Sunday, December 18, 2005

Gold, Frankincense, And Myrrh

"But Matthew says that the Magi, coming from the east, exclaimed 'For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him;' and that, having been led by the star into the house of Jacob to Emmanuel, they showed, by these gifts which they offered, who it was that was worshipped; myrrh, because it was He who should die and be buried for the mortal human met; gold, because He was a King, 'of whose kingdom is no end;' and frankincense, because He was God, who also 'was made known in Judea,' and was 'declared to those who sought Him not.'" (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 3:9:2)