Reflections on Advent Part 9

 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother,

 and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, 

they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.  Matthew 2:11

Who doesn't like to receive a gift?  Gifts speak love and acceptance.  Thoughtful gifts fulfill a desire and speak to who we are as people.  I tend to be a very practical person so I appreciate gifts that I can use, although I must say, I love an extravagant gift from time to time!  My in-laws are very good at balancing the practical and the extravagant so Christmas at their house is a comfortable and fun place for me to be.  I may get a new gadget which I will adore using or snug socks, but also get a beautiful piece of jewelry or comfy sweater which I would never go out and buy for myself.

When Alan and I first got married, my parents gave us a freezer.  I suppose that's where I get my practical nature!  Every year for about the first eight or nine years of our marriage we received a side of beef as our Christmas gift from them.  I was always happy to get that gift.  It meant that I could enjoy roasts and steaks and casseroles for practically a whole year.  It was both practical and extravagant. 

Besides the obvious focus on Jesus, the Christmas story in Matthew focuses on the magi and the gifts that they bring.  Bible scholars now believe that Jesus may have been as old as two when they arrived from "the East."  As I've considered my own care at choosing gifts this year I've thought of the magi.  The gifts they bring are a little unusual.  Gold.  Frankincense.  Myrrh.  Why these gifts?  Were they random or is there significance we can derive from them?  My guess is that these magi were the academics of their day.  They had studied the Old Testament scriptures as literature rather than as a moral  or religious compass.  Because Matthew tells us they've come to worship, I'm also guessing they got a better picture of who Jesus was than the religious elites who spent their time in the temple at Jerusalem.  They've come because they saw a previously unknown star appear.   And they investigated.  Pretty resourceful, right?  I think their gifts represent what they came to know about Jesus through their study.

Gold was the commodity of kings.  The book of Esther begins with King Ahasuerus, perhaps better known as Xerxes,  throwing a big party to show off the splendor of his kingdom.  His serving vessels were gold as were his couches. (Esther 1:1-7)  Daniel reports that Nebuchadnezzer erected a golden image of himself. (Daniel 3)  King Solomon, when he builds God's house, overlays almost everything in pure gold.  A house built by a king, for the King.  

Because the magi inquire where the king of the Jews was to be born I suspect the gift of gold represents the honor due a king.  Isaiah prophesies concerning Messiah, King.  

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.  Isaiah 9:6-7

It's quite possible, quite probable even, the magi had discovered this text and knew that a thoughtful, appropriate gift for this king is gold.

Frankincense was also a precious commodity that, in it's purest form, would only have been available to royalty.  It's quite possible that some of these magi came from the Saudi Arabian peninsula as this is where the finest frankincense has always been found, though frankincense was a product of India as well in those days.  Frankincense is a vegetable resin that has a wide variety of uses, but it is particularly useful for purifying and healing.  Malachi tells us the Messiah will "sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord." (Malachi 3:3).  Malachi also tells us regarding Messiah: "But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings." (Malachi 4:2)  It would seem these magi were familiar with these texts as well.  The gift of frankincense, quite likely, represents the purifying and healing that Jesus would bring to the world.

Myrrh, like frankincense, is a tree resin that was used for anointing and purifying.  It was generally produced in the area of the Arabian Peninsula known today as Yemen and in parts of Africa as well.  It is often associated with death as the ancient Egyptians perfected their embalming practice with myrrh.  The Hebrews likely brought this practice with them when they left Egypt as we know  Nicodemus came with a mixture of aloes and myrrh to bury Jesus after the crucifixion. (John 19:39)   Anointing, especially as a religious rite for priests, purification (as we saw with frankincense), and embalming characterized myrrh.  Of all the magi's gifts this one, to me, seems like the oddest as a gift for a child.  Yet as myrrh was associated with priestly anointing we see the psalmist king attributing this very character to the coming Messiah:  The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 110:4)  The author of Hebrews also repeatedly references this exact verse as representing Jesus.  (Hebrews 5:6,10; 7:1-17)

King David associates Jesus' purpose in life with death as well.  Psalm 22 is categorically a Messianic prophecy.  Jesus Himself quotes from this psalm on the cross.  (Matthew 28:46, Mark 15:34)  The psalm details many manifestations of crucifixion, though crucifixion was not "a thing" in King David's day.  Perhaps the magi had explored Psalm 22.  Myrrh, then, may represent the death to which Jesus would succumb on our behalf.

We may never know in this lifetime why the magi chose these particular gifts.  Could it be that location specific gifts such as frankincense and myrrh tell us about where the magi were from?    Possibly, although what these gifts represent are the main event in my mind.  They were intentional gifts that tell us a lot about the child to whom the gifts were given.  Gold - He is a King.  Frankincense - He brings healing.  Myrrh - He is destined to die a significant death.  

The habit of giving gifts at Christmas very well may have begun as a means of reminding us of those early gifts the magi brought to young Jesus, the boy.  But they also are representative of the greatest gift associated with Christmas - that of Jesus Himself.  This gift reminds us of who we are, a needy people who have no means of reconciliation with God unless there is champion who may bridge that gap.  Jesus is our champion.  He is the greatest gift our hearts will ever receive.  If you haven't done so already, won't you receive this greatest of all gifts this Christmas?  And then come, as the magi came, and adore the King who is healer and Lord!