With the words “bearing gifts,” it’s not hard to picture someone carrying neatly-wrapped presents in their arms. The expression, “I come bearing gifts,” implies you’ve arrived in possession of something you know the other person wants. Bearing your soul has a different meaning. Try any of the definitions offered above, and none of them really make sense. You don’t really carry your soul — or endure it — or give birth to it. This phrase’s most relevant origin is the Trojan horse’s tale described in Virgil’s Aeneid, and other references like the wise men bearing gifts are associated with its poetic and archaic nature. Is It Bearing or Baring Gifts? From Greek history and the Trojan horse mythology, we know that these were the Trojan priest’s words, Laocoὄn, when he warned the Trojans against trusting the Danaans and accepting their gift. His words have since been paraphrased and used in different instances to warn of impending betrayal from those presenting as good with friendly actions like bringing gifts. Correct: “There he stood, bearing (the weight of) it all, and I wanted more than anything to share that load with him.”

Nowafter Jesus was born inBethlehem of Judeain the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men fromthe east came to Jerusalem,saying, “Where is he who has been bornking of the Jews? For we sawhis star when it rose and have come toworship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them wherethe Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: Isaiah 60:6 describes the wealth of the nations coming to God’s people through Christ. Mary and Joseph saw a glimpse of this when they received the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And in this case, that wealth was likely used to help the family escape to another nation. Matthew tells us that as soon as the wise men departed, an angel of the Lord came to warn Joseph of Herod’s rage ( Matthew 2:13). Joseph was instructed to take refuge in Egypt, a journey of over 100 miles. For a family of humble means, a trip of this magnitude would be difficult to pull off. Though we don’t have a record of such, it is reasonable to think that the valuable gifts Mary and Joseph received from the wise men may have financed the family’s flight to Egypt. The primary significance of the gifts lay in their great value—they were indeed gifts fit for a king. Beyond making it clear that these were great treasures given in an act of worship, Scripture does not directly attach any other symbolic meaning to the gifts. However, without venturing too far off into extra-biblical speculation, it’s reasonable to draw a few possible inferences from the gifts brought by the wise men. These valuable gifts were clearly intended to honor Jesus, but it’s possible they carried deeper theological significance as well. You may also opt to downgrade to Standard Digital, a robust journalistic offering that fulfils many user’s needs. Compare Standard and Premium Digital here.Culling from Laocoὄn’s words, the phrase has been paraphrased in English to become the commonly used proverb, “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts,” and now in the modern era, it’s used as “I come bearing gifts.” The legend of the magi has fired the imagination of Christians since the earliest times. In art, the adoration of the magi appeared earlier and far more frequently than any other scene of Jesus’ birth and infancy, including images of the babe in a manger. Robin Jensen explores in the article “Witnessing the Divine” the captivating tradition of the wise men who visit Jesus at his birth. In tracing the magi’s numerous appearances in art and literature, Jensen seeks to understand how various Christians have understood the theological message of the magi story.

It means that a gift is not just a gift, especially if it comes from an enemy or someone who has always been against you. It would be better not to trust in their sudden good actions because there could be something they want in return.

The plain meaning of bringing gifts with no other motive behind it tends to overrule the original sense associated with mistrust and betrayal. That doesn’t mean you should trust anybody who comes bringing gifts. It’s okay to have doubts, especially with people who have always been against you and shouldn’t be wishing you well. Who Said I Come Bearing Gifts? The wise men and their gifts may also be seen through the lens of global missions. Israel was never intended to be the stopping point of grace; God called them to be a light for all nations. One of the clearest examples of this picture is found in Isaiah 60, a scene describing an age to come when the nations would be drawn to the glory of Israel—“nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” ( Isaiah 60:3). The nations would come, but they wouldn’t be empty-handed: “they shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord” (v. 6). In the wise men, we see a microcosm of the greater reality that is to come: one day, people from every tribe, tongue, and nation will come before the throne of Jesus in praise and adoration ( Revelation 7:9-10). Since the early days of Christianity, Biblical scholars and theologians have offered varying interpretations of the meaning and significance of the gold, frankincense, and myrrh that the magi presented to Jesus. Did the magi know of frankincense’s healing properties when they presented it to young Jesus? It’s possible, according to researchers who have been studying frankincense. Discover the medical uses of frankincense in “The Magi’s Gifts—Tribute or Treatment?” Last holiday season, we served over 23,000 children during our BEARing Gifts program, and this was all made possible because of Y-O-U! Thanks to individual donors, volunteers, and community partners, we were able to provide holiday cheer to thousands of children! Whether you donated 100 toys or 1 toy, it all truly made a difference! You made a child smile during the holiday season, and for that, we cannot thank you enough!