GIFTS of the MAGI

The Magi – meaning something like magician but often translated wise man – appear in Matthew 2, having traveled from “the east” in search of the Baby King. They were obviously astronomers of some sort, because it was the Star of Bethlehem that indicated the birth.

When they made it into Jerusalem, they went right to Herod to ask where the Baby might be. Interestingly, Herod seems to know right away that the prophesies about the Messiah were connected, because he asked his scholars where Messiah was to be born. We don’t know exactly when the visit occurred, but we do know that they had been tracking the star for some time – up to two years.

Manger scenes with them appearing are of course false, they probably didn’t reach the Messiah until he was 2 or 3 years of age. This is important to note when we look at the potential uses for the gifts in a moment.

Gifts from the East – Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh
Gold
Myrrh was also a product of Arabia, and was obtained from a tree in the same manner as frankincense. It was a spice and was used in embalming. It was also sometimes mingled with wine to form an article of drink. Such a drink was given to our Savior when He was about to be crucified, as a stupefying potion (Mark 15:23). Matthew 27:34 refers to it as “gall.” Myrrh symbolizes bitterness, suffering, and affliction. The baby Jesus would grow to suffer greatly as a man and would pay the ultimate price when He gave His life on the cross for all who would believe in Him.

Unlike the images we conjure of three men with a gift each, the Magi aren’t numbered. Church history and tradition have expanded on the story to name the men who actually gave the gifts – Melchior bringing gold, Caspar with frankincense, and Balthasar with myrrh. (2) Even so, depictions of the Magi vary from their earliest versions, with no one quite agreeing on the number of visitors in total.

In Matthew’s account, they “opened their treasures” to give the young Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We aren’t talking about single birthday gifts here – no matter the exact names and numbers, these were clearly wealthy men in a caravan of sorts, with much reputation and much to offer.

It has also been suggested that, In addition to the honor and status implied by the value of the gifts of the magi, scholars think that these three were chosen for their special spiritual symbolism about Jesus himself—gold representing his kingship, frankincense a symbol of his priestly role, and myrrh a prefiguring of his death and embalming.” (1)

Because the Magi were coming to hail the new king, gold makes sense as an acknowledgement of royalty. Gold was valuable, beautiful, and long-lasting. Scholars generally agree that the gift of gold represented Jesus as a king with an everlasting throne. It was a treasure befitting royalty, albeit royalty in the home of a young, poor family.

As an interesting theory that is somewhat on the fringe, some believe the gold was entirely different. Instead of precious metals, the theory explains that frankincense and myrrh were both precious resins used for fragrance and were both derived from the same region – from the east. Gold seems out of place – one of these things is not like the other – unless it was gold-en spice like turmeric, as some like to claim that it was. This line of thought can even trace to balsam oil, derived from the resin of the balsam trees in the same climate and region as frankincense and myrrh’s origination.

Arabic balsam, or Commiphora gileadensis, is also considered the Balm of Gilead, used to anoint the kings of Israel and containing a compound “known for its anti-inflammatory, local anaesthetic, and antifungal properties.”

In either view, the kingly connotations remain, and the message of the Magi is clear: this little baby was to be honored as royalty, no matter what the circumstances suggested!

Gold is a precious metal and as such was a very valuable commodity. Its value could very well have financed Joseph and Mary’s trip to Egypt. The Bible does not tell us any other significance to these three gifts; however, tradition has it that there is a deeper meaning for each of the three. Gold is a symbol of divinity and is mentioned throughout the Bible. Pagan idols were often made from gold and the Ark of the Covenant was overlaid with gold (Exodus 25:10-17). The gift of gold to the Christ child was symbolic of His divinity—God in flesh.

Frankincense

There’s no major surprise here – no fringe theory that suggests something shocking. Only an ancient incense that is still beneficial today.

The gift of frankincense is said to have been an acknowledgement of Jesus’ priesthood, setting him apart from a typical king. Frankincense was used in the temple routines, burned ceremonially by the priests. It was not native to that region, however, so obtaining frankincense from the east was costly. This gift was precious in both meaning and value.

Because we now can analyze the properties and modes of action that substances like frankincense resin and its essential oil maintain, we can see further benefit beyond fragrance and ceremony.

Traditional healing suggests frankincense for anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic abilities. We now see that this could be connected to immune modulating effects that might explain uses for both inflammatory illness and antimicrobial purposes.

Frankincense is a white resin or gum. It is obtained from a tree by making incisions in the bark and allowing the gum to flow out. It is highly fragrant when burned and was therefore used in worship, where it was burned as a pleasant offering to God (Exodus 30:34). Frankincense is a symbol of holiness and righteousness. The gift of frankincense to the Christ child was symbolic of His willingness to become a sacrifice, wholly giving Himself up, analogous to a burnt offering.

Myrrh

The most bittersweet of the gifts, myrrh had been imported to Egypt in droves for embalming rituals, and the practice filtered out through the surrounding areas. Even without the mummification process, myrrh was connected with death and burial. A disheartening gift for a new mother to hold, yet beautiful in light of her understanding of his purpose.

But was that all the myrrh was for?

While the Middle Eastern regions used myrrh ceremonially, the Far East was using it for healing purposes. Ayurvedic medicine, which dates back thousands of years, used myrrh for wound healing, digestive health, and to balance women’s issues. China used myrrh for similar purposes – wound healing and to slow bleeding.

With this in mind, one wonders whether the Magi were bringing healing substances for Jesus’ after birth – cord healing, etc. – as well as for Mary in her postpartum discomfort. Prophetic words often had both immediate and long term connotations, so these gifts could have followed a similar dual pattern.

Of course, if they arrived two years after he was born, as the text may suggest, this theory loses a bit of weight. In any case, it’s interesting to entertain – the intricacies of Scripture never cease to amaze!

It’s worth noting that frankincense and myrrh together – both used in temple rituals– comprise a synergistic antimicrobial combination. (6) While both the temple and Jesus’ makeshift cradle were filled with aromatic substances, they were also fighting disease and protecting the inhabitants. What joy there is in seeing the beauty of God’s design underscored with practical protective measures!

Some early church history writings claim that the three named Magi came together years later to celebrate Christmas together, shortly before they died. I imagine a delicious meal, the laughter of old friends, and a fragrant incense burning to remind them all of that one, incredible journey when they carried gold, frankincense, and myrrh to a newborn king.

Matthew 2 tells us that the magi, or wise men, travelled from the East in search of the Christ child. They inquired of King Herod where they might find Him, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him" (Matthew 2:2). Upon finding the baby Jesus, “they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh” (Matthew 2:11).