The Gift Of The Magi - Myrrh

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.