A Gift of Frankincense

6 minutes to read

“After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
Matthew 2:11

The story of the birth of Jesus is rich with biblical symbolism that invites the readers to look deeper into its spiritual and theological significance. One of the stories is about the Magi (the wise men) who came seeking Jesus. After the birth of Jesus, the Magi arrived in Jerusalem asking: “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” They were then informed by the chief priests to look in Bethlehem. These men, following the star, found Jesus and presented to Him their gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Although the story is familiar to us, we know very little about the Magi from the east and the significance of the gifts they were carrying.¹ The Bible also discloses very little about them for their story appears only once: in the Gospel of Matthew (2:1–12).

For many in the Christian tradition, the gifts have profound significance (a tradition which is as early as the first and second century). The gold² stands for the Christ’s kingly status, frankincense for his divinity and priesthood, and myrrh³ for the anointing at his sacrificial death. However, since Scripture does not directly tell us the symbolic meaning of the gifts, some have questioned whether the gifts brought by the Magi truly had any significance. A close reading of the Bible reveals that it does, for we see that the valuable gifts brought by the wise men were clearly intended to honor Jesus as king and worship Him as divine.

Thus, the gifts were indeed significant and, specifically for this article, I want us to ponder the special significance of the gift of frankincense given to Jesus.

Frankincense and Its Use
Frankincense, obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia, is an aromatic resin used in incense—a fragrance or perfume. In the ancient world frankincense was treasured and these resins derived from the tree sap were valuable. Archaeological evidence suggests that frankincense was prized from ancient times in civilizations like Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Arabia as early as 3000 BC, being used even in religious ceremonies. For example, texts from ancient Egypt reference the use of frankincense in temple rituals, embalming practices, and offerings to deities.

Frankincense in the Bible
In the book of Exodus, frankincense is used both as the anointing oil for the consecration of priests and as incense in the tabernacle (Ex 30:34). In Leviticus, frankincense is prescribed as part of the daily and special offerings (Lev 2:1, 16; 24:7). It was also stored in the temple for later use (Neh 13:5,9; 1 Chr 9:29) and was considered a symbol of prayer and divine worship.

Frankincense: An Evidence of Kingship and Divinity
In the Old Testament, God tells Moses, “The incense (which included frankincense) which you shall make, you shall not make in the same proportions for yourselves; it shall be holy to you for the Lord. “Whoever shall make any like it, to use as perfume, shall be cut off from his people,” (Ex. 30:37-38). The use of the best quality of this incense was reserved specifically for ceremonial worship and its use for common or personal purposes were forbidden. And in the book of Leviticus, the smoke that ascends when the sacrifice is consumed by fire on the bronze altar signified the offering ascending to God as a fragrant aroma.

The magi, despite their non-Jewish origins, happen to be the first to recognise the significance of Christ's birth. They were not curious travellers but were those who understood that the child they sought was not merely a king but the one who fulfilled the prophecies of old. By offering frankincense, these magi were recognising Jesus' status both as king and God. It was an act of worship for frankincense was offered not only in honor of a king but also in worship to a god.

Frankincense: An Anticipation of the Priesthood
Frankincense not only conveyed that Jesus was divine but it also looked forward to the priestly work of Jesus. For when the priests burned incense, the rising smoke of the incense was believed to carry prayers up to heaven on behalf of the people. It symbolized the intercession of the priest who stood between the people and God.

Thus when the Magi brought the gift of frankincense to Jesus, it also looked forward to Jesus’ priestly role, as he would not only offer prayers and sacrifices on behalf of the people, but also offer himself as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world (Heb 9:24,25). Paul summarises Christ’s sacrifice in these words, “Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” (Eph 5:2). In Romans 8:34 Paul writes, “Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”

Frankincense: Our Offering Through the Year
Thus, we see that the exceedingly great joy of the Magi on finding Jesus clearly shows that the Magi understood Jesus as the prophesied Messiah. Their gift of frankincense, therefore, wasn’t something they randomly picked up simply because it may have been easily available to purchase. Rather, it was a gift befitting devotion and worship to Jesus that acknowledged His divinity and also His priestly ministry of intercession for His people.

Though the Christmas season may be over, our celebration continues because Jesus is the king, the priest, and the savior of the world not only in December but throughout the year. Therefore, through the offering of our precious treasures may we daily worship Jesus while resting every moment on His intercession for us^.4

1.  See this article by Ajay Abraham for insights concerning the wise men.
2.  See this article by Ashok Mohankumar about the Magi’s gift of gold.
3.  See this article by Isaac Neelam about the Magi’s gift of myrrh.
4.  Bible references from New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.