On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
What gifts are you giving this year? Some parents I know have come up with a plan. In lieu of piles of presents their children don’t really need, they are preparing to give 4 gifts:
Something they want,
Something they need,
Something to wear,
Something to read.
The idea behind this, of course, is to not let consumerism drive the season, and instead to focus on thoughtful and meaningful gifts. While this isn’t quite the pattern we follow in my house, I understand the appeal and the call for us to think carefully about our gift-giving, rather than getting sucked into the need for extravagance.
As Christians, many of us trace our gift-giving traditions to the story of those visitors from the east who presented gifts to the Christ child. I’ve been amused at some comics that have questioned these gifts, arguing that they were far from practical for a newborn. One of my favorites quips that after the magi leave, three “wiser women” show up with diapers, formula, and casseroles for the week. But before we dismiss the magi’s gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh as impractical, we should consider the meanings they bear. These gifts help foreshadow the importance of this little child in a manger, and the story that is to come.
First, gold. This one is the easiest to connect as a valuable gift of wealth, which is often associated with kings. Such a gift might represent Christ’s role as a leader of the people, a king for all the nations.
Second, frankincense, a perfume or incense usually connected with a Deity. This is what was offered at the altar in Jerusalem, that emitted a strong fragrant odor and was considered a symbol of the Divine name and an emblem of prayer. It is a reminder of Jesus’ incarnation, God in flesh.
Third, myrrh, an oil used primarily as a part of preparation for burial. This is the same oil that Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea will bring to the tomb in John 19. This gift is ominous, foreshadowing the suffering Christ would undergo through death on the cross.
Together, these gifts carry powerful imagery and symbolism, spelled out neatly in the final verse of the carol “We Three Kings”:
Glorious now, behold him arise,
King and God and Sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia, sounds through the earth and skies.
In contrast to the angelic proclamation of a baby, these gifts are the magi’s proclamation of the fullness of God’s story. Like the prophets before them, they bring news that is at once sobering and hopeful – a promise to all the nations for a salvation that will be eternal.
It is in these verses, tucked neatly into the story of an extraordinary birth, that we are reminded of the entirety of the story. Another layer is added to our Christmas expectations, and we discover, in three simple gifts, just how amazing this gift is for the world.
As we prepare to unwrap those gifts under the tree, may we also prepare ourselves to unwrap God’s good news to us, both of the child in the manger, and the one who will become the Savior of all. Then, we will find the true joy of Christmas, which leads us to echo the Apostle Paul in saying “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Written by Rev. Elizabeth Lovell Milford
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