Gold – the Kingship of Jesus and was presented before him, He received dominion, splendor, and kingship; all nations, peoples and tongues will serve him.
It was thought to have absorbed and embodied the radiance of the sun. Shiny gold objects reflected radiantly the heavenly glory of the sun. Frankincense, a resin gathered from trees in south Arabia, provided fragrance in the temple.
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. This dates back to Origen in Contra Celsum: "gold, as to a king; myrrh, as to one who was mortal; and incense, as to a God."
The gold in the watch can also symbolize several things, including purity, money (which the couple lacks), inner value, and permanence.
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.
During biblical times, gold was viewed as a blessing from God. When God gifted someone with gold and silver, people recognized that God was pouring out his love and protection to someone special. Therefore, when God sent someone riches, the people recognized them as favored by God.
The frankincense represents Jesus' deity. In the Old Testament, frankincense was traditionally burned in the temple as an offering to God (Leviticus 2:2). By bringing this gift, the Magi affirmed Jesus was no ordinary man; he is both fully man and fully God.
One legend says the thieves crucified with Jesus had stolen the gold given him at birth. Another says that Judas was made custodian of the gifts and he sold them and pocketed the money. There is a story that the myrrh given to Jesus as a child was used in his burial.
Why did the Wise Men bring these gifts to the Christ child? “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
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.
One Roman emperor burned a full year's supply of myrrh when his wife died. So myrrh — with its pungent taste and aroma — is about experiencing life. But its use in embalming people also makes it about death.
In metric terms that means 1.3 kilograms of gold, valued today at a shade over US$34,000; generous certainly, but not beyond the bounds of possibility for those anxious to curry favour with a god-king.
The symbolism of frankincense
Used in religious and spiritual rituals for thousands of years, frankincense is a symbol of holiness and righteousness. Because it is so fragrant when burnt, it was used by ancient people as a religious offering. In Christian symbolism, frankincense can represent Christ's sacrifice.
No, the wise men didn't win the reward because their answers were so different from each other and king was not satisfied with their answers.
The Gospel of Matthew (2:1–12) speaks of Magi, or wise men, who followed a star from the East to Bethlehem in search of a newborn king. There they found Mary and the baby Jesus and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
He is traditionally depicted as black. Melchior, king of Arabia, was 60 and brought a casket of gold in the form of a shrine.
Metals of the Bible - Gold
During the biblical period, just as today, gold served as a store of value, a symbol of wealth and prominence, and a jewelry metal. It was obtained in trade mainly from sources in Egypt, the Arabian Peninsula, India, and the Sinai Peninsula.
Upon arriving at the house, the Magi worshipped him and opened their gifts, with Melchior giving the gift of gold to signify Jesus' kingship over the world.
As per the Biblical tale, as recounted in Matthew 2:1-12, an infant Jesus of Nazareth was visited in Bethlehem on the eve of his birth by Magi bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. To our modern sensibilities, these three gifts don't seem quite even. Gold, then as now, is a highly valuable treasure.
According to another legend, the Magi were buried in a common tomb, which is said to have been found by St. Helena in 326. In July 1164 the bones arrived in the Cathedral of Cologne, where since then they rest and are venerated as relics in the sanctuary of the Magi.
As Artaban is dying, he hears a voice saying, “Verily I say unto thee, inasmuch as thou hast done it unto the least of my brethren, thou hast done it unto me.” At that point, Artaban knows that his treasures were accepted, and the fourth wise man dies having found his king.
Myrrh is a sap-like substance (resin) that comes out of cuts in the bark of certain trees. Myrrh is used for problems in the stomach and intestines, congestion, parasite infections, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Myrrh is very much like an evergreen scent to me... some pine or spruce, slightly citrusy. Same family as vetiver, but less overtly masculine and less citrusy.
Since ancient times, burning of frankincense and myrrh in places of worship for spiritual purposes and contemplation (a ubiquitous practice across various religions) had hygienic functions, to refine the smell and reduce contagion by purifying the indoor air.
Magi, singular Magus, also called Wise Men, in Christian tradition, the noble pilgrims “from the East” who followed a miraculous guiding star to Bethlehem, where they paid homage to the infant Jesus as king of the Jews (Matthew 2:1–12).