. . . they presented unto him gifts . . . Matthew 2: 11

The Bible does not tell us the names of these Wise Men. Nor, does it tell us how many there were. History has speculated on the number of them and has spawned not a few accounts of “The Fourth Wise Man” and so on.

Actually, the basic reason that tradition has settled on there being three Wise Men is because there were three gifts given, i.e. gold, frankincense and myrrh. This theory assumes that each man had and presented only one gift. This is another one of those mysteries which will have to be demystified when we get to heaven. Still, this one word “gifts” has its own testimony if we are willing to hear it. If gifts could talk, they might share with us that:

(1). Every man gave something. None of us has everything to give, but all of us have something to give to Jesus. Don’t allow what you don’t have to keep you from giving. Give what you have.

(2). Every man gave based on his own gifts. That is to say, each man not only gave something, but he gave what he was gifted with. The one with gold gave gold. The one with frankincense gave frankincense. The one with myrrh gave myrrh. The reason that God has gifted those in the body of Christ with certain gifts is so that they can in turn give those gifts as a gift to Christ.

(3). Every man gave gifts. Their gifts were plural. If you just count the gold, frankincense and myrrh, then it appears that each man only gave one gift. However, these material presents were not the only gifts they gave to the Lord. They have Him worship. They gave Him honor. They gave Him allegiance. They gave Him recognition. Giving to Jesus is not supposed to be a one gift one time affair. Throughout our lifetime, as He does for us each day, it is our joy to give Him gifts.