Today is Spy Wednesday. Judas was a spy for the high priests. We read in Matthew 26: 14-16: “Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests, and said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you?

Made me think was is the meaning of 30? As all numbers in scripture have a literal and symbolic value. In the book of Numbers 3 4 ‘From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.’ So the priests in the temple had to be 30 years of age..

They counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. — Matthew 26:14-16

I often wonder if Jesus was such a danger to the high priest why 30 pieces of silver? While it is not nothing it hardly a kings random.

Heather Riggleman in an article titled
‘The Deeper Meaning Behind the 30 Pieces of Silver That Judas Received’

Those whom Zachariah worked for paid him what they thought he was worth – enough for a slave’s accidental death. When they gave him the 30 pieces of silver, his response was full of sarcasm and called it “a handsome price” because it was so little (Zachariah 11:13). However, the employers had meant to purposely insult Zechariah and in return, God tells him to “throw it to the potter,” which Zechariah tossed the money into the house of the Lord in order for it to be given to “the Potter.” So the paltry amount of 30 pieces of silver.. also is m meant to imply how little they thought of Jesus, or to heap scorn on him by valuing his life so little. The very fact that Judas is swayed by such a small amount means to me that Judas was not moved by his love for the poor, as he is tempted by a mere nothing. But more by a disdain for Jesus that he valued his life so little even from a monetary point of view.

She also writes ‘When Judas Iscariot bargained with the leaders of Israel for the betrayal of Jesus, he asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?” The leaders then counted out a mere “thirty pieces of silver,” (Matthew 26:15). They considered the cost of Jesus’ death to be that of a slave. Later, when Judas was overcome with guilt for betraying Jesus, he fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy and threw all he was paid into the temple (Matthew 27:3-5). Then the leaders used the money to buy a field from a potter as Zechariah had predicted (Matthew 27:6-10). After that, Judas went to that field and hung himself.

So the very field that the high priest used to buy the potter field is the same field Judas hunt himself. In God Justice and Mercy our punishment or reward for or actions beer some resemblance to our action. Such we can say ‘by our sins we dig our own graves.’

In Judges 14 11-14 11 When the people saw him, they chose thirty men to be his companions.

12 “Let me tell you a riddle,(A)” Samson said to them. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast,(B) I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.(C) 13 If you can’t tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.”

“Tell us your riddle,” they said. “Let’s hear it.”

14 He replied,

“Out of the eater, something to eat;
out of the strong, something sweet.”(D)
For three days they could not give the answer.’

In thd book of Judges Samson offered 30 lines garments if they can answer a riddle.

Jesus answers the riddle of Samson by dying on the cross for or sin. Jesus began his public ministry at 30 and by His 3 years of public ministry that culminated on Good Friday Jesus exchanged the 30 pieces of silver, and opened his purse on the cross. Which was opened by the soldier lance and poured out a river of God to all of us sinners. Jesus bought back the sinner with the Gold of God love.