The Gifts of the Magi - Myrrh
We’re looking at the three gifts of the Magi as recorded by Matthew. Last week we explored how frankincense could represent the high priesthood of Christ – a high priesthood that is greater than the OT priesthood by virtue of Jesus’ holiness and the sufficiency of his once-for-all-time sacrifice. Today we will look at the gift of Myrrh.
Myrrh is an aromatic resin having many uses in the ancient Near East. It was traded along with spices (Gen. 43:11), used as an ingredient in anointing oil (Exod. 30:23), applied as perfume (Esther 2:12), placed in clothes to deodorize them (Ps. 45:8), given as a gift (Matt. 2:11), and used to embalm bodies (John 19:39).
Let’s look at a few of those passages referenced in the definition
Genesis 43:11 (NIV)
Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds.”
Myrrh seemed to make a nice gift in a gift bag.
Exodus 30:22–25 (NIV) — 22 Then the Lord said to Moses, 23 “Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus, 24 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil. 25 Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil.
Myrrh was used in the tabernacle and made the tabernacle smell good
Esther 2:12 (NIV) — 12 Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics.
Myrrh was part of Esther’s complete makeover.
John 19:38–40 (NIV) — 38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.
Myrrh was used in Jewish burial rites to delay decomposition and perhaps to cover up the odor of death.
It’s this passage in John why some people see the myrrh as symbolic of Jesus’ death. Myrrh may have been a gift you would give to a funeral director.
Jesus came to Die
Jesus came to do many things. He was a great teacher. He was a great miracle worker. Yet there have been a lot of great teachers and there have been a lot of miracle workers. So what makes Jesus different?
Jesus was qualified to do one thing that no one else was qualified to do – die for us. Jesus is not just a teacher or a miracle worker. He came to die for our sins. When his birth is announced by angels it is not as teacher or miracle worker. He is announced as Savior.
Jesus is Our Ransom
Let’s go to Hebrews and I want to point out a word that is used of Jesus - ransom.
Hebrews 9:15 (NIV) — 15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
The word “ransom” to describe Jesus is also used by Paul.
1 Timothy 2:5–6 (NIV) — 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.
And it is used by Jesus himself!
Matthew 20:28 (NLT) — 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Ever watch those FBI/Police shows when a kidnapper demands a ransom. It’s usually an exorbitant amount but within reach of the family. The ransom placed on you cannot be paid. Not by sacrifices (you cannot give up enough). Not by good works (you can’t do enough good things). Not by knowledge (you can’t know enough). And no other person can give up, or do, or know enough for you. Only Jesus, the perfect, sinless, God-in-flesh being is qualified to pay the ransom.
This is what is unique about Christianity. Every other religion is works based – you work your way to God. Either that or they diminish the holiness of God – God can live in the presence of sin. Only Christianity provides the ransom required to set us free from sin and satisfy the holiness of God.
And this was made clear from the very beginning - the myrrh foreshadowed the mission of Jesus to die as a ransom for sinful people
Myrrh as a Perfume in Song of Solomon
I want to go back to the Esther passage and maybe see myrrh from a little different angle.
Esther 2:12 (NIV) — 12 Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics.
Myrrh is used as a perfume to make Esther suitable to see the king. The king doesn’t want to entertain unattractive, unpleasing, foul-smelling women. That’s misogynistic but it was the case.
What I found especially interesting is When you do a search for myrrh in the Bible it is found more often in the book Song of Solomon than any other book. 8 of the 18 occurrences of the word “myrrh” are in the Old Testament book Song of Solomon - a collection of love poems between a lover and his beloved. The book beautifully celebrates romantic and physical love – it’s the PG-13 section of the Bible. Myrrh as a perfume sets the stage for intimacy.
Have you ever been around someone who smells really bad (and don’t look at the person next to you)? So bad you just don’t want to get close. I remember in 4th grade taking the bus to school. At a certain stop there was this kid who had the worst breath I have ever smelled. When he walked on the bus all I could think of was please do not sit next to me! I didn’t want to be close to him.
That’s what our sin does to God. Our sin is repulsive to the holy God. The prophet Isaiah uses that metaphor.
Isaiah 65:5 (NLT) — 5 These people are a stench in my nostrils, an acrid smell that never goes away.
Isaiah 65:5 (The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language) — 5 These people gag me. I can’t stand their stench.
Isaiah 64:6 (NIV) — 6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
Isaiah 64:6 (NCV) — 6 All of us are dirty with sin. All the right things we have done are like filthy pieces of cloth. All of us are like dead leaves, and our sins, like the wind, have carried us away.
We stink. Our sin is offensive to God. It’s so bad he can’t even be close to us. But that all changed when Jesus came. He made us smell good!
The New Testament uses that metaphor as well.
Ephesians 5:1–2 (NIV) — 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
The stench of our sin is drowned out by the sweet-smelling sacrifice of Jesus
2 Corinthians 2:14–15 (NIV) — 14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
Instead of smelling us God smells Jesus.
1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (NIV) — 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
We have been cleansed by the blood of Christ and are now suitable to be in his presence.
What’s your favorite smell? There are lots of good ones during the holidays.
Smell of bread, or a pie. Maybe the smell of the greenery. Gingerbread. Fire in the fireplace. Peppermint. Favorite candle burning. Cookies. Hot Chocolate. Whenever you smell that smell this holiday season, smile and remember that because of Jesus you too bring a smile to his face.
Mary and Joseph were not rich. They probably lived in a modest house. Many of these houses were adjacent to where the animals stayed, and you know what animals smell like. When the Magi came and opened their treasures, out wafted the pleasing aroma of myrrh. Jesus came into a stinky foul-smelling world and made it beautiful again!
Jesus came to die for you. He is your ransom. His sacrifice cleanses you makes you presentable to God. Because of Jesus, you smell good!
