Thirty Pieces Of Silver

© Copyright 2013 PJ Stassen
All Rights Reserved

You can’t say that civilization don’t advance, for in every war they kill you a new way.

-  Will Rogers, 1879-1935.

   A number of years ago I walked into a bookstore and picked up R.A. Torrey’s classic book, The Person And Work Of The Holy Spirit for the ‘princely’ sum of R3,00 (second-hand, South African currency) ... less than about (US) 30 cents. The book was still in mint condition and, while driving home, I was amazed that such a renowned book (not necessarily an exhaustive theological treatise but at least a reputable, well-researched book for the layman) could go so cheaply, when it suddenly dawned on me: The world still sells Jesus for thirty pieces of silver at regular intervals even today … metaphorically speaking, that R3,00 in the bookshop represented 30 x 10c coins, ironically echoing Judas’ infamous bribe of thirty pieces of silver. Incidentally, the thirty pieces of silver with which Judas betrayed his Master was prophesied many centuries before (Old Testament):

And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.  (Zechariah 11:12-13, KJV www.e-sword.net).

Fulfilment of the prophecy in the New Testament, many centuries afterwards:

When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.

And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.

Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.  (Matthew 27:1-8 KJV, www.e-sword.net ).      

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Thirty Pieces Of Silver

(Ira F. Stanphill, 1914-1993/© Copyright 1949 Singspiration®, Inc.).

There’s no satisfaction in riches or in fame,

If my Savior is denied;

Every castle tumbles and life’s a broken dream,

Without Jesus by my side –

From His iv’ry palace He came to such as I,

But I scorned His love for me,

Sold Him for the silver of things that I regret –

Sorrow, pain and agony!

CHORUS

Thirty pieces of silver − was the price they gave,

Thirty pieces of silver − just the price of a slave;

And my heart I have given − to the Christ betrayed,

And I know just how much He loved me −

By the price He paid. 

Piet Stassen

eLiterature/eLiteratuur:

1. Scribd Publishing Site:  www.scribd.com/PietStassen (ENGLISH & AFRIKAANS)
2. eBook: 'Evolution: The Science That Evolved Into A Fairy Tale' (ENGLISH)  
3. eBook:  'Bertrand Russell Revisited: Rebuttal Of Bertrand Russell's 'Why I Am Not A Christian''(ENGLISH)
4. eBook: 'Meditations & Contemplations: A Reader For Both Atheists And Creationists' (ENGLISH)
5. eBook: 'Conservation, Rhino Poaching And Hypocrisy' (ENGLISH)
6. eBook: 'Why Darwinism ('Evolution') Does Not Make Sense' (ENGLISH)
7. eBook: 'Names And Titles Of Jesus Of Nazareth (ENGLISH)'
8. eBoek:  'Darwin Of Christus: Suid-Afrikaners By 'n Kruispad!' [AFRIKAANS].
9. eBoek:  'Bevryding Van Die Anti-Evangelie Van Ateisme-Evolusionisme' [AFRIKAANS].
10. eBoek:  'Name & Titels Van Jesus Christus' [AFRIKAANS].
11. eTracts, Christian (Free, Downloadable):  Free, downloadable Christian eTracts for free distribution (ENGLISH)
12. eTraktate, Christelik (Gratis, Aflaaibaar): Gratis, aflaaibabre Christelike Traktate vir gratis verspreiding (AFRIKAANS)

Bibliography

1.  Andrews, Allen (1969) Quotations For Speakers And Writers. Newnes Books. Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd. Middlesex, England.  

2.  OriginOfSongs. 'Ira F Stanphill'. Accessed At http://originofsongs.blogspot.com/2012/07/mansion-over-hilltop.html  [online] 2013.