Thirty Pieces of Silver

Homily for Wednesday in Holy Week

Once again, the readings emphasize for us just how much the avoidance of shame and dishonor figure into the behavior of the people of the Middle East. In the passage from the prophet Isaiah, we read: “The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.” The Suffering Servant has come to realize that true honor does not come through other human beings. The servant of God regards honor as a gift that comes from God.

The Gospel for today also speaks of dishonor and shame but in a far more subtle way. In Hebrew culture, thirty pieces of silver was not a lot of money. In fact, it was the exact price paid to the master of a slave if and when his slave was gored by an ox (Exodus 21:32). The slave’s death was compensated by the thirty pieces of silver. When the chief priests offer thirty pieces of silver to Judas, they are making a powerful statement about how they regard Jesus. This insult prefigures the way in which Jesus will be treated once he is arrested.

In today’s culture we hear a great deal about self-worth and self-image. Though these concepts are not completely identical to the pursuit of honor and the avoidance of shame that is so powerful in Middle Eastern culture, they do speak to the issue of what it is that drives us and our behavior. When we look at the passion and death of Jesus, it becomes very evident that in God’s eyes we are worth a great deal.

Over the next few days we will be celebrating the final events recorded in the Gospels. Part of that celebration must be our gratitude to God for all that God was willing to do to save us from ourselves.