The Gift of Gold

The symbolism in the Wise Men’s gift of gold is obvious. Since the beginning of time, gold has been the most sought after of all precious metals. It is the metal of kings. But even more important it is a symbol of the celestial kingdom with silver being a symbol of the terrestrial kingdom and brass or bronze of the telestial kingdom. Therefore, it was only natural that to celebrate the birth of the King of Kings, the Wise Men would bring a gift of gold.

But there are other things about gold that make this gift especially fitting for our Savior. The chemical symbol for gold is Au derived from the Latin word aurum which is related in several languages to words that refer to dawn an example being the Latin word aurora.

Gold is dense, soft, shiny, and the most malleable and ductile pure metal known. In addition, gold maintains its color without oxidizing in air or water which means it is non-corrodible. Chemically gold is known as a transition metal and of all the metals, pure gold is the least reactive and is able to resist most acids. Gold is an excellent conductor of electricity and has also provided the basis for monetary standards for many countries throughout history.

So there was much more meaning in the gift of gold than the fact that this infant was King. The Baby presented the gold would grow to be the Savior of the world. He was the “dawn” of salvation for all mankind. Through His atoning sacrifice we would be empowered to “transition” or make the mighty change from the carnal, sensual and devilish life to the spiritual and righteous life. He would be the only One to ever live a life “non-corroded” by sin, the One who would set the “standard” of righteousness for all who wished to return to God to follow. He was and is the “conductor” of the Light of Life. Yes, gold was a fitting gift for a King who would be much more than a King. He is our Savior.