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.

5950. Verses 21-23 And the sons of Israel did so, and Joseph gave them carts, according to Pharaoh's command; ¹ and he gave them provision for the way. And to them all he gave each one changes of garments; and to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. And to his father he sent as follows: Ten asses carrying some of the good of Egypt, and ten she-asses carrying grain and bread, and food for his father for the way.

'And the sons of Israel did so' means a putting into effect by the spiritual truths within the natural. 'And he gave them carts, according to Pharaoh's command' means that from the internal they received matters of doctrine as seemed pleasing to them. 'And he gave them provision for the way' means the support received from good and truth meanwhile. 'And to them all he gave each one changes of garments' means truths brought in touch with good. 'And to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver' means that to the intermediary a complete amount of truth from good was imparted. 'And five changes of garments' means much truth from the natural. 'And to his father he sent as follows' means what was freely given to spiritual good. 'Ten asses carrying some of the good of Egypt' means superior factual knowledge together with much of a subservient kind. 'And ten she-asses carrying grain and bread' means the truth of good and the good of truth, also together with much of a subservient kind. 'And food for his father for the way' means interior truth for spiritual good meanwhile.

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