Ancient Symbolism, Sacred Substances, and the Deeper Meaning Behind Epiphany’s Most Mysterious Offerings

What do gold, frankincense, and myrrh really mean? And why have these three offerings echoed through centuries of spiritual imagination?

The story of the Magi and their gifts is brief. It’s just a few verses in the Gospel of Matthew. But its symbolic afterlife has been vast.

For nearly two thousand years, theologians, mystics, herbalists, alchemists, artists, and folk practitioners have returned again and again to these three substances, finding layer upon layer of meaning embedded within them.

Gold. Frankincense. Myrrh.

They’re not objects chosen at random. They’re materials that were already steeped in sacred, royal, and ritual significance long before they ever reached Bethlehem.

This post explores the historical, cultural, spiritual, and symbolic meanings of these three gifts, drawing from ancient Near Eastern practices, Greco-Roman religion, early Christian theology, herbal lore, and alchemical symbolism.

Rather than offering a single “correct” interpretation, we’ll look at how meaning gathered around these substances over time, and why they may continue to resonate today.

What You’ll Learn in This Post

• The many historical and spiritual meanings of gold, frankincense, and myrrh across ancient cultures
• Why these three gifts were symbolically significant long before the Nativity story
• How early Christian writers and later mystics interpreted the Magi’s offerings
• The herbal, ritual, and alchemical roles of frankincense and myrrh in the ancient world
• How the gifts form a symbolic triad of kingship, spirit, and embodiment
• Why these materials may still resonate in modern spiritual and seasonal practice

The Gifts in Context: More Than a Nativity Detail

The Gospel of Matthew tells us that the Magi (the three wise ones from the East) presented the child Jesus with “gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11).

The text doesn’t explain why these gifts were chosen, nor does it specify their symbolic meaning.

That silence created space.

Early Christian writers quickly began interpreting the offerings symbolically, linking each substance to a different aspect of Christ’s identity.

Later traditions layered in cosmology, medicine, ritual practice, and alchemical philosophy.

Still later, artists and folklorists expanded the symbolism even further.

What’s important to note is this: The meanings associated with these gifts are interpretive traditions, not explicit biblical claims.

They reflect how people across centuries may have made sense of sacred materials already known to carry power, value, and mystery.

Learn more

Who Were the Three Wise Men, Really? Origins, Myths, and Hidden Meanings Behind the Magi

Gold: Kingship, Solar Power, and Sacred Authority

Gold in the Ancient World

Gold was pretty universally associated with royalty, divinity, and the sun in the ancient world.

Its incorruptibility (i.e. resistance to rust, decay, or tarnish) made it a natural symbol of permanence and divine authority.

In ancient Egypt, gold was considered the “flesh of the gods.”

In Mesopotamia, it adorned temples and sacred statues.

In Greco-Roman culture, gold was linked to Apollo, Helios, and imperial power.

To give gold was to acknowledge sovereignty.

When later Christian interpreters read the Magi’s story, gold became an obvious symbol of kingship. It was a recognition of Christ as king, not merely of a nation, but of a cosmic order (Brown, 1993).

Solar Symbolism and Spiritual Radiance

Gold’s association with the sun extended beyond political authority into spiritual cosmology.

Solar symbolism was deeply embedded in mystery traditions, where the sun represented:

• Life force
• Consciousness
• Order over chaos
• The visible face of the divine

In this light, gold wasn’t just wealth. It was condensed light, a material echo of solar radiance (Eliade, 1958).

From an alchemical perspective, gold corresponded to the perfected state of matter and soul (illumination, integration, and wholeness).

The alchemist’s goal (the opus magnum) was often described as the creation of philosophical gold, both materially and spiritually.

Gold as a Spiritual Offering

Symbolically, gold speaks to:

• Recognition of sacred authority
• Alignment with higher order
• Honor offered without expectation of return

In modern spiritual language, gold can be read as the gift of presence, attention, and reverence—the act of acknowledging something greater than oneself.

Frankincense: Prayer, Purification, and the Rising of Spirit

Frankincense in Temple and Ritual Life

Frankincense is an aromatic resin harvested from trees of the Boswellia genus, native to the Arabian Peninsula and Horn of Africa.

In antiquity, it was among the most valuable trade goods in the world, sometimes worth even more than gold by weight.

Its primary use was ritual incense.

In Jewish temple worship, frankincense played a central role in offerings to God (Exodus 30).

In Greco-Roman religion, incense was burned to honor gods and sanctify space. In Egyptian rites, it was used to purify temples and accompany the souls of the dead.

Across cultures, the meaning was fairly consistent: Smoke rises. Prayer ascends.

Spiritual Elevation and the Breath of the Divine

The physical properties of frankincense help to reinforce its symbolic role. When burned, it releases a bright, clean, citrus-resinous scent that helps to clear the air and sharpen attention.

Early Christian writers associated frankincense with divinity and priesthood. It was a recognition of Christ’s spiritual nature and mediating role between heaven and earth (Origen, Contra Celsum).

In this way, frankincense came to symbolize:

• Prayer
• Sacred communication
• Purification of space and spirit
• Conscious elevation

In metaphysical traditions, incense smoke often represents the movement from dense matter to subtle realms, carrying intention upward.

Herbal and Embodied Dimensions

Historically, frankincense was also used medicinally for inflammation, wounds, respiratory support, and mental clarity (Avicenna, Canon of Medicine).

This dual role (medicine and sacrament) made frankincense especially potent symbolically. It bridged body and spirit, reminding practitioners that purification isn’t abstract, but enacted through material means.

Myrrh: Embodiment, Mourning, and Sacred Death

Why Myrrh Was the Most Shocking Gift

If gold honored kingship and frankincense honored divinity, myrrh introduced a darker, heavier note.

Myrrh (another aromatic resin, harvested from Commiphora trees) was used primarily for:

• Embalming and burial preparation
• Anointing the dead
• Pain relief and wound treatment

In the ancient world, myrrh smelled like death. Not decay, but ritualized death, sanctified mourning.

This is why early Christian commentators saw myrrh as prophetic. It was a symbol of suffering, mortality, and the inevitability of death (Jerome, Commentary on Matthew).

Sacred Death, Not Despair

Importantly, myrrh wasn’t associated with despair. Think of it more as reverent transition.

In many cultures, death rituals weren’t about finality, but transformation.

Myrrh preserved bodies, honored the threshold between worlds, and softened the passage from life to death.

In the Gospels, myrrh appears again at the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, reinforcing its symbolic arc from birth to death (Mark 15:23; John 19:39).

Embodiment and the Cost of Incarnation

Spiritually, myrrh came to represent:

• The weight of embodiment
• The cost of incarnation
• Grief held with dignity
• Transformation through loss

In contrast to frankincense’s rising smoke, myrrh anchors downward…into flesh, pain, time, and impermanence.

Together, they form a complete spiritual cosmology.

The Triad as a Whole: A Sacred Pattern

So, given alllllllll this, when you read them together, gold, frankincense, and myrrh form a sort of symbolic trinity:

Gift	Realm	Meaning
Gold	Cosmic / Solar	Authority, illumination, order
Frankincense	Spiritual / Aerial	Prayer, purification, connection
Myrrh	Earthly / Mortal	Embodiment, death, transformation

This pattern mirrors ancient philosophical models of reality. Spirit, soul, and body. Heaven, earth, and underworld.

Rather than predicting a single fate, the gifts articulate a full human-divine arc…light, breath, and flesh.

Why These Symbols Still Resonate Today

These materials may continue to appear in modern spiritual practice because they speak to timeless human experiences, including:

• The longing to honor what matters
• The need to purify and reconnect
• The inevitability of loss (and the possibility of meaning within it)

You don’t need to accept any single theological framework to work with these symbols. They function as archetypal substances, carrying meaning across cultures and eras.

Working with the Symbolism Today

If you’re drawn to symbolic or ritual practice, try exploring these gifts reflectively. For example:

• Gold as attention, gratitude, or conscious honoring
• Frankincense as breath, prayer, or intentional clearing
• Myrrh as grief honored, endings witnessed, or transitions marked

There’s no requirement to believe anything specific for symbolism to work. Remember: Meaning often arises through relationship, not doctrine.

A Note on Interpretation
The meanings explored here are historical and symbolic interpretations, developed across centuries by theologians, mystics, herbalists, and cultural storytellers. They’re not presented as literal claims, predictions, or spiritual guarantees. Symbolism invites reflection, not certainty.

References

• Brown, R. E. (1993). The Birth of the Messiah. Yale University Press.
• Eliade, M. (1958). Patterns in Comparative Religion. Sheed & Ward.
• Origen. Contra Celsum.
• Jerome. Commentary on Matthew.
• Avicenna. The Canon of Medicine.
• Exodus 30; Matthew 2; Mark 15; John 19, Bible

Disclaimer
This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It explores historical symbolism, cultural interpretation, and spiritual traditions. It does not offer medical, psychological, or religious advice, nor does it promise outcomes or spiritual results. Always consult qualified professionals for health or spiritual concerns.