Gifts of the Magi
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The Three Wise Men (also referred to as the Three Kings and as the Magi) has always been a part of a nativity scene included in the celebrations of Christmas. The three Wise Men, three Kings or Kings from the East are said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts.
The three gifts of the magi are explicitly identified in the book of Matthew: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. That they are all ordinary gifts for a king - myrrh being commonly used as an anointing oil, frankincense as a perfume, and gold as a valuable.