Matthew 27:9
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;
Matthew 27:9
Verse 9 reads, “Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value.” Although the quotation attributes to Jeremiah, most scholars see it as a composite of prophetic material. The verse ties Judas’s betrayal and the purchase of the potter’s field to Old Testament anticipation of misused wealth and the Messiah’s price. The “thirty pieces of silver” functions as a symbol of human valuation of life and a critique of the leaders who price human beings for political ends. It marks a grim fulfillment motif common in Matthew, showing how Jesus’s life mirrors and fulfills prophetic expectations, even when those events arise from human sin.
This verse reinforces predestination and divine sovereignty in the midst of human agency. It shows how God harnesses human evil to fulfill prophetic patterns, foregrounding the theme that Jesus’s suffering serves a larger redemptive purpose. It also highlights the gravity of sin’s consequences when life is valued by a price rather than by divine worth.
Lessons for today:
- Be mindful of the weight of people’s lives in decisions—never reduce a person to a price tag.
- Recognize God can bring beauty from broken things; even betrayal can point toward redemption.
- Practice integrity and value in all dealings; refuse to commodify relationships or people.
Cross-References: Exodus 21:32; Zechariah 11:12-13; Matthew 26:15; Acts 1:16; Isaiah 53:3-5