The First Christmas Gifts

By Danny Saavedra

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”—Matthew 2:11 (NIV)

Today, we’ll look at each gift the wise men gave Jesus.

Gold

Practically, this gift would make it possible for Jesus’ family to embark on an adventure. They didn’t know it yet, but God was about to call them to relocate to Egypt (Matthew 2:13), which would be an expense beyond Joseph and Mary’s means. But God, knowing this need would come, provided the gold to make it possible for them to move forward in His will for their lives.

Also, this was the perfect gift for the King! Only a gift of the greatest value would fit the King of greatest authority, which is why they gave Jesus the gift of gold. In giving this gift, the wise men made a profound declaration that they saw, accepted, and submitted to Jesus as Earth's ultimate power and authority. Their gold was but a faint reflection of His surpassing value, but at the same time, it was the closest thing they could offer to honor His majesty and supremacy.

Frankincense

This fragrant gift holds a precious significance in Christ’s life we mustn’t miss. The uniqueness of frankincense caused it to become linked to priestly activities, as they would burn incense as part of their regular duties. Incense would be burned in the tabernacle and temple as a representation of the prayers of God’s people ascending to Him (Psalm 141:2). This scent served as a sensory point of contact between the people and their God. So, in giving this particular gift, the wise men were acknowledging that in addition to being a king, He was a priest—an eternal priest, because when Jesus died on the cross and ascended into heaven, He would never stop interceding on humanity’s behalf in the very presence of God, Himself (Hebrews 7:25). Even at this very moment, nearly two thousand years after His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus is the mediator representing God to mankind and mankind to God: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5 NKJV).

Myrrh

As with the gifts of gold and frankincense, this gift points to something significant about Jesus. A fragrant substance used for medicinal purposes, myrrh could be applied to wounds or even corpses to slow down the decomposition process.

As Jesus was crucified on the cross, myrrh was mixed with wine and given to Jesus. In all likelihood, the onlookers did this to sedate Him. But notice how Jesus refused to drink it, not wanting to lessen the severity of pain and punishment for our sins. There’s also another mention of myrrh during this time we can’t miss: “Joseph of Arimathea . . . asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission . . . And Nicodemus . . . also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes . . . they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury” (John 19:38–40 NKJV).

Can you see the significance of this gift of myrrh? If gold indicates He is King and frankincense reveals He is our eternal High Priest, what does myrrh point to? It anticipates that He would suffer and serve as our sacrifice for our sins!

As we reflect on what these gifts mean in relation to Christmas and the One we celebrate on Christmas, let’s never forget the gift we received on Christmas! John 3:16 tells us that God gave His only Son so that all those who believe in Him would receive the gift of eternal life!

Pause: Why is each gift that was given to Jesus so important? What does it show you about His nature and His work?

Practice: This week, give someone a gift that directly represents who they are to you. Then, share with them how the gift of grace through Jesus is for them!

Pray: Father, I love Your Word. I love seeing how You have woven it all together and how even the gifts the wise men gave point to the gospel and the glory of Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for the gift of salvation, and thank You for the Word! Amen.