Isaiah 60:1-6

Word Study

Ἐπιφάνεια: The Greek word from which the English transliterates Epiphany is a combination of a preposition and a verbal idea. Epi-upon and fainō-to shine, illuminate. An epiphany is literally a “shining or illumination” upon something or someone. In its historical usage it is more precisely an appearance or manifestation. In this case, that which was formerly “unseen” is now “seen”. In Greek literature it was often used as a luminous and mighty advent of the gods to succor a people in need. The word is closely related to another English word transliterated from Greek, “theophany”. A theophany is an appearance of a deity. The Hebrew Bible is replete with such theophanies, not least Jacob’s wrestling match with God in…