: God comes to those no one expects in ways that no one expects. I wonder to myself whether our current political problems in the United States are symptomatic of our theological ones. Pastors have neglected epiphany. We are afraid of others. From both sides of the aisle, we look across the way and see our greatest fears embodied. This is the case because we have not curiosity. There is no room for surprise or mystery in our worldviews. We assume that we know truth because those passing down truths gave them to us with a charge of preservation. Yet the preservation of little truths leads to reservations about real people.

This passage in Ephesians is a passage in which Paul tells us that God, by the Holy Spirit, reveals to us the mystery about Jesus Christ. He doesn’t say that God gives us all of the answers or imparts to us doctrine. Paul declares that he has been chosen to preach to Gentiles the “boundless riches of Jesus Christ.” There are no boundaries or measures of these riches. What Paul is trying to tell us is that the broad trajectories of history and humanity come to a pinnacle and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. This revelation is mysterious and boundless.

For the first time in my life, this year I was introduced to the story of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe and annunciation to Juan Diego which is a story that is very important for Christianity in Mexico and Central America. You might recognize Our Lady Guadalupe from Mexican art or a picture of the beautiful basilica built in her honor in Mexico City. The story goes that a poor man named Juan Diego received a revelation from the virgin mother, telling him that he and his people had not been forgotten, although they had been overrun by the conquistadors. Although he and his people were poor, they were the chosen people of God. The inherent message is that God has not forgotten the native peoples of the American Southwest. Christianity, therefore, in Mexico/Central America is not simply the result of missionary work accompanying conquistadors: God has chosen the people of Mexico. This revelation serves as a significant moment of identity in the faith memory of Latino/a religion.

Now, you might be thinking to yourself (if you are still reading) “This guy is crazy! Why in the world is he referencing a Catholic legend in a serious commentary on the bible?!” This is my point – the Jews of the first and second centuries thought the exact same thing about Jesus. They thought it was crazy that people were professing that God had revealed himself as a peasant, that he had been crucified (of all things!), and that he was being proclaimed among pagans in ways foreign to the Torah. Yet Peter, at Pentecost, carefully chose his text from Joel chapter two: “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my spirit on ALL people.” This is the mystery about which Paul speaks in Ephesians chapter three. The boundless riches of Jesus Christ. And this is why we read Ephesians chapter three at Epiphany.

The revelation of Jesus Christ is a mystery! It is mind-blowing. It is boundless. Anyone who stands up to preach and claim that they understand the fullness of the boundless riches of Christ is a liar. No one individual holds all the Truth. Yet, the one who came from God claiming to be the Truth, reveals himself in the world continually by his Spirit. Let us not forget that he was crucified by a world that could not comprehend his existence. Jesus did not fit the worldview of the religious status quo of his day, therefore he needed to be disposed. I pray that we will allow ourselves to be open to the possibilities of epiphany in this season. May God continually surprise us with his grace.