Having just been watching TV, the phrase I’m going to need 30 pieces of silver was used going to into a scene where someone was “given up” for their offences. That got me thinking… where does the phrase come from and what is it’s significance? It turns out it is a much more historically important than I thought it might be.
“30 pieces of silver” most famously refers to the payment given to Judas Iscariot for betraying Jesus Christ in the Bible.
Biblical Origin
The story appears in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 26:14–16). Judas agrees to hand Jesus over to the chief priests in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. After Jesus is condemned, Judas feels remorse and returns the money before taking his own life.
Meaning & Symbolism
Because of this story, “30 pieces of silver” has come to symbolize:
- Betrayal
- Selling out
- Greed overriding loyalty
- A morally shameful reward
Historical Value
In the context of ancient Jewish law (see Exodus 21:32), thirty shekels of silver was the compensation paid for a slave—suggesting the amount was deliberately symbolic and relatively modest.
Today, the phrase is commonly used metaphorically to describe someone betraying a person, cause, or principle for personal gain.
