Comments on: Judas, Jesus Christ and the 30 pieces of silver

By: Lois

Lois — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:54:35 +0000

awts..
i’m from the philippines..
this is a very sad story..

By: The ye ‘ole Big B Files Mailbox – Version 3.01 (July/August, 2009) «

The ye ‘ole Big B Files Mailbox – Version 3.01 (July/August, 2009) « — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:45:56 +0000

[...] to the Big B Files Christian Persecution in America. . .What Christian Persecution in America?, Judas, Jesus Christ and the 30 pieces of silver, Blocking the Return of the Fairness Doctrine & Protecting the First Amendment, and Hate Crimes [...]

By: bigbfiles

bigbfiles — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:06:49 +0000

Well Put Brittney . . . .well put.

By: Brittney

Brittney — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:27:48 +0000

This is an interesting discussion. I, like many of you, was very interested in finding the monetary equivalent of 30 pieces of silver in U.S. dollars. Thank you for the post. Also, in response to Mike’s comment: the shedding of Jesus’ blood did redeem us from our sins. Of course, it was in God’s plan for Jesus to be resurrected, but if He had not willingly laid his life down for us, then our chance for salvation would not be in existence. In Matthew 26:28, the scripture says:
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
It is through the blood of Jesus Christ that we are able to have a chance at eternal life with Him.

By: gail

gail — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:01:47 +0000

i just want to say…it’s wonderful to see people truly discussing the Word in a positive way…each gaining knowledge and seeing things in a different light….it is a blessing!!!!

By: Kieron

Kieron — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:42:11 +0000

I like this answer:

“The price of a slave was 30 silver shekels (perhaps 90 days’ wages). (Ex 21:32; compare Le 27:2-7.)

Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, evidently the price of a slave. (Mt 26:14-16, 47-50) No doubt these silver pieces were either shekels or other coins similar in value. But the kind of coin is not specified in the account, except for their being silver.

So, the price of a slave was he was paid, and that was about 90 days wages. If you want to extend to our time, think a bit above Minimum wage, times 8 times 90.
I used $7.25 and came up with about $5000.

The money was enough to by a small plot of land for a “potter’s field”.

3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, seeing he had been condemned, felt remorse and turned the thirty silver pieces back to the chief priests and older men, 4 saying: “I sinned when I betrayed righteous blood.” They said: “What is that to us? You must see to that!” 5 So he threw the silver pieces into the temple and withdrew, and went off and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said: “It is not lawful to drop them into the sacred treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7 After consulting together, they bought with them the potter’s field to bury strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called “Field of Blood” to this very day. 9 Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying: “And they took the thirty silver pieces, the price upon the man that was priced, the one on whom some of the sons of Israel set a price, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, according to what Jehovah had commanded me.”

This was acted out by Zechariah showing what little value they placed on him. This also applies on how little value the Jewish leaders, and Judas placed on Jesus.

Zechariah 11:12 Then I said to them: “If it is good in YOUR eyes, give [me] my wages; but if not, refrain.” And they proceeded to pay my wages, thirty pieces of silver.

13 At that, Jehovah said to me: “Throw it to the treasury—the majestic value with which I have been valued from their standpoint.” Accordingly I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw it into the treasury at the house of Jehovah.”

By: graham rice

graham rice — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:28:44 +0000

I have to disagree with the article’s author – I’m not sure how 30 pieces of silver equates to a small farm with buildings when the scriptures clearly state that it was used to purchase a field in which to bury foreigners. This would suggest a) not a viable farm and b) Land that was of little use for farming. It may even be possible that the 30 pieces of silver were an invention by some of the Jewish establishment to blacken Judas’ name. More than once in the Gospels Jesus bids Judas to do “what he HAS to do”. It is also inconceivable that the Sanhedrin would need anybody to identify Jesus as He had been a thorn in their sides for some time – they would know what He looked like. Read Matthew 26:49-50 – Judas refers to Jesus as Rabbi (teacher – a term of reverence and hardly likely to be used by a betrayer) and Jesus addresses Judas as “friend”.

By: Lev Lafayette

Lev Lafayette — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:01:47 +0000

The problem with this sort of simplistic calculation is that the value of land has increased substantially. Land is in static supply, whereas population is increased “a little bit” in the last 2,000 years, not to mention that land value is significantly altered by the value of local infrastructure.

According to other calculations 30 shekals would be enough to provide a person moderately well for a month. But of course, that’s without all the mod cons.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:20:27 +0000

This is an interesting post and I admire the curiosity of the writer to research the current value of Judas’ bribe. However, I must disagree with the conclusion of the second commentor, “…it was just straight greed on Judas behalf.” First, when put together with the other writers, the Gospels present a picture of a Jesus who is in control of the goings on, according to Christian doctrine, he is fully GOD and fully human at the same time. In fact, in John, it appears as though Jesus picks Judas for the job of betrayal. Jesus dips a piece of bread and hands it to Judas, “and satan enterred into him.” Secondly, it was not the death of Jesus that redeemed the world, it was the resurrection. Without the resurrection, Jesus is nothing more than a first century Jewish prophet, of which there were hundreds. In order for the redeeming nature of the Son of God to be accomplished, the resurrection must occur and Jesus (remember, also fully God) must defeat death to reopen the gates of the Garden of Eden and allow humankind to rejoin the presence of God, as was his goal in the original creation of Adam.

Nice post though, thanks for the thoughts…

By: Lindy

Lindy — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:52:17 +0000

Wow! I’ve been wondering how much 30 pieces of silver was worth in the days when Judas betrayed Jesus. Know that I know, I concluded it was just straight greed on Judas behalf.