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And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11
Christmas Gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh
By New Christian Bible Study Staff
In the Christmas story, the wise men bring gifts to the Lord: gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The gold is listed first, because it is the inmost - signifying good, e.g. the good that we do when we love the Lord and the neighbor.
The frankincense is next. It signifies rational truth, which is the set of true ideas that we know, not about external things like cars or cooking, but about what is really good, and what is really true.
These rational truths are built on earlier knowledges that we learn, before we have really made them our own. Those early knowledges about spiritual things - often learned in childhood - are represented by the myrrh.
In a way, these gifts are really a reciprocation. We can't actually give them to the Lord until the Lord has given them to us. We necessarily start out by learning and doing the Lord's law (myrrh). The Lord can then call up those memories to become rational truths (frankincense). Then, over time, and with effort, those truths can be transformed into good (gold). The wise men from the East had gone through this process of learning and becoming vessels that could receive truths and goods. They were able to perceive the Lord's birth, and find him, and bring gifts to him.
Scriptural Confirmations #12
12. 10. Thou shalt call His name Jesus, He shall save the people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
The wise men came to adore the infant Jesus, and that He would be born in Bethlehem according to Micah 5:1 (Matthew 2:1-6).
The wise men adored Him and brought Him gifts (Matthew 2:11).
Jesus said to John, It becometh us so to fulfil all the justice of God (Matthew 3:15).
Jesus said to the devil who was tempting, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God; and again, Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve (Matthew 4:7, 10).
A ruler came and adored Jesus (Matthew 9:18).
He that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me (Matthew 10:40).
All things are delivered unto Me by my Father, wherefore come ye all unto Me (Matthew 11:27-28).
They that were in the ship adored Jesus, saying, Of a truth Thou art the Son of God (Matthew 14:33). A woman of Canaan (Matthew 15:25), the disciples (Luke 24:52), a blind man (John 9:38), adored Him.
Multitudes glorified the God of Israel (Matthew 15:31). There is one Rabbi and one Master, that is, He teaches what is good and true (Matthew 23:8,10).
Of the sign of the coming of the Lord and of the consummation of the age (Matthew 24:1 to end).
Then shall there be wars and rumor, and they will say, I am the Christ; false prophets shall arise and seduce many; signifies the heresies in the first times, which were many (Matthew 24:5-14).
The women, running to Jesus, adored Him (Matthew 28:9).
He said, All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18; Psalms 8:6-7).
