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A fun approach to a little history and how it can be used to “liken” scripture unto us today. A very enjoyable article that is short and easy to read.
Jesus likely referred to local Jewish money: the Babylonian-Jewish zuz, or Galilean sela’, with the following equivalencies in mind:
1 silver sheqel at 14.1666 g
1 silver Roman denarius at 3.4 g
50 zuz = 50 denar = ½ mina (1.25 litra/1.5 libra) = 12 sheqel (170 g)
500 zuz = 500 denar = 5 mina (12.5 litra/15 libra) = 120 sheqel (1700 g)
A “measure” (1 liter/1 quart) of unmilled wheat for one day’s wage would ordinarily cost about 1/10 zuz-denarius, which makes the exhorbitant rate at 1 denarius in Revelation 6:6 so stark.