Pieces Of Silver

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.""' The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered and prepared the Passover.

When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me." Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, "Surely it is not I, Lord?" He said in reply, "He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me.

The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" He answered, "You have said so." (Matthew 26:14-25)

We’re still talking about Judas, the one who dipped his hand into the dish with Jesus and was to betray him.  He was the one of the Twelve who went to the chief priests and said,

"What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" Paid 30 pieces of silver, Judas looked for an opportunity to hand Jesus over.

Consider another instance of “handing over.”  A group of 12, later to become the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel, handed over their brother, Joseph, for 20 pieces of silver.  One of the 12 brothers who urged the others to seek money for their act of betrayal was named Judah or Judas. Genesis 37:26-27 reads: “Judah said to his brothers: ‘What is to be gained by killing our brother and concealing his blood? Come, let us sell him to these Ishmaelites, instead of doing away with him ourselves. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh.’ His brothers agreed.” This similarity to Judas’ betrayal of Jesus is obvious.

Then there is the Book of Zechariah.  In Zechariah 11:13 we are told about the betrayal of the shepherd king of the Jews for 30 pieces of silver later hurled back into the Temple treasury by the prophet.  That’s where Judas threw his money after he repented (Matthew 27:3-5).  Again, quite the similarity.  There are more throughout the Gospels.

Many of us have betrayed Jesus in one way or another.  Regrettably, if questioned by Jesus, we’d likely say: "Surely it is not I, Rabbi.”  If that’s our response, then it would be better for us if we had never been born. Too severe a punishment?  Reader, what do you think?

Deacon David Pierce