The Magi

The Magi

Q: What three gifts did the wise men give baby Jesus?

• a. gold, frankincense, and myrrh
• b. gold, silver, and frankincense
• c. gold, myrrh, and sapphires

Do you set out a nativity scene in your house at Christmas? Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus are the central figures. The nativity also probably has one or two shepherds and three magi, or wise men. People traditionally talk about three wise men because the Bible tells us about the three gifts they gave Jesus—gold, frankincense and myrrh. But there may have been more than three magi.

The wise men, following a star to find Jesus, stopped to ask King Herod where they could find the newborn king. Herod thought the Messiah would be a great military or political leader and wanted to kill him, so he asked the wise men to return after they found the baby, claiming he wanted to worship the baby too.

The wise men found Jesus, presented their gifts, and worshiped him. They were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod to tell him they’d found Jesus, and Joseph was told to escape to Egypt with Mary and their baby.

When Herod realized the magi were not going to return, he ordered all the baby boys age two and under to be killed, in hopes of killing the new king. Herod didn’t understand who Jesus really was or that he’d come to earth to be a Savior, not an earthly king.

Some people today don’t understand that the Son of God came to earth to forgive sins and change lives. Just as the shepherds (see the August 23 devotion) and the magi were changed by their encounters with Jesus, people today are still transformed by meeting him.

For You

If you know Jesus, your life is forever changed. If you don’t notice much difference, your Christian walk may need some help. Spend time reading the Bible, praying, and sharing what you learn with someone else. That will help you grow in your faith.

Answer: a

[The wise men] entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.   Matthew 2:11

(The Whole Story: Matthew 2:1-16)