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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Matthew 2 tells us that the magi, or wise men, travelled from the East in search of the Christ child. They inquired of King Herod where they might find Him, saying, "Where is he who has been born k...
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Dick Wounded Eagle
Gold - we are on the material plane of existence and therefore must go to work spending 1/3 of our lives working. See Genesis. Realize even Jesus had to go to work. He was a carpenter. Frankincense or incense - for the ethereal. We must pray and meditate throughout our lives. Realize that even though we indeed are on the material plane it is still but a shadow of the spiritual plane. Myrrh - for healing. Myrrh was a medicine symbolizing the fact that we all must sleep 1/3 of our lives and must eat 3 times a day and must seek out healers in order to take care of our bodies. Along with meditation we must treat our bodies as our Temples of the Living God and eventually be circumspect before the Lord - read Rev. 3:20 - so that we will be worthy to receive the Lord in our temples for He would speak with us.
Steven Best
Matt 2:11 tells of the presentation of the Magi gifts, which was prophesied in Isaiah 60:6, leaving us without much comment as to why, except the earlier statement that they came to "worship him." Historians and archaeologists have written that these were standard gifts to honor the king or deity in ancient times – gold as a precious metal, frankincense as a perfume or incense, and myrrh as an anointing oil. Others suggest a spiritual symbolism – gold for kingship, frankincense priesthood, and myrrh for embalming Jesus. According to at least one Egyptian apocryphal manuscript: God gave these items to comfort Adam and Eve upon their loss of the garden, and Adam later gave instructions, in his last will and testament, to Seth and his sons, for their care. Adam prophesied the coming flood and ordered these items to be carried on the ark, through the flood, and lain with his body, in the midst of the earth. "… after a long time, the city in which the gold, the incense, and the myrrh are found with my body, shall be plundered. But when it is… shall be taken care of with the spoil that is kept; and naught of them shall perish, until the Word of God, made man shall come; when kings shall take them, and shall offer to Him gold, in token of His being King; incense, in token of His being God of heaven and earth; and myrrh, in token of His passion. "Gold also, as a token of His overcoming Satan, and all our foes; incense as a token that He will rise from the dead, and be exalted above things in heaven and things in the earth; and myrrh, in token that He will drink bitter gall; and feel the pains of hell from Satan. "And now, O Seth, my son, behold I have revealed unto thee hidden mysteries, which God had revealed unto me. Keep my commandment, for thyself, and for thy people…" (I Adam and Eve Ch 8:16-20, Forgotten Books of Eden, RH Platt Jr., 1926) Although these MS were not canonized, they suggest the possibility of a succession of orders from Adam down through the generations. One way or the other, the Egyptian symbolism of the three elements is very close to those generally believed today.
Emmanuel Antwi DWUMA
Even though the scriptures did not give details as to who the Magi were, and why they presented such gifts to baby Jesus, wikipedia says this about them: “Balthazar, Melchior and Gaspar. According to Western Church tradition, Balthazar is often represented as King of Ethiopia, Melchior as King of Persia, and Gaspar as King of India. “Balthazar was described in the 8th century by Saint Bede as being of black in complexion with a heavy beard with the myrrh held in his hands. Gaspar is traditionally portrayed with a reddish beard.... waiting in line behind Melchior to give the gift of Frankincense to the child Jesus. "Melchior is often represented as a King of Persia and is usually said to have given the gold to the baby Jesus. He is frequently depicted as the oldest of the three Magi, often with a long white beard." (britannica.com) They represent the three continents which formed the then World; that is Balthazar from Africa, Melchior from Europe and Gaspar from Asia. "... they saw the child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him". (Matthew 2:11). These Kings paid homage to (bowed down and worshipped) baby Jesus to indicate Jesus' superior rule over the entire world as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The accoutrements of nobility and royalty were made of gold, including sceptres and crowns. (Genesis 41:42). Gold symbolises mobility and royalty. It also represents superiority. (Song of Solomon 5:11, 14-15). * Gold is symbol of Kingship on Earth. * Frankincense (incense) is a symbol of deity. * Myrrh (an embalming oil) is a symbol of death.
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