If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall surely be stoned and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall go unpunished. If, however, an ox was previously in the habit of goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. If a ransom is demanded of him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is demanded of him. Whether it gores a son or a daughter, it shall be done to him according to the same rule. If the ox gores a male or female slave, the owner shall give his or her master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. (Exodus 20:28-32) Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus. (Matthew 26:14-16) |
...So, it appears the chief priests were making a statement: Jesus is of no more value than a slave. He isn't worth "whatever is demanded," the penalty for the life of a free man, He's worth the amount a slave would be worth dead. Not long afterwards, Jesus died on a cross, not because He was betrayed for thirty shekels, but because He had chosen to die for us, and this betrayal was how it had to play out. The irony is this: Jesus was the only one in the story who was not a slave. And by His death, each of these priests, and even His betrayer, was being offered the chance to be set free from slavery. Set free, by the One who voluntarily gave whatever was required of Him for the redemption of all our lives. |