Legend and song tell us the three Wise Men brought frankincense, myrrh, and gold as gifts to the Baby Jesus. In following a star to find the Baby Jesus, the three Wise Men become the most celebrated astrologers in Western culture. Ever wonder why they bring those three gifts?
Ancient Jewish mystical traditions place those items as symbols of three spheres on the Tree of Life. The colors of the wise men refer to the colors of the spheres that each man represents. Frankincense belongs to the white sphere, Chokmah, whose names means Wisdom and offers the gift of guiding future decisions. Myrrh goes with the black sphere, Binah, meaning understanding. Its gift is the ability to look backwards and comprehend what has happened. Gold symbolizes Tiphareth, the yellow sphere which balances the light and dark.
In giving those gifts, the Wise Men demonstrate that the Baby Jesus will know both the past and the future with the talent to be able to balance them in an eternal now.