Judas Iscariot: Part 3 30 Pieces of Silver
Every Gospel mentions Judas Iscariot was paid by the Jewish leaders to betray Jesus. But only Matthew’s Gospel mentions he was paid 30 pieces of silver.
Matthew 26 v 14-16
Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
The modern value of 30 pieces of silver depends on what coin was used.
It was likely the Tyrian shekel, as this was the coin used for the Temple tax. It was 94% pure silver and weighed 14 grams each. If this is the case, Judas was offered $10,500 to betray Jesus.
Joseph Sold into Slavery
I have mentioned previously in this series how Joseph is a type of Christ, and was sold into slavery by Judah.
I believe Matthew mentions the detail about the silver coins, so he can symbolically link with Joseph’s story. Judas is a comparable name to Judah. And just like Judah selling Joseph into slavery, Judas is effectively selling Jesus into captivity, to the Jewish leaders and Romans authorities.
In the story of Joseph, he is sold to the Ishmaelites. Ishmael was the first son of Abraham. Sarai, Abraham’s wife, allowed Hagar (her servant) to bear a child for Abraham and thereby give him an heir. Sarai began to despise Hagar, and she left Abraham’s family with the child.
So Matthew is symbolically connecting the Jewish leaders with the Ishmaelites. And therefore saying that they are the illegitimate children of Abraham.
Zechariah and 30 Pieces of Silver
In Zechariah 11, we read about how God told the prophet to become a shepherd of a flock of sheep destined to be slaughtered.
He is paid 30 pieces of silver for the flock. Which he accepts, but then later throws the money into the temple.
We see Judas similarly takes 30 silver coins. And hands over the Lamb of God, who is destined to die, to the Chief Priest.
Love of Money
We get a sense from the handful of verses about Judas in the Gospels that he loved money. I wonder if St Paul had Judas in mind when he wrote:
1 Timothy 6 v 10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Judas’s love of money led to all kinds of evil; envy, pride and especially betrayal.