“On coming to the house, (the Magi) saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11
You can almost see the warm glow of the family fire casting large shadows of the child as these turbaned men laid themselves low in his presence—the deep shadows of Israel’s night sky falling around them. Somehow, in the prescience of these wise men, they saw past the family’s simple garments and mudbrick living. By faith, they offered their wealth and tribute to the yet-to-be-crowned King. It’s an act of prophecy. And humility. These men were esteemed back home but were nameless and vulnerable here under the Roman occupation. Their significance is that they had recognized and risked aligning themselves with this promising King of the Jews.
They brought gold. Gold was the language of kings, adorning the halls of powerful people and swaying the gaze of dignitaries. These learned men knew the weight of political tribute. It would not sit well with Herod, and it was a threat to Rome. And yet, by courage and faith, here they were, the first to declare Jesus a worthy King.
How small Jesus must have stood. How simple his hometown was with its honest streets full of hardworking farmers. His potent strength had not yet matured in the world. This child—how old was he, one year?—would become a towering international figure. Isaiah prophesied that in his presence, kings would rise up, and princes would bow down. The destiny of nations could be moved under the wave of his hand.
The Magi esteemed him worthy of their gold and reputation. What about you, dear reader? Do you offer him your wealth and wisdom and risk your security to align yourself with his coming kingdom? Do you pay tribute knowing that his kingdom, which looks insignificant today, will someday eclipse all you’ve ever known?
They brought Frankincense. No one was permitted to reproduce the holy recipe of spices used to worship God in his temple. Frankincense was one of the pungent ingredients. When opened, the treasured aroma would have certainly pervaded the room, mixing with the earthy smells of Bethlehem’s animal life. The holy smell of worship to God among the organic scents of the stable must have been startling. It is a picture of what Christ brought: pure devotion to the Father, nested in the skin and hide of earth life. And don’t forget that, for us too, within the familiar routines of daily living, our honest devotion and obedience to God is a sweet-smelling aroma to him. As the Apostle Paul has written, “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
They brought Myrrh. Myrrh was used to embalm the dead. It was produced by breaking the plant and extracting its inward sap. It is a picture of Jesus. He became the broken one who poured out his life for us. Isaiah said, “he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.” This innocent boy would grow to become a man of perfect purity and integrity, a sacrificial stand-in for our waywardness. He became our Healer and Savior.
“Gold for a king, frankincense for a priest, myrrh for one who was to die—these were the gifts of the wise men,” William Barclay poignantly observed. “And, even at the cradle of Christ, they foretold that he was to be the true king, the perfect high priest, and in the end, the supreme Savior of the world.” O come, let us adore him.
Tags: worship, jesus, manger, gifts, gold, king, savior, child, priest, magi, wisemen, stable, frankincense, myrrh
