Page 28 - Life of Christ - textbook (3)

The Priests in the Temple were only 6 miles from the very Son of God, yet they did not go to see Him!

The gifts the wise men gave to Jesus are significant and meaningful. All of them were luxury items and
very symbolic gifts. Gold is a pure metal and stands for the deity or purity of Jesus. Frankincense and
myrrh were very costly spices. They were resins or gums taken from plants that grow in Arabia or the
Horn of Africa. They were used for a variety of things but provided incense and perfume as they were
pleasant smelling. Frankincense stands for the fragrance of His life but was used in sacrificial offerings.
Myrrh was a spice used in embalming a person after death. This spice speaks of Jesus’ sacrificial death.
Joseph probably used the value of these gifts to sustain his family while in Egypt until Herod died.

The Birth of Jesus

4.4 Let’s Practice…

1. Explain the custom of betrothal in Jesus’ day.

2. Why is the virgin birth of Christ so important theologically?

3. In what ways does Jesus’ birth speak of His humility?

4. What key verse in Scripture tells us to have the same humility as Christ?

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