Their gifts had special symbolic meanings as well: gold signified Jesus' status as "King of the Jews;" frankincense represented the infant's divinity and identity as the Son of God; and myrrh touched upon Jesus' mortality. (Learn what archaeology is telling us about the real Jesus.)
The three gifts had a spiritual meaning: gold as a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense (an incense) as a symbol of deity, and myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of death.
In the history of salvation”, the Pontiff continued, God gave three gifts to his people: “the gift of election, the gift of promise and the gift of covenant”.
According to Western church tradition, Balthasar is often represented as a king of Arabia or sometimes Ethiopia, Melchior as a king of Persia, and Gaspar as a king of India.
Irenaeus says that the gifts signify the mystery of the Incarnate Word (God who has become man): gold, a symbol of royalty, represents his kingship; frankincense, used in worship, points to his divinity; and myrrh represents his humanity, particularly in his passion and death (Against Heresies, 3, 9, 2).
It represents the coming of Jesus to all – to Gentiles and Jews alike. The Magi saw the star from afar and traveled to worship the Christ Child. They brought him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh – each of which tells us something about Jesus' identity.
The Catholic Church venerates the "three kings" as saints. Their feast is the Epiphany, on January 6.
Each of these precious gifts has a symbolic meaning. Frankincense was used for worship in the Temple; it is symbolic of Christ the High Priest. Gold is symbolic of Christ the King. Myrrh a perfume, was used to anoint dead bodies, it is symbolic of His death for the sake of truth, and therefore of Christ the Prophet.
The magi were a Median Kurdish priestly caste or tribe who rose to prominence in ancient Persia (today's Iran). Their religion, Zoroastri-anism, originated around the Sixth Century BC after the Median Zoroaster (the name itself possibly means "dawn star").
Moral. The wise man's story moral is that you should not worry about your problems because by worrying, you will not be able to solve them; instead, you will waste your time and energy.
No greater gift has ever been given, no example of generosity so selfless, no act in human history so important: Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.
In John 3:16, we read about a most precious gift: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jesus came to earth as a baby born in Bethlehem.
Though they were presented to a baby born in a Bethlehem stable instead of one born in a royal palace, the presents signified loyalty and reverence for a king. Gold, frankincense and myrrh were very highly valued in Middle Eastern culture at that time.
According to the Bible, the Wise Men were three middle eastern kings— Gaspar, Melchior, and Baltasar—who felt compelled by God and a new star in the sky to go to Jerusalem and bring gifts to the son of God who was to be born.
Others categorize them into "gifts of knowledge" (word of wisdom, word of knowledge, distinguishing between spirits), "gifts of speech" (tongues, interpretation, prophecy), and "gifts of power" (faith, healing, miracles).
According to the Gospel of Matthew, the men found the divine child in Bethlehem by following the North Star across the desert. According to later writings, the Kings (Melchior from Europe, Caspar from Arabia, and Balthazar from Africa) arrived twelve days after Jesus' birth.
'” According to the Gospel, the men had followed a star to the house where Jesus and Mary were and presented gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then, like now, gold represented wealth and power. Frankincense was a type of incense and perfume.
The date of birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical sources, but most biblical scholars generally accept a date of birth between 6 BC and 4 BC, the year in which King Herod died.
With its mellow yet fresh aroma and warm comforting undertones, Frankincense essential oil can soothe fraught emotions, encourage a deep sense of calm without making you sleepy and help you feel grounded.
The first, referred to in the carol 'We Three Kings', interprets the gifts as symbolising three aspects of Christ's future life: gold representing kingship, frankincense (worship) and myrrh (death and mourning).
In Ayurvedic medicine, myrrh tonic is considered rejuvenating. As with frankincense, myrrh is thought to be anti-inflammatory. It also appears to be, to some degree, antibacterial. Today, myrrh is used in many mouthwashes, gargles, and toothpastes.
The dogma of the Trinity
The Trinity is the term employed to signify the central doctrine of the Christian religion — the truth that in the unity of the Godhead there are Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, these Three Persons being truly distinct one from another.
Catholics believe in one single God, who made himself known to the world (revelation) as three separate persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. This is known as the doctrine of the Trinity, and is a fundamental belief for all Catholics.
Yet the fourth Wise Man has been present in the Christian tradition for a long time, although he has not been mentioned in any Gospel. Many legends tell of this fourth Wise Man, who never reached Bethlehem, never met Jesus, because he did not arrive in time to meet his companions and got lost along the way.
Myrrh was used in ancient Israelite temple worship as an ingredient in the holy anointing oil for consecrating priests, the tabernacle, and kings (see Exodus 30:23–25). It was used in the purification of Queen Esther (see Esther 2:12), and it was also used in embalming (see John 19:39).