Blood money

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

BLOOD MONEY

Matt 27:6-10

6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money." 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me."  

NIV

It is interesting the chief priests would not use the silver for the temple as it was considered blood money. They had paid it in fact for the purpose of having Jesus killed. Yet it also turns out the word of the Lord already spoke of that very thing by the prophets. That is very interesting in that all this was going according to the plan of God for his designed purpose of redeeming us back to himself. It is not that he caused them to do what they did, but he knew in advance that is what they would do. That is difficult to wrap our mind around. God knew what someone would do before that someone was born. It comes down to God not being confined by the linier time we are. He is always in the present, therefor he always sees what we consider past, present and future. This would present us with the idea he knows every aspect of the past, present and future of our lives. He knows the outcome of each person’s life. It is rather mind boggling to consider a God that enormous, to not only know each of us, our thoughts and our life, but he knows the number of hairs on our head. But there is something else that comes to mind regarding this blood money. First we would be remiss if we did not think that Jesus paid the price for our sin with his blood.

1 Peter 1:18-21

18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

NIV

Secondly we would also have to consider that blood money, or ill gotten money has no place in the house of the Lord.

Prov 1:19

19 Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it.

NIV

Prov 10:2

2 Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.

NIV

Prov 28:16

 16 A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment, but he who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long life.

NIV

What we would have to determine is what would be considered ill-gotten gain. If a company were to use unjust scales is one example used in the Old Testament. Gaining profit by unfair pricing practices. We have seen reports of Wall Street investment companies unjustly selling stocks in their own inflated value of a company only to make their own profit from it. There are many ways investment money could be ill-gotten gain. We have no idea how a company is managed or their true business practices and if we are invested in them we could be participating in some ill-gotten gain. This type of money has no place in the house of God. That might expand to income gained though the lottery, or other get rich schemes. Blood money as it were. This could be a really big rabbit hole to go down, chasing after every aspect of how money is gained and whether it has a rightful place in the tithe or offering. Although we should be aware of all this, it still remains the main idea here is the price that was set on Jesus, and that price he paid for us. Blood money, and we are bought with his blood.