I used to love a good haggling session. Many years ago my Teresa would get so embarrassed that she would walk away and pretend to be looking at something else as I bargained back and forth over some item. Of course, in the end, if it saved us some money she was always glad. I just always had the mindset that I wasn’t going to pay sticker price. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t. I walked away many times without the item.
Once at a large flea market we saw an item that we liked and we took a picture of it. The owner came over and before I even had a chance to haggle with him about the price, he became irate. I wonder if he thought getting mad at me because I took a picture was going to make me buy the item. I don’t think so.
And I should note that my haggling no longer embarrasses Teresa. In fact she now haggles with the best of them.
Haggling. Bargaining. The fun was in the process.
But turning to the serious side of haggling, let us note a prophecy of the betrayal of the LORD found in Zechariah 11:12-13 that involves haggling. A thorough study of this passage will strengthen one’s faith. There are at least seven specific details contained in these two verses that were fulfilled with complete accuracy about 500 years later.
The remarkable accuracy of these prophecies distinguishes the Bible from the book of Morman, the Koran, and all others. The prophecy found in Zechariah is not some vague, generic, superficial reference to some event that when it happens can be applied to most anything. It is specific and detailed. This strengthens our faith in the truth of the Bible. It encourages us to put our full trust in His word.
One of the prophecies noted in Zechariah 11, is that there would be haggling involved in the betrayal process. Verse 12 reads, “Then I said to them, ‘If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.’ So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.”
If it is agreeable to you let’s proceed, if not refrain. If this first offer is not acceptable then give me a counter offer.
The selling or betrayal of the Savior would involve a bargaining process. There are two verses in the New Testament that should be considered to appreciate the fulfillment of the prophecy.
In Matthew 26: 15, Judas said to the chief priests, “What are you willing to give me?” Judas seems to be saying let’s haggle, let’s deal.
In Luke 22:5 we read, “And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.” Agreed is an interesting word in this test.
In the Luke passage, the ASV and the KJV both use the word covenanted for the word agreed. The Greek word means to join together or make an arrangement. And thus we have a bargaining or a haggling eventually ending up with an agreement or covenant.
What was the agreement? And 30 pieces of silver was agreed upon. 30 coins. Coins of silver, no doubt. This is another of the prophecies. Not gold. Not copper. Not brass. Silver. 30 pieces of silver, that according to Exodus 21:32, was the price of a wounded slave.
A wounded slave is a perfect description of Jesus Christ. He was wounded for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5) and He took the form of a bondservant or slave (Philippians 2:7). The details are remarkably accurate indeed.
My Lord and Savior was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. And it was through a bargaining process at that. We know the rest of the story.
I am thankful He was willing to die for me. But this is one haggling story of which I am not proud.