What was the value of the 30 pieces of silver that Judas received for betraying Jesus?
~ Tim's Answer ~
The Bible does not say what the silver pieces were.
But in the writer's second mention of the sum, the writer puts the thirty pieces into a context, that of fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (See Matt. 27:8-10). Matthew actually quotes two prophets, Jeremiah and Zechariah. Although Matthew only mentions Jeremiah by name, he may have done so because Jeremiah's pre-enacted prophesy of the purchasing of the field (Jer. 32:6-9) was the more prominent point Matthew wanted to make. The purchase of the field seems to be the major point that Matthew is making. However, Matthew also quotes Zechariah 11:12 which gives us the value for the field. In Zechariah's day, the reference to silver would undoubtedly have been to the shekel which was the standard weight for paying a price. The shekel has a long use in purchasing property, going back to Abraham's time (Gen. 23:16). In New Testament times, the shekel was the value of about four drachmas (a Greek coin) or four denarii (a Roman coin). It would be in weight a little less than half an ounce of silver. It's value as currency would be the common wages for a laboring man for four days, or in today's value perhaps around $400 to $500.
The thirty pieces of silver, then, would be worth around $12,000 to $15,000 in today's sum.
I hope this helps.
May the Lord Jesus guide you in all that you think and do.
tim
