And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
I beg the Reader to remark with me, that the Wise Men saw not Joseph. For as Joseph was not the real but only the reputed father, his presence was not necessary; perhaps it might have been improper. But must not the same power which hung out the star, and directed the minds of these men to interpret the meaning of it, have influenced them also to worship CHRIST. For otherwise, how ill did the poverty of Christ's appearance correspond to the greatness of his dignity. It hath been supposed, that the gifts they presented of gold, and frankincense, and myrrh, had some significancy. Perhaps they might. But the Holy Ghost is silent upon this subject. Instead, therefore, of conjecture, I would refer the Reader to those scriptures. Son_5:11; Son_1:13; Son_4:14; Psalms 72:10-15; 1 Kings 10:2.