As Matthew recounts the story of Jesus, he writes of the wise men who traveled to see Jesus shortly after His birth. History does not tell us the number of persons who traveled to see Him, but it does tell us that they brought gifts — three gifts. Matthew 2:11 says, “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

We think that we have pressure to give “just the right gift” for Christmas. Can you imagine the thought that must have gone into the wise men’s selection of what to give Jesus? If you are giving a gift to the Son of an infinite God, it better be something of immense value and eternal purpose. I believe that these gifts were inspired by God himself.

As Christmas nears, we’re taking a closer look at the uses and meanings of the three gifts. We’ve learned more about gold and frankincense, and today we’ll conclude by talking about myrrh.

A Healing Gift
The third gift mentioned as given by the wise men was myrrh. Again, this is not an item that we are readily familiar with today and will require some explaining. Myrrh is a resin harvested from trees that thrive in the arid deserts of the Middle East, similar to frankincense. While frankincense was often ground into a powder, myrrh would have been melted into oil.

Myrrh had many benefits for the human body. If you were to check Web MD's website you would see that the medical benefits of myrrh are many even today. Myrrh can be used for indigestion, ulcers, colds, cough, asthma, lung congestion, arthritis pain, cancer, leprosy, spasms and syphilis. Myrrh is applied directly to the mouth for soreness and swelling, inflamed gums (gingivitis), loose teeth, canker sores, bad breath, and chapped lips. It is also used topically for hemorrhoids, bedsores, wounds, abrasions and boils. In foods and beverages, myrrh is used as a flavoring component. In manufacturing, myrrh is used as a fragrance, in incense and as a fixative in cosmetics. It is also used in embalming.

Myrrh was a very practical gift to give the parents of a young child. The medicinal benefits would come in handy in the early days and years of Jesus’ life. You might look at myrrh as something like diaper rash ointment or baby Tylenol.

A Symbol of God’s Spirit
In The Book of God, Walter Wangerin Jr. takes the Holy Bible and writes it as if it were a complete novel. It is a great read, and I love the way that he tells the story of the Magi presenting their gifts to Mary and the baby Jesus. Wangerin writes: “The third man showed to the child a small white alabaster flask which, when he pulled the stopper from it, filled the room with mysterious smells. ‘Oil of myrrh,’ he whispered, ‘a gift for the king of the Jews.’ Little Jesus grew solemn. His eyes became still and grave — a golden color. Apparently myrrh had a strong effect on the child.”

I love the picture that Wangerin's words paint of this encounter with Jesus. The way the boy would have responded to the smell of the oil was not just a sign of its calming effect upon the youngster. This gift of myrrh was more than just a medicine; it was a symbol of who Jesus was, and what He would be.

In Exodus 30:22-33, you find the ingredients listed to make the anointing oil for the priest to use in their purifying of the temple, temple artifacts and the priests themselves. The key ingredient to this oil was myrrh. The oil of myrrh is symbolic in the Old Testament for the Holy Spirit of God.

This gift of myrrh was more than just a medicine; it was a symbol of who Jesus was, and what He would be.

The wise men understood that Jesus was no ordinary child. They knew of His humanity, but they also understood His divinity. They saw that this was the Son of God. Where the first two gifts spoke of His humanity, as priest and king, this third gift points to the divinity of Jesus; He truly was and would be the Son of God.

They also saw Jesus would not just be filled with the Spirit of God, but that He would be His voice and presence. He would be a prophet for the people. The voice of God had finally returned to Israel. When you read the Old Testament, you see many times that the Spirit of God came upon the people (Numbers 24:2; 1 Samuel 19:20; 1 Chronicles 12:18) and enabled them to speak out the words of God. The wise men knew that the Spirit of God would be upon Jesus and that He would be a prophet.

The Magi also understood that Jesus’ life would be a fulfillment of prophecy. They knew that through His life, He would fulfill all of the scriptures that spoke of the Messiah.

It is even thought that the wise men may have understood the sacrifice that Jesus’ life would lead to, as the gift of myrrh is used in embalming. At the least, they knew He would suffer for us. They had read the words of Isaiah that said, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Though I doubt the gift of myrrh that the wise men gave actually made it to the cross, they knew prophecy implied Jesus would need it.

Giving with Intention
In their giving of myrrh, the Magi showed they were willing to truly study the subject of their journey and bring a gift that would make an impact on the family of the Son of God. They put great thought into the gifts that they would bring. Through each of their gifts, the wise men acknowledged that Jesus would be Israel’s prophet, priest and King.

The Magi understood that by giving these gifts, they were not just meeting the practical needs of a family, but they were physically expressing what they believed to be truth. The wise men put their faith to action, not just by traveling the long journey to see the Son of God, but to equip Him in the early part of His life. Though details of their timing are vague, it was perfect, as were the three gifts the Magi brought to lay at the feet of a King.

As the Christmas celebration approaches and you are wrapping up your shopping list, I challenge you to sit down and think for a few minutes — what you would give to Jesus this Christmas season? I challenge you to give — thoughtfully, reverently and with all you have — and see what God has in store to give back in the next year.

This article originally appeared on the Vital Magazine website and has been adapted with permission.

Read the first two entries in the series when we look at the symbolism of frankincense and gold.