The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 77

Ver. 11.-Representing owrselves bg owr gifts. Traditions have gathered round thi'II fltory. The Magi are said to have been three. Their names are given-Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar. Their gifts were threefold; each had a symbolic meaning, and each was tbe representative gift of the individual who presented it. The details of the tradition are given in Farrar's 'Life of Christ.' No great value can attach to it, but it does emphasize the facts on which we now dwell, that the gifts of the Magi were their own; were representative; were representative strictly oftheTM1elves. These gifts may be shown to have been (1) from their own country; (2) of their own property; (3) by their own selection; ( 4) expressing their own meaning; and (5) therefore they strictly represented and carried themselves. . I. FROM THEm OWN COUNTRY. .And so representative of their particular associations and interests. See the precision of the gifts selected by Jacob for Pharaoh's vizier (Gan. xliii. 11): "Carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds." These were the products of the district. Arabia and the East are the spice-countries, and from them caravans bore myrrh and frank- incense for trading in other lands. So the Magi seemed to bear the homage of their country. II. FROM TREIB OWN PROPERTY. Illustrate by. tbe noble spirit of David, who would not give, for the service of the Lord, what cost him nothing, and who generolillly devoted of his own private property-of his "own proper good." People are ready enough to give away co=on property, on committees; but the same people are mean enough when claim is made on their own property. Yet there never can be any real nobility in the gift unless we can say," It is mine, and I give it to you." IIL BY TREIB OWN SELECTION. No doubt the question was anxiously discussed, "What shall we take?" They would be anxious to find something suitable, but each would have his idea of suitability. 'fhey were going to offer homage to a King: so all might agree that a present of gold would be wise. But, then, it wl!.ll a Babe: so it seems they agreed at last on carrying the scents and spices which would be useful in tending the Babe. Whether those imaginative Easterns attached symbolical ideas to their gifts does not appear. Such ideas have been attached for them. Myrrh was for the human nature, gold for the King, and incense for the Divinity. Gifts ought to carry thought. IV. EXPRESSING THEm OWN MEANING. Though all meant one thing, each gave a special individuality and tone to the meaning. Let several join in a gift, and the gift will really be manifold, and not j11St one. V. CAllRYING THEHBELVEB. A gift is nothing save as it represents the giver. Give what we may to God, the gift, to be acceptable, must give ourselves.-R. 'l'. Ver. 12.-The blending of tlte ordinary and t/1$ special in Divine dealings. These men had been led, by the ordinary exercise of their minds, on certain natural, if unusual, phenomena which they had observed in the heavens. But now they were led by special Divine intervention and direct Divine communications. '!'his is the fact that seems to be suggestive. That very remarkable blending of the ordinary and the special, the natural and the miraculous, we find reappearing everywhere in the Divine- dealings with men. A most int.eresting book might be made of ·mustratiop.s of the· 11trange limitations of the miracles. God will be found to work miracles when we can hardly see a pressing need for them, and to refrain from working miracles just where we think they would be most effective. Illustrate: Jacob takes every precaution against the anger of Esau, and God gives him supernatural strength. Israel knocks down the quails that fly low because of their weary flight over the sea; and gather1J miraculous bread from heaven and water from smitten rocks. St. Paul raises thfr &tunned, perhaps dead, EutychW!, but leaves 'frophimus sick at Ephesus, to the chance an, u. 1~23.] 'l'HE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 65