Epiphany is widely observed on the first Sunday in January. Its focus is on the revealing (epiphany) of the deity of Jesus, as He was worshipped by the wise men from the east. In ancient Greece, the word was used to signify the dawn, or to herald the manifestation of a deity. It’s the first of those meanings which led to the song, “Joy Has Dawned,” as performed by Keith and Kristyn Getty. The dawn of the gospel means that the joy of that light has now come to all corners of the world. By the way, other songs appropriate for Epiphany Sunday include “How Lovely Shines the Morning Star” and “Saw You Never in the Twilight,” as well as the hymn for this study, “As With Gladness Men of Old.”
Of the several hymns that celebrate this epiphany, perhaps the best-known is “We Three Kings of Orient Are.” The problem with that one, of course, is that the Bible does not call them kings, neither does it say they were from the Orient. A better possibility is that they were from Persia (formerly known as Babylon). And we only know that there were three gifts, not three wise men. In addition, we don’t know if they rode on camels, and we forget that they came to a house, not to a stable. And of course there is no hint of their having the names of Melchior, Balthazar, and Caspar.
But there is much value in recalling accurately this part of the Bible’s nativity account. It is significant that its main theme – that Jesus was worshipped even in His infancy by Gentiles – was recorded by Matthew, who wrote His Gospel primarily for Jewish readers! Remember too that Matthew concluded his Gospel with the Great Commission to take the good news into all the world. The account of the magi includes a number of fascinating details on which the Bible does not elaborate. Not only how many were there, but what kind of men were “magi?” Did they know of the prophecy from Daniel hundreds of years earlier? Was the star a supernatural phenomenon, and was it visible to others besides them?
The great significance for us lies in the two things that are most prominent in Matthew’s account. First is that those who are wise and of high estate bend the knee before the lordship of the Savior. How marvelous that even as an infant, He was worshipped by angels, by shepherds, and by those of great wealth and privilege. It may be that one reason they have often been described as kings is the prophecy in Isaiah 52:15, “Kings shall shut their mouths because of Him; for that which has not been told them they see,” as well as Psalm 2:10-12, “O kings, be wise … serve the LORD with fear,” and most of all in Isaiah 60:3, “Nations shall come to Your light, and kings to the brightness of Your rising.” It was apparently Tertullian in the 2nd and 3rd century who first called them kings.
And the second thing is the significance of their three gifts. We sometimes think only of the value of the gifts – which was great – and how that could have funded their flight to Egypt and provided for their livelihood there. But the fact that Matthew was led by the Holy Spirit to identify what those gifts were is of wondrous prophetic significance. Gold is the precious metal for royalty, pointing ahead to Jesus’ identity as our great King of kings. Frankincense was mixed with oil to create fragrant incense, symbolizing prayers ascending to the throne of God. But this was never used for a sin offering, and so was fitting as incense for our great High Priest who had no sin. Myrrh was a spice used in embalming to anoint bodies before burial, and so Jesus was gifted with something that pointed ahead to His death, since the reason He came into the world was to die for sinners.
The hymn “As With Gladness Men of Old” was written in January of 1858 or 1859 by William Chatterton Dix (1837-1898). He was sick in bed at the time and unable to attend worship. Reading the nativity account in Matthew’s Gospel prompted his literary creativity to compose this text. He is one of only a few hymn writers who was not a clergyman. Born in Bristol, he spent most of his life in Glasgow where he was manager of a maritime insurance company. His father, John Ross Dix, was a doctor whose alcoholism tragically led to his practice failing. He was eventually imprisoned for non-payment of debts. When William was just eight, his father abandoned the family and sailed to England. William and his wife, Juliette, had seven children.
“As With Gladness Men of Old” was included in the first edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern in 1861. For its melody, the hymnal’s editor, William Henry Monk, adapted a tune by Stuttgart organist Conrad Kocher. Dix was apparently delighted, as a layman, for his words to be included in Hymns Ancient and Modern, but he did not care for the tune. This was a shame since it was later titled DIX as a tribute to him! The tune is also used in most hymnals for the hymn “For the Beauty of the Earth.” In 1865 or thereabouts, Dix wrote another carol which was to become popular, “What Child Is This?” which is sung to the tune GREENSLEEVES.
Looking at the text of the hymn, one will notice a repeated pattern in each of the first three stanzas, “as they … so may we.” Here’s how one writer highlighted the contrasts.
As they followed the star, and sought out the Christ child, so may we be led by His spirit and kneel in humility before him. As they offered gifts most rare, so may we bring our own costliest treasures. As they journeyed long and far, so may we endure the “narrow way” that will bring us to paradise, where Christ will be our Light and we will perfectly praise with “Alleluias to our King.”
Dix wrote in such a way as to personalize the magi. When we sing it, we can sense their longing and expectation, not just of completing their journey, but of coming to see the Lord Jesus Himself! It’s a good expression of the marvelous phrase that Matthew wrote, that when they arrived “they rejoiced with exceeding great joy!”
Stanza 1 refers to the star that the wise men followed, leading them to the Light of the World. And our prayer is that we might be led to Him, too.
As with gladness, men of old Did the guiding star behold;
As with joy they hailed its light, Leading onward, beaming bright;
So, most glorious Lord, may we Evermore be led to Thee.
Stanza 2 refers to the worship which the wise men offered Christ, bending their knee before Him. And our prayer is that we would bow before His heavenly mercy seat.
As with joyful steps they sped To that lowly manger bed,
There to bend the knee before Him Whom Heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet Ever seek Thy mercy seat.
Stanza 3 refers to the gifts that the wise men gave to Jesus. And our prayer is that we might submit all our treasures with pure joy for His service.
As they offered gifts most rare At that manger rude and bare;
So may we with holy joy, Pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.
Stanza 4 refers to the Savior before whom the wise men fell, and is addressed as a prayer to Him. Our prayer is that He would bring us all the way home to glory.
Holy Jesus, every day Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past, Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide, Where no clouds Thy glory hide.
Stanza 5 refers to the ultimate goal that awaits all truly wise men. Sadly it is omitted from many hymnals, but it is a necessary conclusion to the whole.
In the heavenly country bright Need they no created light;
Thou its Light, its Joy, its Crown, Thou its Sun which goes not down;
There forever may we sing Alleluias to our King!
This hymn is always sung to the tune DIX. Conrad Kocher (meaning “cooker” or “chef”), a German composer and church musician, originally wrote a longer version of this tune for a German chorale in 1838. William H. Monk, editor of the 1861 edition of Hymns Ancient & Modern, altered the original chef’s recipe a bit by omitting one phrase and changing a few notes to fit “As with Gladness” for the 1861 edition.
Here is a link to the singing of the hymn from a Christmas service in the chapel of King’s College, Cambridge.