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The Meaning of Coins in Christian Symbolism
Catholic Christian symbolism in art provides a clear graphic illustration which
represents people or items of religious significance. What is the definition and the meaning of Coins?
Coins are pieces of metal on which certain characters are
stamped by government authority, making it legally current
as money. Coins as a Christian Symbol represent human greed
and avarice. In Christian Art coins are often shown
numbering thirty which representative of the betrayal of
Jesus by Judas Iscariot. The part coins play is detailed in
Matthew 26:14-16 where Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus:
14 Then one of the Twelve—the one
called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests
15 And asked, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver
him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty pieces
of silver.
16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him
over.
Reference to the Coins Christian Symbol in
the Bible
The Easton Bible Dictionary
provides the following definition, meaning and reference to
coins in the Bible.
Before the Exile the Jews had no
regularly stamped money. They made use of uncoined shekels
or talents of silver, which they weighed out (Gen. 23:16;
Ex. 38:24; 2 Sam. 18:12). Probably the silver ingots used in
the time of Abraham may have been of a fixed weight, which
was in some way indicated on them.
The "pieces of silver" paid by
Abimelech to Abraham (Gen. 20:16), and those also for which
Joseph was sold (37:28), were probably in the form of rings.
The shekel was the common standard of
weight and value among the Hebrews down to the time of the
Captivity. Only once is a shekel of gold mentioned (1 Chr.
21:25). The "six thousand of gold" mentioned in the
transaction between Naaman and Gehazi (2 Kings 5:5) were
probably so many shekels of gold. The "piece of money"
mentioned in Job 42:11; Gen. 33:19 (marg., "lambs") was the
Hebrew _kesitah_, probably an uncoined piece of silver of a
certain weight in the form of a sheep or lamb, or perhaps
having on it such an impression. The same Hebrew word is
used in Josh. 24:32, which is rendered by Wickliffe "an
hundred yonge scheep."
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