What happened to the three gifts of Artaban for Jesus?

Artaban has three items of great value to offer the Messiah when he finds him, but is forced to use them in order to help people in need. Thus, Artaban is left with nothing to offer the new born King. The story ends as Artaban, old and dying, finally meets Jesus.

What happened to the three kings gifts?

One legend says the thieves crucified with Jesus had stolen the gold given him at birth. Another says that Judas was made custodian of the gifts and he sold them and pocketed the money. There is a story that the myrrh given to Jesus as a child was used in his burial.

What happened to the Magi after they left Jesus?

In the Book of Matthew, the magi stopped at Herod's palace on their way to Bethlehem, and the king asked them to let him know where this newborn babe was, so that “I may also go and pay him homage.” But the magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and so they left for their own country by another road” and ...

Why did the three kings leave Artaban behind?

The three other wise men tire of waiting for their dilly-dallying comrade so they leave him behind to fend for himself, to make his way to Bethlehem on his own.

What have you learned in the story of Artaban the great Magi?

Artaban was a Magi, a group of scholars who studied the prophecies and the stars. They learned that a great star that rose in the East signalled the birth of a baby, born to be King of Israel. Artaban and his companions Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar decided to follow the star to pay homage to the new-born King.

How to Understand the Three Wise Men, Frankincense

Is Artaban in the Bible?

The story is an addition and expansion of the account of the Biblical Magi, recounted in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. It tells about a "fourth" wise man (accepting the tradition that the Magi numbered three), a priest of the Magi named Artaban, one of the Medes from Persia.

What did the wise men's gifts mean?

The three gifts had a spiritual meaning: gold as a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense (an incense) as a symbol of deity, and myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of death. This dates back to Origen in Contra Celsum: "gold, as to a king; myrrh, as to one who was mortal; and incense, as to a God."

What does the gold frankincense and myrrh represent?

THERE ARE two traditions. The first, referred to in the carol 'We Three Kings', interprets the gifts as symbolising three aspects of Christ's future life: gold representing kingship, frankincense (worship) and myrrh (death and mourning).

Why did the Magi bring gold frankincense and myrrh?

It represents the coming of Jesus to all – to Gentiles and Jews alike. The Magi saw the star from afar and traveled to worship the Christ Child. They brought him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh – each of which tells us something about Jesus' identity.

Was there a fourth wise man?

There is an old legend of a 4th Wiseman named Artaban. Like the other Magi, he sees signs in the heavens proclaiming that a King had been born among the Jews. And so, he sets out to see the newborn ruler, carrying treasures to give as gifts to the child - a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl of great price.

Did the three Magi exist?

The magi were not fanciful magical figures from the imagination of Matthew. Instead there is every reason to believe they were historical figures who fit perfectly into the political, religious, and cultural scene in Judea at the time of Christ's birth.

Did the Magi go to Bethlehem or Nazareth?

There are several arduous journeys at the heart of the Christmas story. Mary and Joseph travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The magi travel to Nazareth from the East. Mary and Joseph take Jesus to Egypt to avoid the wrath of Herod.

How old was Joseph when Jesus was born?

At one time, Joseph was assumed to be elderly when he married Mary. However, now we believe that Mary and Joseph were both in their teens when Jesus was born, around sixteen and eighteen respectively. This was the norm for Jewish newlyweds at that time.

Which of the three kings was black?

Balthasar, king of Ethiopia or Saba, land of spices, was 40 and brought frankincense in a censer. He is traditionally depicted as black.

What is myrrh worth?

Myrrh is produced as a resin from the Commiphora tree, native to Yemen, Ethiopia and Somalia. A pound of granular myrrh for incense sold by a vendor called New Age on Amazon.com runs $13.95.

Who are the 3 Kings and their gifts?

Christian tradition holds that these Magi (members of a priestly caste of ancient Persia) were named Balthazar, Gaspar, and Melchior. It is not clear just who carried which gift; the biblical account, in fact, makes no reference to specific names, or even to the fact that there were exactly three visitors.

What does myrrh smell like?

Myrrh is resinous with an aromatic woody and slight medicinal smell. It can range from bitter and astringent to warm and sweet. Similar to frankincense or pine, it's a cooling scent.

What does oil of myrrh represent?

In the Bible, Myrrh was commonly used as an anointing oil while Frankincense was commonly used as a perfume. Frankincense which is an incense is a symbol of deity while myrrh as an embalming oil is used as a symbol of death. Both gifts, along with gold were gifts presented to kings at that time.

What does myrrh look like?

Myrrh is a reddish-brown dried sap from a thorny tree — Commiphora myrrha, also known as C. molmol — that is native to northeastern Africa and southwest Asia ( 1 , 2). A steam distillation process is used to extract myrrh essential oil, which is amber to brown in color and has an earthy scent (3).

Why is myrrh so special?

Each of these precious gifts has a symbolic meaning. Frankincense was used for worship in the Temple; it is symbolic of Christ the High Priest. Gold is symbolic of Christ the King. Myrrh a perfume, was used to anoint dead bodies, it is symbolic of His death for the sake of truth, and therefore of Christ the Prophet.

What tree does myrrh come from?

myrrh, (from Arabic murr, “bitter”), bitter-tasting, agreeably aromatic, yellow to reddish brown oleoresinous gum obtained from various small, thorny, flowering trees of the genus Commiphora, of the incense-tree family (Burseraceae). The two main varieties of myrrh are herabol and bisabol.

How much was the gold frankincense and myrrh worth?

Equivalent to today's prices, a pound of frankincense was worth $500 a pound, and a pound of myrrh was $4,000. Today, each are priced at approximately $15 a pound. However, the value of a pound of gold was valued at $600, and in today's market, a pound of gold could cost 10 times that amount.

Why was Artaban called The Fourth Wise Man?

There is an old legend of a 4th Wiseman named Artaban. Like the other Magi, he sees signs in the heavens proclaiming that a King had been born among the Jews. And so, he sets out to see the newborn ruler, carrying treasures to give as gifts to the child - a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl of great price.

What were the three Wisemans names?

From a wide assortment of names suggested for the Magi, those that eventually prevailed were Gaspar (or Caspar), Melchior, and Balthasar. But the names, like the lands of origin, were never consistently assigned to a particular king.