Matthew 2:9b-11 (WEB)
…and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
I’ve been to many baby showers, but I must admit that I have never seen a baby gifted with essential oils or gold. Now, I have seen some lavender scented baby wash or body cream, but never anything as highly scented as pure frankincense or myrrh. And certainly there were no bars of gold! One wonders what Mary and Joseph thought of such gifts.
So, why did the Magi bring such strange gifts to baby Jesus? Well, for the Jewish readers of Matthew’s gospel, this account of the Magi may have reminded them of one of Isaiah’s prophecies describing the Messianic Kingdom. In Isaiah 59:15-21, Isaiah declares that a Redeemer will come to Jerusalem.
“A Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from disobedience in Jacob,” says Yahweh.
Isaiah 59:20 (WEB)
And then Isaiah goes on to describe what the Messianic Kingdom will look like. Here are some selected verses:
Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and Yahweh’s glory has risen on you!
For behold, darkness will cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but Yahweh will arise on you,
and his glory shall be seen on you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.A multitude of camels will cover you,
the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah.
All from Sheba will come.
They will bring gold and frankincense,
and will proclaim the praises of Yahweh.Isaiah 60:1-3,6 (WEB)
Christians believe there will be a complete fulfillment of this prophecy at Christ’s second coming. Yet surely a partial fulfillment came at Jesus’ first coming. For here were the Magi, gentiles from afar, following the bright light of the king star, and then presenting Jesus with the specific gifts of gold and frankincense. Matthew’s account of the Magi would bolster his proclamation that Jesus was indeed the long awaited Messiah.
But, beyond this, the gifts themselves carried their own message.
The Magi had not just come to welcome a newborn king. There were plenty of those in the world. They specifically told Herod they had come to “worship” the newborn king of the Jews. (Matthew 2:2) Clearly they believed this baby was more than just an ordinary human baby. They believed he was divine. And therefore, they brought gifts fit for both a King and God.
All throughout time, gold has been the element of kings. Kings displayed their power and wealth in the amount of gold they amassed. During the height of Israel’s united kingdom, King Solomon received as much as 25 tons of gold each year (I Kings 10:14), and he made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones (I Kings 10:27). And he even received more from royal visitors from afar.
When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning Yahweh’s name, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great caravan, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she had come to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was in her heart.
She said to the king, “It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom. However, I didn’t believe the words until I came and my eyes had seen it. Behold, not even half was told me! Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard.
I Kings 10:1-2, 6-7 (WEB)
Years later, Isaiah’s prophecy clearly points to a future ruler whose glory and fame would be at least as great, if not greater, than that of Solomon’s. And to such a ruler one does not come unprepared! Whether the wise men knew of Isaiah’s prophecy or not, they certainly came prepared to honor a ruler of such magnitude. And gold was the perfect gift.
Yet gold was not just a gift for kings. Gold was also extensively used for worship throughout many nations of the world. The original Tabernacle itself was furnished with articles of gold. The people of Israel donated their own gold jewelry to be melted down and used for making such items as the golden lamp stand and the Ark of the Covenant. The second Temple was also full of gold. King Herod covered its exterior with gold that gleamed brilliantly in the morning sun. So gold was for both kings and deity.
What about the gift of frankincense? In Exodus 30:34 we are told that frankincense was one of four spices used to make the exclusive incense for worship at the Tabernacle, and later at the Temple. The incense represented the prayers of the people rising to God as a sweet fragrance. Since the Magi had come to worship Jesus, they brought him the spice of worship.
And then there is the gift of myrrh. Myrrh was an extract from a tree. This resin was used for preparing a body for burial. As a gift for Jesus, it points to the purpose for which He was born. He is the Lamb of God. He was born to be a sacrifice for all mankind, to die for the sins of the world. As such, it is fitting that people from other nations came to worship him at His birth, for He is the Redeemer of all mankind.
At Jesus’ death, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus prepared his body for burial by wrapping it with layers of spices and strips of linen cloth. The spices they used were 100 pounds of aloes and myrrh. (John 19:38-40)
So, the gifts of the Magi pointed to Jesus’ kingship, deity, and sacrifice. They were a message about His purpose and position. How very strange, then, it must have seemed to the Magi to find such a Great One in such a humble and lowly estate, amongst a poor family in the little town of Bethlehem. How could this be? This, too, was a message. For Jesus’ kingdom was not about displaying all of His might and wealth. His kingdom was about sacrificial love, humility, and service. He, who had the greatest wealth and power of all, bent low to lift us up.
The Magi had much to think about on their journey home. They had traveled far and seen the wealth and greatness of many nations. Yet when they came to the Greatest One of all, they found humility and love.
They honored him by giving him the best of their time, wealth and worship. They did so personally. For such a king, it would not do to send someone else to show your respects. No, they faced the inconvenience and hardship of travel to welcome him themselves.
We can honor Jesus in the same way. We can give him our heartfelt worship, our time, and our wealth. This is not something to delegate to someone else. This is something personal. The scriptures invite us to come see Jesus for ourselves. And in so doing, allow his life to change ours.
“What Can I Give Him,” by Discover Worship, from The Orchard Enterprises.
Scripture verses are from the World English Bible (WEB), Public Domain.