Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 2:11

"And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh." — Matthew 2:11 (ASV)

Opened their treasures — The word here refers to the caskets or chests they had brought with them.

Gold, and frankincense, and myrrh — These were quite natural as traditional gifts of homage to a ruler. For comparison, consider the gifts Jacob sent to Joseph (Genesis 43:11), the myrrh and spices in Psalm 45:8, the gold in Psalm 72:15, and the gold and incense in Isaiah 60:6. The patristic interpretation views the gifts as symbolic: gold for kingly power, incense for divinity, and myrrh for death and embalmment. While this view is interesting, we cannot assume it was what the Evangelist specifically had in mind. It is also noteworthy that Joseph is not mentioned here. Considering his prominence in Matthew’s narrative, we must assume that his absence on the night of their arrival was accidental.