Thirty Pieces of Silver

Zechariah 11:12–17
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

I said to them, ‘You may think that I should have some money for my work. If you do think that, pay me my money. If you do not want to pay me, keep it.’ So they paid me 30 silver coins (v. 12). To pay this shepherd 30 pieces of silver was an insult. This was the price paid to an owner for a slave gored by an ox (Ex. 21:32). The Lord said to me, ‘Throw the 30 silver coins to the man who makes pots in the house of the Lord (v. 13).’ They thought that I was not worth very much! I took the 30 coins. And I threw them to the man who makes pots. He makes them for the house of the Lord.

Then I broke the second stick called ‘Together’. I made the country called Judah separate. I made it separate from the country called Israel (v. 14). Because the people had rejected the Messiah, God would reject them which is symbolized by Zechariah breaking the staff called “Bonds.” Then the Lord said to me, Zechariah, ‘Take again the tools of a bad shepherd (v. 15).I have chosen a man to watch the sheep (v. 16). He will not help the sheep that are dying. He will not look for the sheep that have gone away. He will not help the sick sheep or feed the strong sheep. He will eat the meat of the fat sheep. He will tear off their feet to get all the meat. Bad things will happen to the bad shepherd who leaves his sheep (v. 17). His enemy’s knife will cut his arm and his right eye. His arm will become like a dry stick. And his right eye will no longer be able to see anything.’

Application

When most of us think of the thirty pieces of silver we think of Judas and how he sold out for so little money. I never want to let money get in my way of serving the Lord.