Gifts Given to the King

There are generally thought to be three gifts given to this New Born King of the Jews. Gold is given as a precious stone. Incense is something used to make places smell better. Myrrh is a perfume used to make people smell better. Luther states: "Myrrh is a symbol of the Word, but frankincense is a symbol of prayer." (AE 15:231).

A 1st Century lesson on hygiene would teach us people did not bath regularly. Mosaic Law required more bathing or ritual cleansing then other places but people still did not bath on a regular basis. These purity rules or Laws also were generally only practiced by those going to the Temple rather than those around town.

This meant that the rich would spend great wealth to smell nice. They would use all kinds of perfumes and fragrances to make them and their houses smell nice. Now think of the New Born King laying in a feeding trough. This may not have been the case when the Magi arrived but you can just imagine how bad it must have smelled.

A New born child or not toilet trained child makes for a stink pot. Now these children could have been easier to train then now a days, but either way I don't think it was pretty. These extra fragrances must have been helpful.

Gold is a common gift for Kings. People who are thought to be rich receive more riches. Therefore, people give Kings Gold. This was truly a Kingly gift. This gift would have been very valuable to help them take the journey to Egypt.

Frankincense or incense was used for prayers. Psalm 141:2 "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you." Reminds us how are prayers go up to God. The Altar of Incense outside the Holy of Holies would be where prayers are offered for the people of Israel. Incense is a symbol for prayer.

Now I don't know how Myrrh connects to the Word of God. Myrrh was a royal perfume and we know what Jesus says about perfumes given to him. The Woman anoints him for burial in the House of Simon the Leper. The Women purchase spices to anoint his corpse. But this may be grabbing at meaning from Myrrh.

These gifts are not uncommonly given to Kings. These gifts may be a little uncommon to be given to some random infant in the town of Bethlehem. Out of all the children in all the small towns they gave these Kingly gifts to the Christ Child.

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