Returning the Thirty Pieces of Silver

Fr. Francis Xavier R. Salcedo

 Then one of the twelve, called Judas
Iscariot, went to the chief priests and
said, "What are you willing to give me
if I deliver Him to you?" And they
counted out to him thirty pieces of
silver. So from that time he sought
opportunity to betray Him.
(Mt 26:14-16)
 JUDAS ISCARIOT
Judas Iscariot has
become a symbol for
traitors and turncoats
throughout history. His
motive of betraying Jesus
seemed to be greed, but
some scholars speculate
political desires lurked
beneath his treachery.
What do silver coins represent?
What do silver coins represent?

Centuries earlier, the

prophet Zechariah was
given thirty pieces of silver
– this was the price he was
“prized at”. (Zechariah
13:13).
What do silver coins represent?

30 pieces of silver is the

value placed on a servant’s
life. It is an offensively
meager price for a prophet
and it provides redemption
for the sinner.
JUDAS ISCARIOT
1. “A man of Keriot”
2. One of the
Apostles of
Jesus
3. Treasurer of
the Apostles
 JUDAS ISCARIOT
Treasurer of the Apostles:
1. Position of trust and confidence
2. Faith in his honesty
3. Economical habits, aptitude for
finance, love of bargaining –
qualities associated with the
love of money
JUDAS ISCARIOT
Treasurer of the Apostles:
Judas did not leave all to follow
the Lord.
The Love of Money had been in
his heart from earlier days.
If Judas had followed the Lord
fully he might have had the
noblest of lives, but he took his
sin with him into Christ’s service
Judas sold
his friend
his teacher
his master for a paltry
handful of silver
 THE PROGRESSION OF EVIL
1. Judas had sold his soul to the devil
through ambition and greed
2. Judas cunningly watched for a fitting
opportunity to sell-out the Lord
3. Jesus gave Judas one last
opportunity to repent
4. The betrayal – A kiss
Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that
He had been condemned, was
remorseful and brought back the
thirty pieces of silver to the chief
priests and elders, saying, "I have
sinned by betraying innocent blood."
And they said, "What is that to us?
You see to it!" (Mt 27:3-4)
The Rest Of The Story
 Judas realizes he has done wrong
 Judas is sorrowful – he tries to
return the money.
 Judas did not do that which would
make things right between himself
and God – He went to the wrong
place for comfort!
 Then he threw down the
pieces of silver in the
temple and departed, and
went and hanged himself.
(Mt 27:5)
 JUDAS ISCARIOT
Poor Judas,
He lost Christ
He lost his fellow apostles
He lost his ill-gotten bribe
He lost his life
What does it mean to return
the “silver coins”?
Lessons:
1. Be content with what you have.
2. Greed brings destruction.
3. Focus on God and not on your
sins.
4. Be careful of your talents. Use
them to serve others.