Myrrh

Myrrh is a fragrant resin from small, thorny trees of Arabia and East Africa, prized in the ancient world for perfume, anointing oil and burial. It was a principal ingredient in Israel's holy anointing oil, and Esther's preparation before meeting the king included 'six months with oil of myrrh.' Myrrh frames the life of Jesus: the wise men brought it to the young child, he was offered 'wine mingled with myrrh' at the cross and refused it, and Nicodemus brought 'a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight,' to prepare his body for burial.

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Strongest connections in Scripture

Matthew 2 John 19

Key Passages

Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh

Matthew 2:11

The wise men worship the young child and present him with costly gifts, among them myrrh.

A¹¹nd 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.

Prepared for Burial

John 19:38-40

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus honor Jesus' body with linen and a great weight of spices.

A³⁸nd after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

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. ⁴⁰ Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.