A Tyrian shekel from the James H. Rives Collection of Coins in the Archives of the University of the South.  Silver coins of this type, minted between 125 and 18 BC, were used to pay the Temple tax in Jerusalem (Matthew 17:24-27).  It is likely that Judas was paid with coins of this very type when he betrayed Jesus: “Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I betray him to you?’ They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him” (Matthew 26:14-16). For further information, see post on the shekel on Biblical Archeology website.

Posted on Maundy Thursday, 2014 AD