The text from Matthew’s gospel simply says “mages” – magicians or wise men, or perhaps astrologers, but not kings. It does not report their names. As far as can be determined, the tradition regarding their names and nationalities arose in Alexandria in the 6th century: Melchior from Persia, Kaspar from India, and Balthasar from Babylonia or Arabia. Indeed, the gospel text does not claim that they were three in number (in early Syriac Christian tradition, there were twelve wise men). Yet Matthew does tell us that there were three gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh – and so the common assumption has been that each sage brought one gift.
John Henry Hopkins Jr (1820-1891) was an Episcopal priest, music instructor at General Theological Seminary, and editor of the Church Journal. He wrote the words and music for “We Three Kings” for a children’s Christmas pageant in 1857, and published it in his book Carols, Hymns and Songs in 1863. He is also notable for having preached at the funeral of President Ulysses Grant in 1885.
The structure of the carol has each of the three kings singing a solo for one of the middle three stanzas, as each in turn declares the significance of the gift he brings: gold to indicate royalty, incense symbolizing prayerful worship of God, and myrrh to prefigure Christ’s sacrificial death and burial. The final stanza sums that up: King and God and sacrifice.
1. We three kings of Orient are; Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain, Following yonder star.
Refrain
O star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light.
2. Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never, Over us all to reign. Refrain
3. Frankincense to offer have I; Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising, Worshiping God on high. Refrain
4. Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, Sealed in the stone cold tomb. Refrain
5. Glorious now behold Him arise; King and God and Sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia, Rings through the earth and skies. Refrain
A nice rendition by the choir of King’s College, Cambridge.
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