2006-12-19 21:25:35 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Gold is still widely valued, and incense is widely used in many Catholic religious ceremonies.
Myrrh has pretty much gone out of style, at least in the Western world. I'm not even sure what it is, to be honest.
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2006-12-19 21:28:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gold
Very little gold can be found in Israel itself but it was imported from Eastern Egypt, Western Arabia, Armenia and Persia. Any king would have quantites of personal gold to send with his magi so it mustn't be supposed that the Wise Men must have come from that area. Gold was often shaped into objects or coins. It is not known in what form the gold took when it was given to Mary. Neither do we know how much gold was given to her nor what happened to the gold afterwards.
Frankincense
This yellow gum is collected by peeling back the bark of the frankincense-tree. The local source of this was from the plant boswellia sacra, found in in S. Arabia. When the wood is cut it oozes a yellow drop which hardens. These are then pulled off the wood. The resulting resin gives off a sweet scent when warmed or burned. It was one of elements used in the holy anointing oil (Ex. 30:34), and was also burnt with other substances during the cereal-offering (Lv. 6:15). Frankincense was placed in purified form on the showbread in the tabernacle (Lv. 24:7). The giving of this incense to Jesus has been interpreted as symbolizing his priestly office.
See also Exodus 30:34-38; Leviticus 2:1, 15-16; Matthew 2:11
Myrrh
Like frankinsence this is extracted by cutting and collecting the hardened sap. The stems and branches of the prickly shrub, Commiphora myrrha oozes an oily yellow/brown resin. This plant is native to S Arabia and adjacent parts of Africa.
Myrrh was another ingredient of the holy anointing oil (Ex. 30:23-33). It was used basically as a deoderant, along with aloes, to anoint a dead body.
See Also
Ps. 45:8; Pr. 7:17; Mk. 15:23; Jn. 19:39
2006-12-20 05:30:32 · answer #2 · answered by Lorene 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The "wise men" did not see Jesus in the manger. Jesus was around two by the time they got there. This is why the children from two and under were murdered by Herod.
Just before this slaughter took place, Joseph was told to take his family and flee to Egypt. Also, remember that Mary and Joseph were far from wealthy. I suspect that he used the gold that was given to Jesus to pay for this flight which was the right thing to do as GOD provided the means for them to escape.
There is no way to be sure, but some think the other two gifts were in the alabaster box that was used to anoint our LORD just before the Crucifixion.
2006-12-20 05:38:14 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Joseph and Mary used it to pay the trafficker who arranged their flight to Egypt.
2006-12-20 06:20:30 · answer #4 · answered by cymry3jones 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
go to a health food store
2006-12-23 21:20:41 · answer #5 · answered by Deberellah 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bush invaded and decided to keep it for America.
2006-12-20 05:36:18 · answer #6 · answered by GoreyAlan Fáilte 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
in my loft i think, everything else is in there!
do you remember in the fast show, one guy said "I was rummaging around in the loft the other day and i founf the original copy of the bible. which was nice" makes me laugh every time i see it!
2006-12-20 05:29:39 · answer #7 · answered by jo 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Must not have been much gold.....But I am betting the incense was burned....
2006-12-20 05:28:35 · answer #8 · answered by Socratic Pig 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mary flogged it to put jesus through college
2006-12-20 06:25:02 · answer #9 · answered by Tabbyfur aka patchy puss 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Jesus smoked it!
2006-12-20 05:28:59 · answer #10 · answered by Shaun W 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋