The Prophecy - Messiah's Betrayal |
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Old Testament Prophecy |
New Testament Fulfillment |
I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"-- the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty
pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD to the potter. (Zechariah 11:12-13) |
Then one of the Twelve-- the one called Judas Iscariot-- went to the chief priests and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. (Matthew 26:14-16) |
Zechariah is symbolically picturing Jesus asking those He came to shepherd what they felt He was worth to them. In a mocking response, the leaders offered 30 silver pieces which was the amount of compensation paid for a slave gored by an ox (Ex.21:32). In addition to Messiahs betrayal there is also signs of Messiahs rejection. While verse 12 focuses on betray for 30 pieces of silver, verse 13 focuses on the rejection of the Messiah. This is found in the imagery of throwing the 30 pieces of silver into the temple.(1)
30 pieces of silver is exactly what Judas Iscariot was paid to betray the Great Shepherd. Along with the betrayal came rejection.
One way this was fulfilled was when Judas Iscariot, laden with guilt, went back and threw the blood money on the temple floor.(1)
This is a part of another prophecy that includes Zechariah 11:4-17. Well-known Jewish commentator David Kimchi regards this prophecy as Messianic.(2)
This is just one instance where the Messiah was betrayed. From this prophecy we learn that among other things, betrayal and rejection sometimes are connected. Do we ever reject the word of God including His prophecies, in exchange for our own 30 pieces of silver.
For more about prophecy concerning the Rejection of Jesus as Messiah, please check out Israel's Rejected Shepherd.
Read More From The Prophet Zechariah:
1). The MacArthur Study Bible p.1353
2). The Soncino Books of the Bible, The Twelve Prophets p.313-314
