Myrrh: Jesus’ Birth and Death
This morning was fairly laid back with even some additional rest this morning after my normal morning routine. The past few nights just before “bed time” for me, I have really felt fatigued. That may be due to more activity during the day and just making some adjustments.
I did have my fitness workout with my trainer today. I believe we have a good workout routine for me to follow on my own. I will begin just a one day a week with my trainer for the next six weeks and see how things go from there. This afternoon produced some nice warm, sunny weather, so it was good to get out and take the dog on a longer walk.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “…Then they [the Wise-men] opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11) “Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.” (Mark 15:23)
It is interesting that we find at Jesus’ birth and at His death a reference to the substance of “myrrh.” First of all, it was one of the gifts brought by the Wise-men when they visited the infant Jesus. It was a gift of value and a gift that spoke of royalty. One commentator observed that the frankincense and myrrh were probably of greater value than the gold brought by the Wise-men.
Myrrh was known for many uses: as a fragrance, as a spice used in burial and as a substance used for medicinal purposes. As a medicine it was known to treat several aliments including joint pain. So, I guess if Joesph had any joint problems from his work, he had a ready made treatment in addition to something of value that could be sold and used to support the family.
Of all the gifts myrrh is view as the one that spoke of the not only Jesus’ kingly status, but one that spoke of the fact that “He was born to die.” Some translations refer to “myrrh” as the ointment used on Jesus before his crucifixion. On that occasion Jesus did say, “…She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.” (Mark 14:8) It would have been customary for myrrh to be used for this purpose.
Some have also observed that myrrh is extracted from the tree in which it is found, by cuts make in the bark that would allow the substance to ooze out. This could be a foreshadowing of Jesus suffering and the stripes of the whip that He bore which Isaiah said, were for our healing.
On the cross Jesus refused the wine mingled with myrrh as a sedative. Some believe that the myrrhed wine was given to our Lord from a sentiment of sympathy, to prevent him from feeling too sensibly the pain of his sufferings. Although it was a custom of the Jews to give those who were condemned to death by crucifixion “wine mingled with myrrh” the effect was to produce insensibility.
In rejecting this “drink,” – Jesus endured the full brunt of the pain of crucifixion and was able to utter the words from the cross that we have recorded in scripture, not from a drug induced state, but as one who came to fullfil the will of the Father to the end.
So, we find the spice that was a gift of honor to the baby Jesus, proved a temptation to Him on the cross. But He refused any “way out” of suffering for our sake, whether through His prayer in the garden or the wine-myrrh offered to him in His pain.
What can we take away from these observations. I believe we can see the provision of the Lord and have confidence that He does “take care of His own.” We see how the gifts at the beginning of Jesus life foretold of the life He would live and one day give for us. As Jesus modeled for us, God’s plans are always the best to follow and to see unfold in our lives. And then I believe it is important for us to recognize when a “gift” is a “blessing or a curse.” That calls for us to be sensitive to the direction of the Holy Spirit and the Lord’s will for our life.