The thirty pieces of silver is referenced in the Gospel accounts of Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus Christ. Judas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, but he betrayed Jesus by leading the religious authorities to him in exchange for payment. The payment Judas received was specified as thirty pieces of silver.
This event is recorded in Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11, and Luke 22:3-6. The Gospel of Matthew provides the most details, stating:
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:14-16 ESV)
The other Gospel accounts confirm this same event – Judas going to the chief priests, asking what they would give him if he betrayed Jesus to them, and receiving thirty pieces of silver as payment. This was the fulfillment of prophecies made hundreds of years earlier about the Messiah, specifically in Zechariah 11:12-13:
Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter. (Zechariah 11:12-13 ESV)
This Old Testament prophecy foretold that the coming Messiah would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. The New Testament records the fulfillment of this prophecy centuries later, when Judas betrayed Jesus for exactly thirty pieces of silver.
The significance of thirty pieces of silver
The number thirty did not carry any symbolic meaning, but rather was the price established centuries earlier by the prophecy in Zechariah. The silver coins were tetradrachmas, the common silver coin used in Israel at that time. So the agreed upon payment was simply thirty of the typical silver coins in circulation.
The amount of thirty pieces was likely selected to match the prophecy, rather than being an amount Judas himself requested from the religious leaders. It showed the accuracy of God’s Word being fulfilled.
The thirty pieces of silver highlight several key points:
- It was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy about the coming Messiah.
- It confirms Jesus as the Messiah, since this happened just as prophesied.
- It displays the greed of Judas in betraying Jesus for money.
- The small payment showed the rejection of Jesus’ value.
Although thirty pieces of silver was a normal price, it was also a reference to the compensation given for an injured slave (Exodus 21:32). The small payment for betraying Jesus to his death signified the religious leaders’ rejection of Jesus and disregard for his life. They did not recognize his true worth and identity.
What happened to the silver
After Judas betrayed Jesus and watched him sentenced to death, he regretted what he had done. Matthew 27:3-5 describes what Judas did next:
Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:3-5 ESV)
Overcome by guilt, Judas returned the money to the chief priests and elders. But they callously rejected any responsibility, so Judas threw the coins into the temple and went and committed suicide.
The chief priests then had a problem with this “blood money” that was now in the temple. Matthew 27:6-8 describes what they did:
But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. (Matthew 27:6-8 ESV)
Wanting to be rid of the money, the priests use it to buy a field from a potter to use as a burial ground for foreigners who died in Jerusalem. This provided a fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 11 about the thirty pieces of silver being thrown to the potter.
Symbolic meaning
Beyond being a direct fulfillment of biblical prophecy, the thirty pieces of silver carry additional symbolic meaning in the story of Jesus and Judas:
- Rejection of Jesus’ true worth – As mentioned earlier, the small payment showed the religious leaders’ rejection of Jesus’ true identity and value.
- The high cost of betrayal – Though he only received 30 pieces of silver, Judas lost his place among the 12 disciples, his relationship with Jesus, and ultimately his life.
- The Potter’s Field – Jesus compared himself to a potter in certain parables. So purchasing the Potter’s Field with the betrayal money hints at God bringing good from the situation.
- Ill-gotten gains – The money was considered “blood money.” This shows money dishonestly gained brings no lasting benefit.
Overall, the thirty pieces of silver underscore the tragedy of Judas’ betrayal, but also show God’s sovereignty even over the evil plans of people. God brought redemption through Jesus’ suffering and death, just as it had been prophesied long before.
Other biblical details
There are a few other biblical references to the thirty pieces of silver that provide additional details:
- In Zechariah’s prophecy, the 30 pieces of silver were referred to as the “lordly price” at which the Messiah was valued. This indicates the payment would be an insultingly low amount showing his rejection. (Zechariah 11:13)
- Matthew’s gospel highlights how Judas sought for an opportune time to betray Jesus after he was paid. This conveys Judas’ premeditation and ongoing betrayal. (Matthew 26:16)
- Luke’s gospel associates Judas’ decision to betray Jesus with Satan entering into Judas at that time. This shows the spiritual warfare involved. (Luke 22:3)
- Acts 1:18 provides an additional detail, describing Judas falling headlong and bursting open in the field he purchased. This perhaps hints at the judgment he came under.
So all four Gospels reference this situation of Judas receiving 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus. The Old Testament prophecy in Zechariah gives the background. And other biblical texts fill in some additional details surrounding Judas’ actions and motivations.
Application for believers
The account of Judas betraying Jesus for thirty pieces of silver provides some important applications for modern day believers, such as:
- The accuracy of biblical prophecy should strengthen our faith in God’s Word.
- Judas highlights the tragedy of valuing material things more than a relationship with God.
- This should cause us to examine our own hearts and motives before God.
- Judas was close to Jesus as a disciple, but still betrayed him, showing we must guard our hearts.
- We see the grace of God as Jesus endured betrayal and death to bring salvation.
- This reminds us we all betray Jesus through our sin, showing our need for salvation through Christ.
This well-known event remains significant and relevant for Christians today. It highlights important spiritual truths even as it fulfilled prophecy about the Messiah.
Conclusion
The thirty pieces of silver Judas received to betray Jesus carried both literal and symbolic meaning. The payment fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy about the coming Messiah’s betrayal for that amount. It also represents Judas’ greed and rejection of Jesus’ true worth, the high cost of betrayal, and God bringing good from the situation. This infamous betrayal displays the accuracy of Scripture and provides lessons and applications that are still relevant for believers today.