The Gifts of Christmas

There are several things about the Christmas story that are not based on the Bible, but rather on traditions. For example, Jesus wasn’t actually born on December 25^th. I mean, I guess it is possible that He was, since nobody knows the actual day he was born. And those manger scenes depicting the magi…they most likely didn’t even visit Jesus during the same year as His birth. We are uncertain exactly when it took place, but based on biblical evidence we can guess that it was about 2 years later. Mary and Joseph apparently remained in Bethlehem for several years, but now had moved into a house.

¹ After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

³ When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born. ⁵ “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet: ⁶ And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah: because out of you will come a leader who will shepherd My people Israel.”

⁷ Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find Him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship Him.”

⁹ After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen in the east! It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure. ¹¹ Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route. (Matthew 2:1-12)

Let’s focus on these three gifts of Christmas.

Gold: Gift for a King

Gold was a precious metal often associated with kings. Bringing gold was a sign that the wise men recognized Jesus as a king. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Frankincense: Gift for a Priest

Frankincense was a perfume that was used by the high priest during worship. It was sprinkled on the lamb sacrifices that were offered to God. Jesus is the High Priest and the Lamb of God that was sacrificed for our sins.

Myrrh: Gift for the Dead

Myrrh was another perfume that was used at the time of death. It could be mixed with wine to help alleviate pain and was sprinkled on dead bodies to help with the odor when they were placed in a tomb for burial. Jesus died so that we might be born again.

These gifts seem to indicate that the magi, the wise men, knew exactly who Jesus was. Prophecies proclaimed Him as the Messiah and as Immanuel: God with Us. Psalm 22 also foretold the death of the Messiah:

¹⁴ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed; my heart is like wax, melting within me. ¹⁵ My strength is dried up like baked clay; my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You put me into the dust of death. ¹⁶ For dogs have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has closed in on me; they pierced my hands and my feet. ¹⁷ I can count all my bones; people look and stare at me. ¹⁸ They divided my garments among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing. (Psalm 22:14-18)

Most people think that these wise men were just some astronomers that studied the stars, but it is obvious that they believed in God and had studied the scriptures in preparation for the coming of the King. They knew that Jesus, the Son of God, was born for this reason:

For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they allowed sin to enter the world. That sin separated them and us from God’s presence. God decided that to be forgiven of our sin we must present Him with a blood sacrifice. For thousands of years that was the only way to be forgiven of sins. Then God sent His Son to be the sacrificial Lamb once and for all. Now all who believe in Jesus can have forgiveness. All who allow Jesus to become the boss of their lives will have eternal life. This is why Jesus was born.