With much of the focus of the world on the Middle East and with the festivals of Passover and Easter upon us, it somehow gives us pause when we can actually hold in our hands, relics of that time.

These are the coins that once reverberated with the sounds of the Aramaic of the masses, the Hebrew of the priests, the Greek of the scholars and the Latin of the soldiers.

They could be used to negotiate a purchase, or to pray to Jupiter, YHVH or Jesus. For 2000 years, they lay forgotten under the hot, dry earth of Judea. Today, they bear witness of this region, mystical and cultural crucible of the first century.

PONTIUS PILATE Procurator of Judaea 26 - 36 AD Best known for:

• Presiding at the trial of Jesus
• Condemning this innocent Man to death
• Washing his hands of responsibility for Jesus' death

He was the only Procurator (Governor) to insult Jews by putting pagan associated objects on coins. The Jews hated him.

The historian Eusebius says that soon afterwards, "wearied with misfortunes" he took his own life. There are various stories as to how he took his own life. One popular legend states he was banished to Vienna. Another is that he sought solitude from politics on the Mountain of Lake Lucerne, now known as Mount Pilatus. Afler some years of despair and depression, he is said to have plunged into the Lake from a precipice.

The coin features a Lituus (Augers' wand) on the obverse. The lituus was the wooden staff which the augurs held in the right hand; it symbolised their authority and their pastoral vocation. It was raised toward heavens while the priests invoked the Gods and made their predictions. Legend records that Romulus used it at the time of Rome's foundation in 753 B.C.E. It is interesting to note that the bishop's crozier used in present times is the direct descendant of the lituus. As with the simpulum, Pilate's coinage is exceptional in that it alone displays the lituus as the sole object illustrated on the face.

The Reverse shows the Liz (Date) in a wreath, approx. 30 AD. The notation of dates uses a code invented by the Greeks whereby each letter of the alphabet was assigned a number. This code would be used again in Judaism under the name of Guematria. The system is simple : the first ten letters of the alphabet are linked to units (1, 2, 3...), the following ten letters to tens (10, 20, 30...) and the four remaining letters to the first four hundreds. The "L" is an abbreviation meaning "year". Tiberius became emperor on September 17 of year 14 C.E, so we have :

LIS = Year 29 C.E.   LIZ = Year 30 C.E.   LIH = Year 31 C.E.

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

The coin itself features an upside down anchor on the obverse and a star of eight rays surrounded by a border of dots on the reverse. The coin has been attributed to Alexander Jannaeus (103 - 76 BC).

Then one of the twelve - the one called Judas lscariot - went to the CH1EF PRIESTS and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to You?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand Him over.
(Matthew 26:14-16) :

SHEKELS OF TYRE

Silver shekel (tetradrachm)

OBVERSE: Laureate head of Melqarth to right, wearing lion skin knotted around his neck.

Melqarth (or Melqart), was the Phonecian King of the Underworld and Cycle of Vegetation (similar to the Greek god Herakles).

THE GUARDS REPORT

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the City and reported to the Chief Priests everything that had happened. When the Chief Priests had met with the Elders and devised a plan. They gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, "You are to say His disciples came during the night and stole Him away while we were asleep. " lf this report gets to the Governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble. So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed.
(Matthew 28: 1 1-15)

THE COIN IN THE FISHES' MOUTH

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" He asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes - from their own sons or from others?"

"From others" Peter answered.

"Then the sons are exempt", Jesus said to him. "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours."
(Matthew 17 24-26)

OBVERSE: Laureate bust of Tiberius to right.

lnscription: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS

REVERSE: Female figure sits on a plain chair to right, she holds olive branch in her left hand and long sceptre in her right:

lnscription: PONTIF MAXIM

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. "Why are you trying to trap me?" He asked. "Bring me a denarius and let Me look at it." They brought the coin, and He asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"

"Caesars", they replied.

Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" And they were amazed at Him.
(Mark 12: 13-17)

THE PARABLE OF THE LOST COIN

"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it. She calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me: I have found my lost coin"'.

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
(Luke 15: 8-10)

The coins in this newsletter were borrowed from a local collector, but if you want to add similar items to your collection, call us and we'll find them for you.

Newsletter #41
Farewell to the Old Man in the Mountain

5630 Dunbar St. at 41st Ave.
Vancouver, BC, V6N 1W7

Phone: 604-684-4613 Fax: 604-266-4515

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