On the first Epiphany, which many scholars believe may have happened as much as two years after Jesus' birth, the maji from the east brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Why? Of course, gold was associated with kings and Jesus came to our world to be King. Frankincense was associated with the ascension of prayers to heaven; the gift thus acknowledged Jesus as the great high priest of the world whose sacrifice of Himself would open the way between God and humanity.* Myrrh was first used by the Egyptians for embalming, an acknowledgment that Jesus had come to die for us all.
*The New Testament book of Hebrews has a lot about Jesus as our great High Priest, as well as the perfect sacrifice for our sin.
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