The Arrival
The last installment describes the Magi, so we’ll jump right into the story. The Magi don’t simply go straight to Jesus; they arrive to the place any foreigner looking for where a king would be. That was Herod’s palace. The star got them close, but it didn’t give them an address, so they went to the big palace on the hill.
Herod the “Great” was the Roman-appointed king of Judea from 37 to 4 BC. He was not Jewish by dynasty and was hated by the Jewish people which obviously made him Rome’s kind of guy. His legitimacy came from Rome, not pedigree.
Herod was a power-hungry tyrant that was known for his paranoia if not schizophrenia. He was known to have killed one of his sons (Ceasar Augustus reportedly said, “it would be better to be Herod’s pig than his son”. It is because of Herod and his other son that Rome would eventually take over full control of Judea.
So, the Magi reportedly had some concern around meeting the current king but, as custom would dictate, they arrive at the palace sometime after Jesus’ birth. Possibly up to two years after the birth.
Upon the Magi asking Herod where this new king of Israel is, Herod, seemingly surprised, called on his own priests who indicated the likelihood that such a child would be born in Bethlehem. They quote Micah 5:2: “for out of you [Bethlehem] will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” Thus, Herod sent the Magi off to find this child so that Herod could kill him.
The Magi would find Jesus in a “house” in Bethlehem and they prayed and worshiped with the family and provided gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts would prove timely and handy on what is to happen next.
The Gifts
👑 Gold — Kingship
Symbol: Royal authority, legitimacy, rule
Gold says: This child is a king.
Gold is the language of thrones, not nurseries
Offered to rulers, not peasants
Acknowledges Jesus as King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2)
This confronts Herod directly.
Two kings can’t share one throne.
🔥 Frankincense — Divinity
Symbol: Worship, prayer, the presence of God
Frankincense says: This child is divine.
Used in the Temple, not the marketplace
Burned before God alone (Exodus 30:34–38)
Smoke rising = prayers ascending
To offer frankincense to a child is either blasphemy or confession
⚱️ Myrrh — Suffering & Death
Symbol: Mortality, sacrifice, burial
Myrrh says: This child will die.
Used in medicine and embalming
Appears again at the crucifixion (Mark 15:23; John 19:39)
Foreshadows a violent, costly end
Nobody gives myrrh to a baby unless they understand the story won’t end happily. That makes this gift particularly prophetic.
According to records, all this combined could have represented a large sum in ancient wealth. This would have been like a modern middle-class family receiving a gift of around $200,000 today. That’s life changing!
The timing of these gifts is everything, but it was foretold 700 years before, pieced together symbolically. “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Isaiah 60.
Light to nations (Isaiah 60:1–3) Star + Gentile Magi
Royal Son (Isaiah 9:6–7) Gold
Divine Presence (Isaiah 60:7) Frankincense
Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53) Myrrh
Let’s frame up a few things first in how Matthew and Luke are addressing the story of Jesus’ birth.
They likely went to Alexandria but it’s not clear. Alexandria had a large Jewish population, possibly in the hundreds of thousands. They were free and would have had synagogues, schools, trade. It would have been a luxury destination in a thriving Jewish population. 
