They (the Pharisees) took the thirty pieces of silver—the price at which He was valued by the people of Israel, and purchased the potter’s field, as the Lord directed. —Matthew 27:9-10
For the losing side, there are two kinds of death on the battlefield. Those who physically die and meet their end immediately. Then there are those who become property of the winning side and their death is a slower one.
An outcome of waging war is the human collateral that results: slaves to be bargain and bought. Lives that hold little value to the captors. Spoils to the victor and loss to the loser. Slaves become incorporated into the social hierarchy—at the very bottom.
In Exodus 21:32, the price of a slave is set at 30 pieces of silver. Thirty pieces is roughly equivalent to 4 months worth of wages. If an ox kills a slave, the ox’s owner has to pay the slave owner 30 pieces of silver. Judas negotiates with the Pharisees to betray Jesus for the price of a mere slave.
In John 12:5, Judas protests the pouring of the essence of nard that is used to anoint Jesus, claiming its worth of a year of wages is too expensive to be wasted. Judas’ negotiations for Jesus’ head is less than a fragrant jar of perfume.
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Tragic is how little the price that Judas sets for the life of Jesus. Truth is, we negotiate Jesus’ worth in our lives as well.
Jesus paid His life so I could be free. I minimize that value if I continue to stay in bondage.
Jesus paid His life so I could be filled with the goodness of God like hope and peace. I mitigate that value if I fill my world with the things of the world to make me complete.
Jesus paid His life so I could follow the path of God’s plans for me. I miscalculate that value when I pull into reverse the direction He desires for me to go.
Jesus paid for His life so I could find real life. I mistaken that value and miss the mark by believing the lies of the enemy instead of truth.
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We lean into realities that are lies. We live for religion that will not die for us. We leave after roads that languish to a dead-end. We love relationships that will never love us back. Make Jesus more than what you lean into, leave after, live for, and love on. Value Jesus. Value Him more than all these things.
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©️2020 Jordan Su