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. Frankincense was often burned as an incense, while myrrh made its way into medicine and perfume.
Daniels, a Christian millionaire, commissioned a team of historians to research the magi and the gifts which they brought to Jesus when he was born. Their conclusion was that over 300 kings came bearing gifts for Jesus with a calculated wealth of over $4 million by today’s standards.
In the West, frankincense and myrrh have been used as incense in religious and cultural ceremonies since ancient times; in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, they are used mainly for the treatment of chronic diseases. The main chemical constituents of frankincense and myrrh are terpenoids and essential oils.
The gifts which the magi bring to Jesus are consistently described as gold , frankincense and myrrh . These three gifts were valuable items traditionally offered to a god in ancient times and symbolize the magi’s beliefs about the Christ child’s identity and his future.
The wise men brought gold, frankincense and myrrh to the newborn king . Gold, of course, was valuable as currency. Frankincense is a valuable perfume. Myrrh is a precious ointment often used in the burial process.
Magi (/ˈmeɪdʒaɪ/; singular magus /ˈmeɪɡəs/; from Latin magus) were priests in Zoroastrianism and the earlier religions of the western Iranians. The earliest known use of the word magi is in the trilingual inscription written by Darius the Great , known as the Behistun Inscription.
In the mountains of ancient Persia, lived Artaban, whose study of the planets and the stars led him to predict the birth of the King of Kings.
The sacred trees that produce Frankincense and Myrrh are almost impossible to grow outside of the Arabian Peninsula, which meant they were constantly in short supply and high demand. According to a famous Roman historian, the sap made the Arabians the richest people on earth by Jesus’s time, more valuable than gold .
Today, alongside its medicinal and cosmetic uses, frankincense has found a surge in popularity as an essential oil, which in its purest form can be sold for as much as $6,000 per liter. Frankincense essential oil alone generated more than $190 million in 2018, and that’s expected to exceed $406 million by 2028.
It has also been suggested that, In addition to the honor and status implied by the value of the gifts of the magi, scholars think that these three were chosen for their special spiritual symbolism about Jesus himself—gold representing his kingship, frankincense a symbol of his priestly role, and myrrh a prefiguring of
Though perhaps best known for their use in incense and ancient rituals, these substances—both of which boast proven antiseptic and inflammatory properties—were once considered effective remedies for everything from toothaches to leprosy.
5 Benefits and Uses of Frankincense — And 7 Myths May Reduce Arthritis. Frankincense has anti-inflammatory effects that may help reduce joint inflammation caused by osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. May Improve Gut Function. Improves Asthma . Maintains Oral Health. May Fight Certain Cancers.
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. Sometimes this is described more generally as gold symbolizing virtue, frankincense symbolizing prayer, and myrrh symbolizing suffering.
The sacred trees that produce Frankincense and Myrrh are almost impossible to grow outside of the Arabian Peninsula, which meant they were constantly in short supply and high demand. According to a famous Roman historian, the sap made the Arabians the richest people on earth by Jesus’s time, more valuable than gold.
Frankincense in the Bible For the young Jesus, this gift symbolized his divinity or his status as high priest. Since his ascension to heaven, Christ serves as high priest for believers, interceding for them with God the Father.