#three kings

[tomicscomics]

01/02/2025

Sometimes, less is myrrh.

___

JOKE-OGRAPHY:

In this Bible story (Matthew 2), three magi (or wise philosophers) use their knowledge of scripture and astrology to determine the birthplace of the prophesied King of the Jews. Even some gentiles were convinced this king would be a powerful and just ruler to all the nations, so when the magi realize His birth has come, they set out to bring a very particular set of gifts -- gold, frankincense, and myrrh -- which are references to more Jewish scripture (like Isaiah 60) as well as symbolic of Jesus's identity as king (gold), priest/divine (frankincense), and sacrifice (myrrh).

In this cartoon, the three magi present their gifts, but when the third magi announces his gift's symbolism (regarding the death and sacrifice of Jesus), the Holy Family looks at him in horror. Jesus is still very young at this point, and I've been informed that it is considered uncouth to bring up the eventual death of people when they've only JUST BEEN BORN. Anyway, the third magi complains that he "drew the short straw," implying that the three magi bought their three gifts together, then drew straws to see which of them would get to give the more or less desirable gifts. It is in this way that he came to be burdened with myrrh and its implications.

[spiritsdancinginthenight]

Three Magi Asleep Gislebertus, 1120-30 A.D. Cathedral of St. Lazare in Atun, France.

[ilovemesomevincentprice]

Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, and Peter Cushing -

House of the Long Shadows (1983)

[rejectingrepublicans]

[thejewellerybox]

VIntage 'Three Kings' necklace with Baltic amber drops, Latvian (£367, eBay)

[chicotfp]

Made as a tiny thank you gift for amazing @clairdl ❤️🫂 I am so grateful to you for your support and kindness. It means the world to me.❤️❤️❤️🫂

[madeline-kahn]

SPIKE JONZE FILM ROLES

Babylon (2022) dir. Damien Chazelle Dìdi (2024) dir. Sean Wang Sing 2 (2021) dir. Garth Jennings The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) dir. Martin Scorsese Bad Grandpa.5 (2013) dir. Jeff Tremaine Three Kings (1999) dir. David O. Russell The Game (1997) dir. David Fincher Moneyball (2011) dir. Bennett Miller

happy birthday @spikes-jonze!

[now-winter-comes-slowly]

The First Noel, by Alice and Martin Provensen, 1959, Golden Books