Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, the term "piece of money" refers to various forms of currency used in transactions and trade. The Bible, particularly in the New Testament, mentions different types of coins and monetary units that were in circulation during the time of Jesus and the early church. These pieces of money were integral to daily life, commerce, and even religious practices.
Old Testament ReferencesIn the Old Testament, the term "piece of money" is often translated from the Hebrew word "kesitah," which is believed to be a unit of weight or a specific type of coin. For example, in
Genesis 33:19, Jacob purchases a plot of land from the sons of Hamor for "a hundred pieces of money." The exact value and form of these pieces are not clearly defined, but they were significant enough to be used in land transactions.
New Testament ReferencesThe New Testament provides more specific references to coins and monetary units. One of the most well-known instances is the tribute money episode in
Matthew 22:19-21 : "Show Me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. “Whose image is this,” He asked, “and whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Here, the "denarius" is a Roman coin, commonly used in the region, bearing the image of the emperor.
Another significant mention is the "two small coins" or "mites" given by the poor widow in
Mark 12:42 : "Then one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amounted to a small fraction of a denarius." This act of giving, despite her poverty, is highlighted by Jesus as an example of true generosity and faith.
Cultural and Religious ContextCoins in the biblical era were not only used for economic transactions but also held cultural and religious significance. The image and inscription on coins often represented the ruling authority, as seen in the tribute money incident. This association with political power made coins a point of contention in discussions about loyalty and religious duty.
In the context of temple practices, money changers played a role in converting Roman and other foreign currencies into the Tyrian shekel, which was required for the temple tax. This practice is mentioned in the account of Jesus cleansing the temple in
John 2:14-16 : "In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables. So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables."
Symbolism and LessonsThe use of money in the Bible often serves as a backdrop for teaching spiritual truths. Jesus frequently used monetary references in His parables and teachings to illustrate principles of stewardship, generosity, and the dangers of materialism. For instance, the Parable of the Talents in
Matthew 25:14-30 uses money as a metaphor for the gifts and responsibilities entrusted to believers.
Overall, the "piece of money" in biblical texts is more than a mere economic tool; it is a symbol of the intersection between the material and spiritual realms, challenging believers to consider their priorities and allegiances in light of God's kingdom.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Piece of MoneyPIECE OF MONEY
Two words are thus rendered in the King James Version (qesiTah; stater). the Revised Version (British and American) gives only the first this rendering (Job 42:11). It is supposed to be from Arabic qassaT, "to divide equally by weight," and hence, something weighed; a piece of silver weighed for money, and perhaps stamped with its weight. The stater is the well-known Greek weight and coin (Matthew 17:27 the King James Version, margin, "stater," the Revised Version (British and American) "shekel"). In gold it was equal to about a guinea or five dollars, but in silver only to about 66 cents (in 1915).
Greek
3016. leptos -- peeled, fine, thin, small, light... thin, small, light. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: leptos Phonetic
Spelling: (lep-ton') Short Definition: a small
piece of
money Definition: a
...694. argurion -- silvery, by ext. apiece of silver
... Word Origin from arguros Definition silvery, by ext. apiece of silver NASB Word
Usagemoney (10), pieces of silver (6), silver (5).money,piece of silver....
4715. stater -- a stater (a coin)
... coin, a stater. From the base of kauchesis; a stander (standard of value), ie
(specially), a stater or certain coin --piece ofmoney. see GREEK kauchesis....
Strong's Hebrew
7192. qesitah -- (unit of value), perhapspiece... Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition (unit of value), perhaps
piece NASB
Word Usage
piece of
money (1), pieces of
money (2).
piece of
money silver.
...3603. kikkar -- a round, a round district, a round loaf, a round...
... ormoney) NASB Word Usage cake (1), cover (1), district (1), loaf (4), loaves (2),
plain (4), talent (9), talents (38), valley (8). loaf, morsel,piece, plain...
Library
The LostPiece ofMoney.
... THE LOSTPIECE OFMONEY. Jesus had been preaching to a crowd of publicans
and sinners.... [Illustration: THE LOSTPIECE OFMONEY.]....
Peter and the Tribute-Money.
... taketh the hook into his mouth. And when thou hast opened his mouth, thou
shalt find apiece ofmoney there. Take it and give it unto...
The Lost SilverPiece
... The church is that woman who sweeps her house to find the lostpiece of
money, and in her the Spirit works his purposes of love....
The Humanity of God
... You know that if you had lost a sheep; if you had lost apiece ofmoney; if you
had had a child run away from you, it would be far more pleasant to find that...
Of those Things which a Man of God Spake by the Spirit to Eli the...
... And it shall come to pass that he who is left in thine house shall come to worship
him with apiece ofmoney, saying, Put me into one part of thy priesthood...
Restoration of the Town of Medzpine; Name of Sanadroug; his Death.
... Sanadroug caused to be erected in the middle of the town his statue holding in his
hand a singlepiece ofmoney, which signifies: "All my treasures have been...
Christ Teaching by Miracles
... line and go to the lake, and cast in his line, and catch the first fish that should
bite; and said that in its mouth he would find apiece ofmoney with which...
Now, as to the Question which You Raise, when it was that I Began...
... Is it thus that you interpret the sheep brought back to the fold, the
piece ofmoney recovered, the prodigal son welcomed back?...
Of his Paying the TributeMoney Out of the Mouth of the Fish, an...
... He saith, Yes;" and so on, down to where we read: "Thou shall find apiece ofmoney:
that take, and give unto them for me and thee." [1107] He is the only one...
The Parable of the Householder. A Sermon, by Bishop Latimer.
... declared unto us that some laboured the whole day, which are hired for a penny,
that is of ourmoney ten pence: for like as we have apiece ofmoney which we...
Resources
What is the Codex Gigas? | GotQuestions.orgWhat was the significance of the horns of the altar (Amos 3:14)? | GotQuestions.orgWhat was the “spirit of prostitution” in Hosea 4:12? | GotQuestions.orgPiece: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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