{"id":4349,"date":"2025-12-02T07:00:15","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T12:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/?p=4349"},"modified":"2025-12-02T09:09:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T14:09:14","slug":"why-did-the-magi-bring-gold-frankincense-and-myrrh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/jesus-historical-jesus\/why-did-the-magi-bring-gold-frankincense-and-myrrh\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Did the Magi Bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/magi1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-4350 lazyload\" title=\"magi\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/magi1.jpg\" alt=\"Why Did the Magi Bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh?\" width=\"250\" height=\"174\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 250px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 250\/174;\" \/><\/a>Were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/people-in-the-bible\/the-three-magi\/\">the gifts of the magi<\/a> meant to save <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/jesus-historical-jesus\/did-jesus-exist\/\">Jesus<\/a> from the pain of arthritis? It\u2019s possible, according to researchers at Cardiff University in Wales who have been studying the medical uses of frankincense.<\/p>\n<p>Since the early days of Christianity, Biblical scholars and theologians have offered varying interpretations of the meaning and significance of the gold, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/news\/frankincense-and-other-resins-were-used-in-roman-burials-across-britain\/\">frankincense<\/a> and myrrh that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-topics\/new-testament\/witnessing-the-divine\/\">the magi<\/a> presented to Jesus, according to the Gospel of Matthew (2:11). These valuable items were standard gifts to honor a king or deity in the ancient world: gold as a precious metal, frankincense as perfume or incense, and myrrh as anointing oil. In fact, these same three items were apparently among the gifts, recorded in ancient inscriptions, that King Seleucus II Callinicus offered to the god Apollo at the temple in Miletus in 243 B.C.E. The Book of Isaiah, when describing Jerusalem\u2019s glorious restoration, tells of nations and kings who will come and \u201cbring gold and frankincense and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord\u201d (Isaiah 60:6). Although Matthew\u2019s gospel does not include the names or number of the magi, many believe that the number of the gifts is what led to the tradition of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/exhibits-events\/magi-reunited\/\">the Three Wise Men<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n\n\t\t<div id=\"mailing_list_ebook_page\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class='gravity_form_mailing_list'>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"downloadFormSec esolshortwrap\">\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-3 col-sm-3 mb-4 mb-md-0\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img data-src='https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/the-first-christmas-cover-new-e1585324283562.jpg' class='esolsetnewimg smush-dimensions lazyload' width='130' style='--smush-image-width: 130px; --smush-image-aspect-ratio: 130\/168;' src='data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg=='>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-9 col-sm-9\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-sm-12\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>FREE ebook: <strong>The First Christmas: The Story of Jesus\u2019 Birth in History and Tradition<\/strong>. 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*\/\n<\/script>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t<!-- download link -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div id=\"eBook_download_link\" name=\"eBook_download_link\">\n\n\t\t\t<button onclick=\"location.href='https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/the_first_christmas_the_story_of_jesus_birth_in_history_and_tradition.pdf'\">DOWNLOAD EBOOK<\/button>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<hr \/>\n<div id=\"attachment_4351\" style=\"width: 261px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/frankincense.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4351\" class=\"wp-image-4351 lazyload\" title=\"frankincense\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/frankincense.jpg\" alt=\"Why Did the Magi Bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh?\" width=\"251\" height=\"183\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 251px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 251\/183;\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-4351\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The traditional gifts of the magi\u2014gold, frankincense and myrrh\u2014may have had symbolic as well as practical value. Researchers believe the medicinal uses of frankincense were known to the author of Matthew\u2019s gospel.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In addition to the honor and status implied by the value of the gifts of the magi, scholars think that these three were chosen for their special spiritual symbolism about Jesus himself\u2014gold representing his kingship, frankincense a symbol of his priestly role, and myrrh a prefiguring of his death and embalming\u2014an interpretation made popular in the well-known Christmas carol \u201cWe Three Kings.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Still others have suggested that the gifts of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/jesus-historical-jesus\/bible-scholar-brent-landau-asks-who-were-the-magi\/\">the magi<\/a> were a bit more practical\u2014even medicinal in nature. Researchers at Cardiff University have demonstrated that frankincense has an active ingredient that can help relieve arthritis by inhibiting the inflammation that breaks down cartilage tissue and causes arthritis pain. The new study validates traditional uses of frankincense as an herbal remedy to treat arthritis in communities of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, where the trees that produce this aromatic resin grow. Did the magi \u201cfrom the East\u201d know of frankincense\u2019s healing properties when they presented it to young Jesus?<\/p>\n<hr style=\"width: 33%;\" \/>\n<p>Based on <em>Strata<\/em>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/department\/the-magis-gifts-tribute-or-treatment\/\">\u201cThe Magi\u2019s Gifts\u2014Tribute or Treatment?\u201d<\/a><\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/issue\/january-february-2012\/\"><em>Biblical Archaeology Review<\/em>, January\/February 2012<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Not a <em>BAS<\/em> Library or All-Access Member yet? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/subscribe-new\/?utm_term=W26009B0\">Join today.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><small><em>This <\/em>Bible History Daily<em> feature was originally published in December 2011.<\/em><\/small><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4 style=\"margin-bottom: 1em;\">Related reading in <em>Bible History Daily<\/em><\/h4>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"fI3BWk7yBe\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/jesus-historical-jesus\/did-jesus-exist\/\">Did Jesus Exist? Searching for Evidence Beyond the Bible<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Did Jesus Exist? Searching for Evidence Beyond the Bible&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/jesus-historical-jesus\/did-jesus-exist\/embed\/#?secret=irXidUnEEY#?secret=fI3BWk7yBe\" data-secret=\"fI3BWk7yBe\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"HvOzIje3Wr\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-topics\/new-testament\/witnessing-the-divine\/\">Witnessing the Divine<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Witnessing the Divine&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-topics\/new-testament\/witnessing-the-divine\/embed\/#?secret=sBbqfOAYal#?secret=HvOzIje3Wr\" data-secret=\"HvOzIje3Wr\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"5OFhLni2eA\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-topics\/bible-interpretation\/christmas-stories-in-christian-apocrypha\/\">Christmas Stories in Christian Apocrypha<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Christmas Stories in Christian Apocrypha&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-topics\/bible-interpretation\/christmas-stories-in-christian-apocrypha\/embed\/#?secret=TUdKiWZv4v#?secret=5OFhLni2eA\" data-secret=\"5OFhLni2eA\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"wR1uNaPJpA\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/jesus-historical-jesus\/where-was-jesus-born\/\">Where Was Jesus Born?<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Where Was Jesus Born?&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/jesus-historical-jesus\/where-was-jesus-born\/embed\/#?secret=GjzYhPxl1m#?secret=wR1uNaPJpA\" data-secret=\"wR1uNaPJpA\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"scwxBFfAC0\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-topics\/bible-interpretation\/who-was-jesus-biological-father\/\">Who Was Jesus\u2019 Biological Father?<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Who Was Jesus\u2019 Biological Father?&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-topics\/bible-interpretation\/who-was-jesus-biological-father\/embed\/#?secret=QdIs71x0yz#?secret=scwxBFfAC0\" data-secret=\"scwxBFfAC0\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"9XAf4TXHUN\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-sites-places\/biblical-archaeology-sites\/has-the-childhood-home-of-jesus-been-found\/\">Has the Childhood Home of Jesus Been Found?<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Has the Childhood Home of Jesus Been Found?&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-sites-places\/biblical-archaeology-sites\/has-the-childhood-home-of-jesus-been-found\/embed\/#?secret=mPH3rbBuDZ#?secret=9XAf4TXHUN\" data-secret=\"9XAf4TXHUN\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"Vu8kTdswWW\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/news\/frankincense-and-other-resins-were-used-in-roman-burials-across-britain\/\">Frankincense and Other Resins Were Used in Roman Burials Across Britain<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Frankincense and Other Resins Were Used in Roman Burials Across Britain&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/news\/frankincense-and-other-resins-were-used-in-roman-burials-across-britain\/embed\/#?secret=V48agNIGDp#?secret=Vu8kTdswWW\" data-secret=\"Vu8kTdswWW\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin: 2em 0;\">All-Access members, read more in the <em>BAS Library<\/em><\/h4>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"5jEVogjIbp\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/department\/lost-syriac-text-gives-magis-view-of-the-christmas-story\/\">Lost Syriac Text Gives Magi\u2019s View of the Christmas Story<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Lost Syriac Text Gives Magi\u2019s View of the Christmas Story&#8221; &#8212; The BAS Library\" src=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/department\/lost-syriac-text-gives-magis-view-of-the-christmas-story\/embed\/#?secret=XDdRazT77f#?secret=5jEVogjIbp\" data-secret=\"5jEVogjIbp\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"VI0hcGvRcU\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/collections\/three-magi\/\">The Three Magi<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;The Three Magi&#8221; &#8212; The BAS Library\" src=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/collections\/three-magi\/embed\/#?secret=YyBWTkjM9e#?secret=VI0hcGvRcU\" data-secret=\"VI0hcGvRcU\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"GfmfDagPvC\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/article\/what-was-the-star-that-guided-the-magi\/\">What Was the Star that Guided the Magi?<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;What Was the Star that Guided the Magi?&#8221; &#8212; The BAS Library\" src=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/article\/what-was-the-star-that-guided-the-magi\/embed\/#?secret=2Si4cj5Hwm#?secret=GfmfDagPvC\" data-secret=\"GfmfDagPvC\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"690z3SoFnd\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/article\/ancient-medicine\/\">Ancient Medicine<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Ancient Medicine&#8221; &#8212; The BAS Library\" src=\"https:\/\/library.biblicalarchaeology.org\/article\/ancient-medicine\/embed\/#?secret=Yv7OYniybd#?secret=690z3SoFnd\" data-secret=\"690z3SoFnd\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div style=\"margin: 2em 0;\"><p><strong>Not a <em>BAS<\/em> Library or All-Access Member yet? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/subscribe-new\/?utm_term=W26009B0\">Join today.<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Were the gifts of the magi meant to save Jesus from the pain of arthritis? It\u2019s possible, according to researchers at Cardiff University in Wales who have been studying the medical uses of frankincense.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":87049,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[393],"tags":[354,29,30,1080,1126,40,1351,1653,1654,42,43,1886,1891,44,110,45,12,2338,111,301,251,2601,2637,2764,2979,3011,3555,3959,3987,231,5042,5045,5108,5247,5248,5324,5327,5328,272,232,233,6220,6259,6588,64,6852,73,13,7145,7146,235,7340,7381,359,8619,8623,125,9274,151,238,11937,12383,12446,12549,241,12625,12653,12677,242,243,244,13137,13234,13380,247,362,15903],"class_list":["post-4349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-jesus-historical-jesus","tag-about-jesus","tag-ancient-inscription","tag-ancient-inscriptions","tag-andrew","tag-anointing-oil","tag-archaeology-review","tag-archaeology-sites","tag-bib-arch","tag-bib-arch-org","tag-bible-history","tag-bible-history-daily","tag-bible-interpretation","tag-bible-jesus","tag-bible-review","tag-bible-scholar","tag-biblical-arch","tag-biblical-archaeology-review","tag-biblical-archaeology-sites","tag-biblical-scholar","tag-biblical-scholars","tag-biblical-sites","tag-biblical-topics-2","tag-birth-of-jesus","tag-brent-landau","tag-childhood-home-of-jesus","tag-christian-apocrypha","tag-date-of-jesus-birth","tag-did-jesus","tag-did-jesus-exist","tag-first-christmas","tag-frankincense","tag-frankincense-and-myrrh","tag-free-ebooks","tag-gifts-of-the-magi","tag-gifts-of-the-magi-gold-frankincense-and-myrrh","tag-gold-and-frankincense","tag-gold-frankincense","tag-gold-frankincense-and-myrrh","tag-historical-jesus","tag-history-of-christ","tag-history-of-christmas","tag-home-of-jesus","tag-how-december-25-became-christmas","tag-incense-and-myrrh","tag-inscriptions-2","tag-isaiah","tag-jerusalem-2","tag-jesus","tag-jesus-biological-father","tag-jesus-birth","tag-jesus-born","tag-jesus-exist","tag-jesus-historical","tag-lawrence-mykytiuk","tag-magi-from-the-east","tag-magi-gold","tag-matthew","tag-myrrh","tag-new-testament","tag-story-of-jesus","tag-story-of-jesus-birth","tag-the-bible-jesus","tag-the-birth-of-jesus","tag-the-date-of-jesus-birth","tag-the-first-christmas","tag-the-first-christmas-the-story-of-jesus-birth-in-history-and-tradition","tag-the-gifts-of-the-magi","tag-the-gospel-of","tag-the-history-of-christmas","tag-the-magi","tag-the-story-of-jesus","tag-the-story-of-jesus-birth","tag-the-three-wise-men","tag-three-wise-men","tag-where-was-jesus-born","tag-who-was-jesus","tag-who-were-the-magi"],"acf":[],"nelio_content":{"autoShareEndMode":"never","automationSources":{"useCustomSentences":false,"customSentences":[]},"efiAlt":"","efiUrl":"","followers":[50],"highlights":[],"isAutoShareEnabled":true,"networkImageIds":[],"permalinkQueryArgs":[],"series":[],"suggestedReferences":[]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Why Did the Magi Bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh? - Biblical Archaeology Society<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The magi\u2019s gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh held symbolic meaning\u2014honoring Jesus as king, priest, and sacrifice\u2014but researchers now suggest frankincense may also have been chosen for its medicinal, anti-inflammatory properties.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/jesus-historical-jesus\/why-did-the-magi-bring-gold-frankincense-and-myrrh\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Did the Magi Bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Were the gifts of the magi meant to save Jesus from the pain of arthritis? 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