ON THE VANGUARD

GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, AND MYRRH
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”
Matthew 2:11

From the East, wise men came to pay homage to the King. They followed a star in the sky which led them to Jerusalem. As they met with King Herod they questioned where the King of the Jews was born. The response the received was found in the words of the prophet Micah who announced the birth of the Savior would be in Bethlehem. According to researcher Rick Larson who has spent years researching and hosting events concerning the Star of Bethlehem, these wise men were not the typical magicians and enchanters that their name suggested. The term Magi, which we translate as wise men, is the root in which we get our word ‘magic’. However, these men were learned men, and thought to have been from the continuing school of wise men drafted during the Babylonian captivity where Daniel and the three Hebrew boys also studied. With this idea, they would have been instructed in the ways and prophesies of the Jewish race and aware of a coming Messiah.*
But what do we really know about the gifts these magi brought for the baby? We have grown up knowing their names, but do we know why they brought these specific gifts? It has been a question I have pondered as Christmas has come this year and I would like to share a little of my research with you.
The first named gift is gold. It was not uncommon for gold to represent status and richness. The temple was adorned in gold plating, the king’s crown was forged of gold, and the sheer fact of gold coins as money was widely used by many. Ancient Persia exported gold to kings and emperors within Asia and the Middle East, and therefore the fact that the wise men bared this gift made sense. Every king delighted in his worth; every king wanted to be more famous and wealthier than those before him. And so, in honor of the King, gold was brought forth.
Incense, or more commonly, Frankincense, is the second gift laid before the baby Jesus. Frankincense is a gum resin from the sap of a Boswellia Thurifera. These trees are located mainly in the Middle East and Somalia. When the bark is cut, the sap is left to harder for approximately three months before it is then scraped off and grounded into a fine powder. The powder was used for religious ceremonies, as well as in perfumes. Presently it is used in eye liners. This incense, along with myrrh, was extremely valuable along the Middle Eastern and European trade routes of years ago.
Myrrh, in some relation to Frankincense, is also derived from sap. This gum resin is found in the sap of the Commiphora tree found in Arabia and parts of Africa. When the sap hardens, it too is grounded into a fine powder which can then be added to perfumes and incense. It has also been found that myrrh was an ingredient in the ointment used within the context of embalming, as well as a medicine for sores and wounds. Today, myrrh is used in mouthwash, toothpaste, and make-up.
Although we can try to place a reason for each gift and how it related to the life of Jesus, some scholars and pastors simply believe that the gifts were given based on their wealth and popularity of the time. I leave this thought for your debate. But in closing, I want to touch on worth. These gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were common, yet costly in their time. The wise men brought these gifts with no strings attached. They gave Jesus their best. When I read this passage in the Christmas story I am challenged. In my own way and means, I have gifts of value, talents, and time. But the question is am I giving my best to Him? Am I willing to lay down that which is most precious to me in order to worship and honor the King? Oh that my answer would always be, “Yes”.

*http://www.bethlehemstar.net/stage/stage.htm