Coins Used by Jesus: the Denarius
A denarius (plural, denarii) was the usual day's wage for a typical laborer in first century Palestine. This small silver coin is mentioned by all four of the gospel writers.
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.”
The denarius was also the coin used to pay taxes to Rome. It was a denarius the Pharisees showed Jesus when they asked him his thoughts on taxes:
“Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coins used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?”
”Caesar’s,”, they replied.
Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.””
James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). The Tribute Money, 1886-1894. Opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper. Brooklyn Museum.
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