The document discusses the gifts of frankincense and myrrh that were given to baby Jesus by the Magi. It explores the deeper meanings and origins of these gifts from both monotheistic and polytheistic perspectives. Specifically, it notes that frankincense and myrrh have origins in the desert regions and represent the masculine, singular spirituality of monotheism, while the Magi represented the feminine, nature-based polytheism of the east. The giving of these gifts symbolized a meeting of these two worldviews that set the stage for Christianity's development.

1. . The Gifts from the Magi An Ancient Mystery of Frankincense and Myrrh Christoph Streicher, Ph.D. Amrita Aromatherapy, Inc.

2. The Story (Excerpts from Matthew 2:1-11) 1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea behold, wise men, astrologers, from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, 2 Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east at its rising and have come to worship Him.

3. 9 … they went their way, and behold, the star which had been seen in the east in its rising went before them until it came and stood over the place where the young child was.

4. 10 When they saw the star, they were thrilled with ecstatic joy. 11 And on going into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him. Then opening their treasure bags, they presented to Him gifts – gold and frankincense and myrrh.

6. But this story is completely out of context. It is basically unbelievable, and does not fit the culture into which Christ was born. Whenever you read something in ancient literature that does not seem to make sense, most likely there is a very profound meaning to it.

7. What struck me when I read the story again a few years back, is the 2000 years before the birth of Christ, since the time of Moses, Israel had the task and the mission to establish monotheism. The old Testament is about the elected people, the chosen people who have their own, one God. And then along came the astrologers.

8. It seems to me the Old Testament is about asserting Monotheism over the Polytheistic beliefs that coexisted with Monotheism in the people of Israel for a number of centuries.

10. Finally, by the birth of Christ, Monotheism was well established. The astrologers from the East arrived out of nowhere and they were welcomed even though they related to gods like Mars, Venus and Jupiter. The standard of the Jewish culture at that time was that one does not talk to non Jewish neighboring tribes.

11. A Jewish person would have said, “Who do you think you are? Go back where you came from.” But instead they are called wise men – an absolute conundrum.

12. So why is this story about gold, Frankincense and Myrrh in the New Testament, and what does this have to do with aromatherapy?

13. Polytheistic religions like that of the Greeks have a whole assembly of Gods: Zeus with his thunderbolt, Poseidon, Demeter, and so on. In this kind of world view, everything has its own spirit: the wind, the ocean and the earth.

14. Each particular aspect of nature has its own being. Each form and character are different as they take on attributes of the sun, the earth, thunder or forest.

15. In this particular world view, God is in everything. God assumes different forms and appears under various names and intentions, with different personalities and genders.

16. There are even good and evil gods. The whole variety we see in nature is reflected in beings who represent the different qualities of nature.

17. By contrast, all monotheistic religions talk about singularity. Monotheistic religions say the spirit is out there somewhere, far and remote, like the cloud that guided the people of Israel through the desert.

55. To learn more about the uses of essential oils and the values of aromatherapy, visit amrita.net Or email us anytime at [email_address] Thanks, Christoph Streicher, Ph.D.