Mary Mother of God With Angels and Baby Jesus Over Fire and Praying People
As we all know from our nativity sets, some very special guests attended the birth of the Jesus: wise men from the east, bearing gifts for the newborn male monarch - gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew two:11 states: "On coming to the business firm, they saw the child with his female parent Mary, and they bowed downwardly and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. "
Compared to the Bible'south account of the royal visit, the story we tell is often padded with a bit of extra data. History and tradition accept washed their office to fill in the details regarding these visitors, including their number, names, and the timing of their arrival. One aspect of the visit that has largely escaped alteration is the listing of gifts presented to Jesus: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. If you're wondering what utilize an infant would take for these gifts, you're non alone.
The chief significance of the gifts lay in their smashing value—they were indeed gifts fit for a king. Across making it clear that these were slap-up treasures given in an deed of worship, Scripture does non straight attach whatsoever other symbolic meaning to the gifts. Yet, without venturing as well far off into actress-biblical speculation, it's reasonable to describe a few possible inferences from the gifts brought by the wise men. These valuable gifts were clearly intended to honor Jesus, simply it'south possible they carried deeper theological significance too.
The Souvenir of Gold
As was customary for majestic visits, the wise men came begetting treasured gifts intended to honor the newborn rex. And as information technology is today, gold was a valued commodity in the aboriginal globe. Amid the types of assets listed in the Bible (due east.1000., precious metals, livestock, servants, gemstones, etc.), accumulation of gold was one of the primary measures of wealth (cf. Genesis 13:ii, Ecclesiastes 2:8). Because of its scarcity and immense value, gilt was peculiarly associated with royalty and nobility, as is seen in i Kings 10 when the Queen of Sheba visits Rex Solomon bearing great quantities of golden every bit a gift. By bringing a souvenir of gold, the wise men showed that they did indeed consider Jesus a king.
In improver to underscoring the royalty of Jesus, some have noted that the wise men's gift of gold may have foreshadowed another aspect of Jesus' ministry building. Nether the Old Covenant, the Near Holy Identify (also known every bit the Holy of Holies) was an inner sanctuary within the Temple where the priest would encounter the presence of God and offer a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Besides, the incarnation of Jesus heralded the presence of God—Immanuel—and the sacrifice of atonement he would make on behalf of his people when he went to the cross. The wise men may have had this connection in mind considering, every bit described in one Kings 6:xx-22, the walls of the Most Holy Place and the altar within information technology were completely overlaid with—you lot guessed it—gold.
The Souvenir of Frankincense
Frankincense is an effluvious glue resin that is all the same widely used in parts of the Centre East and Africa today. It is produced past scraping the bark of certain native species of trees and so harvesting the beads of resin after they have dried. When burned equally incense, it creates a potent and cute aroma. In the ancient near east, the cost of frankincense precluded it from being used as a mutual household air freshener. Rather, the burning of frankincense was closely associated with ceremonial worship of a deity. In this way, the inclusion of frankincense as a gift for Jesus may have indicated that the wise men understood that the prophecy of the newborn king carried with it a merits of deity.
As with gold, frankincense may also take an unsaid connexion with the Temple worship of the Old Covenant. Burning incense at the chantry was a key part of the sacrificial arrangement prescribed by God for use in the Tabernacle and, subsequently, in the Temple itself. According to Exodus 30, however, non just whatever incense would do. A specific recipe of spices mixed with "pure frankincense" (v. 34) was to be consecrated every bit "pure and holy" (5.35) and was the only incense permitted at the altar. A speculative parallel can be drawn between this and Jesus' life every bit a pure and holy offer to the Lord.
The Souvenir of Myrrh
Myrrh is a fragrant spice derived from the sap of a tree native to the Near East. Like frankincense, it tin can be used as incense, simply in the ancient globe it too had wider usage as a perfume, anointing oil, and was even imbibed every bit a medicinal tonic. Almost notable with regard to Jesus' life, myrrh was a key ingredient in the mixture of spices that were used to prepare bodies for burial (due east.g., John 19:39-40). Mayhap the wise men intended this gift as an indication of Jesus' humanity and the mode in which he would salvage his people—namely, that he would die for them (cf. Isaiah 53:five).
Simply like the outset 2 gifts, in that location is a Temple connexion with myrrh as well. Exodus 30 tells us that liquid myrrh was a principal ingredient in the anointing oil used to ceremonially fix the priests, the instruments, the altar, and the Temple itself before sacrifices could be made. Again, parallels to Jesus' consecrated life and sacrificial death are immediately noticeable.
All three gifts reveal thought-provoking implications that related to Jesus' life and ministry.
What Did Mary and Joseph Practice with the Gifts?
Isaiah 60:6 describes the wealth of the nations coming to God's people through Christ. Mary and Joseph saw a glimpse of this when they received the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And in this case, that wealth was probable used to assistance the family escape to some other nation. Matthew tells us that as presently as the wise men departed, an angel of the Lord came to warn Joseph of Herod's rage (Matthew 2:13). Joseph was instructed to take refuge in Egypt, a journeying of over 100 miles. For a family unit of apprehensive means, a trip of this magnitude would be difficult to pull off. Though we don't have a tape of such, it is reasonable to think that the valuable gifts Mary and Joseph received from the wise men may have financed the family's flight to Egypt.
Now that nosotros know the significance of the gifts brought to infant Jesus, permit's dive into the importance of the souvenir givers.
Who Were the Wise Men?
Let'southward wait at the Bible's account of these travelers and their quest to meet the prophesied king:
At present afterwards Jesus was built-in in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been built-in rex of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and take come up to worship him." When Herod the male monarch heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the principal priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to exist born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
"'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means to the lowest degree amongst the rulers of Judah;
for from you lot shall come up a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.'"Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, proverb, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have establish him, bring me give-and-take, that I too may come up and worship him."After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to remainder over the identify where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with neat joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell downward and worshiped him. And so, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gilt and frankincense and myrrh. And existence warned in a dream non to return to Herod, they departed to their own country past another mode.
(Matthew 2:1-12 [ESV])
With no hint of a backstory, Matthew simply introduces us to the travelers with, "behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem...." But who were these men? The term wise men (as well translated as magi) refers to astronomers or astrologers who served in royal courts throughout the aboriginal most eastern world. Inside the Medo-Persian Empire, for example, magi were regarded every bit valuable advisors due to their knowledge of science, agronomics, and sorcery. Later, during the Babylonian Empire, Daniel encountered—and rescued—a grouping of prominent wise men that had been called upon to translate the king's dream (Daniel ii:2,24).
Past the onest Century Advertising, magi were more broadly known equally men who studied sacred writings and dabbled with occult practices. As evidenced by the account of Simon Magus in Acts viii, such men who "practiced magic" were contemporaries of Jesus and his disciples in and around Palestine. Though present throughout the region, magi were more than commonly associated with the Parthian Empire located to the east of Palestine (present-day Islamic republic of iran). It'south possible that the wise men who visited Jesus hailed from this area, which would explain their familiarity with the Old Testament prophesy of the "king of the Jews" (Matthew ii:2). Later on the Babylonian captivity, remnants of Jewish culture lingered in that region and it's likely that Hebrew Scriptures were amongst the sacred writings these wise men studied in their pursuit of wisdom.
The Nations Shall Come to You
The wise men and their gifts may also be seen through the lens of global missions. Israel was never intended to be the stopping point of grace; God called them to exist a low-cal for all nations. I of the clearest examples of this moving picture is found in Isaiah sixty, a scene describing an historic period to come when the nations would be drawn to the glory of State of israel—"nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your ascent" (Isaiah 60:3). The nations would come up, simply they wouldn't be empty-handed: "they shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring practiced news, the praises of the Lord" (v. half dozen). In the wise men, we meet a microcosm of the greater reality that is to come: one day, people from every tribe, tongue, and nation volition come earlier the throne of Jesus in praise and adoration (Revelation 7:9-10).
Though the Bible's business relationship of the wise men's visit is relatively straightforward, it can be viewed from many unlike angles. It'south possible that their gifts were specifically intended to pay homage to Jesus' royalty, deity, and humanity. Beyond that, they may take also carried Temple connotations and fifty-fifty a reference to Jesus' global mission. Whether or not you desire to read deeper theological meaning into them, one thing that is certain is that these were significant gifts intended to testify nifty honor to King Jesus.
Also by Scott James on Crosswalk: The History and Meaning of the Advent Calendar
This article is part of our larger Christmas and Advent resource library centered around the events leading upwards to the nativity of Jesus Christ. Nosotros promise these articles assist yous sympathize the meaning and story behind of import Christian holidays and dates and encourage you lot equally you take time to reverberate on all that God has done for us through his son Jesus Christ!
What is Christmas? Agreement History, Origin and Traditions
When Was Jesus Born? History of December 25th
The Birth of Jesus: Bible Story and Scripture Verses
Christmas Bible Verses & Scripture Story
Christmas Prayers
Photo credits in order of appearance: ©Pexels/Tookapic, ©Unsplash/JackT, ©Pixabay/xbqs42, ©Pixabay/Leo_65, ©Unsplash/GarethHarper, ©Unsplash/JakubJacobsky, ©Pexels/InbalMalca
reyesmamrainy1941.blogspot.com
Source: https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/christmas-and-advent/gold-frankincense-and-myrrh.html
Post a Comment for "Mary Mother of God With Angels and Baby Jesus Over Fire and Praying People"