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.

MATTHEW 2:11KJV
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Matthew 2:11 (KJV)

What does Matthew 2:11 mean?

Matthew 2:11 describes how the wise men entered the house where Jesus was with Mary, his mother, and honored him by bowing down and giving him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This verse shows the wise men recognizing Jesus’ significance and offering him valuable and symbolic gifts.

Matthew is telling the story of the wise men (often called Magi) who traveled from the east after seeing a special star. When they found Jesus, they responded with acts of respect and worship, giving him treasures that were considered precious in their culture. The scene highlights both the recognition of Jesus by outsiders and the honor given to him even as a young child.

The Greek behind Matthew 2:11

  • προσκυνέω (proskuneō, G4352): This word is translated as "worshipped" and often means to bow down or show deep respect, sometimes with the sense of religious worship. Here, it shows the wise men treating Jesus with great reverence, not just as a king but with a sense of awe.
  • θησαυρός (thēsauros, G2344): This is the word for "treasures," meaning valuable possessions or storehouses. The wise men are not just giving ordinary gifts but are opening up their most prized belongings.
  • δῶρον (dōron, G1435): This word means "gifts" and is often used for offerings given to someone important or to God. The use of this word underlines the special and intentional nature of what the wise men brought.

Why Matthew 2:11 matters

  • Matthew 2:11 clears up the common idea that the wise men visited Jesus at the manger; the verse says they came into a house, suggesting some time had passed since Jesus’ birth.
  • The verse emphasizes that people from outside Israel recognized Jesus’ importance, hinting at his significance for all nations, not just for the Jewish people.
  • The specific gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—are often understood as rich in meaning, symbolizing Jesus’ kingship, divinity, and future suffering, though the verse itself simply presents them as valuable offerings.

Where else these words appear

“frankincense” Greek G3030 · used in 2 verses

  • Revelation 18:13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

“myrrh” Greek G4666 · used in 2 verses

  • John 19:39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.

“gold” Greek G5557 · used in 12 verses

  • Matthew 10:9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
  • Acts 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
  • Revelation 9:7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

“treasures” Greek G2344 · used in 16 verses

  • Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
  • Matthew 13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
  • Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.