drachma

April 11, 2019

No get out of jail free (Lk 12:59-12:59)

“I tell you!

You will never get out

Until you have paid

The very last penny.”

 

λέγω σοι, οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃς ἐκεῖθεν ἕως καὶ τὸ ἔσχατον λεπτὸν ἀποδῷς.

 

Luke said that Jesus gave a solemn pronouncement (λέγω σοι) that they would never get out of jail (οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃς ἐκεῖθεν) until they had paid every last lepton or penny (ως καὶ τὸ ἔσχατον λεπτὸν ἀποδῷς).  A lepton was a small Greek coin, the smallest amount of money.  Thus, it is translated as a penny.  There was something similar in Matthew, chapter 5:26, indicating a Q source.  Matthew had this solemn statement of Jesus (ἀμὴν λέγω σοι), just like Luke.  They would never get out of jail (οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃς ἐκεῖθεν) until they had paid off the last κοδράντην (ἕως ἂν ἀποδῷς τὸν ἔσχατον κοδράντην).  This κοδράντην was a 1/10 of a drachma, about .03 cents, generally translated as a penny.  Settle your debts before you go to court!  Have you had difficult financial dealings with other people?

February 20, 2015

They agree on the wages (Tob 5:15-5:17)

“Then he added.

‘I will pay you a drachma a day as wages,

I will pay you as well expenses for yourself and my son?

Go with my son!

I will add something to your wages.’

Raphael responded.

‘I will go with him.

So do not fear.

We shall leave in good health.

We will return to you in good health safe and sound

Because the way is safe.’

So Tobit said to him.

‘Blessings be upon you brother.’

So they agreed to these terms.”

Tobit will pay him a drachma a day, plus expenses. He may even add something if all turns out okay. Raphael agreed. He then tried to calm the fear of Tobit. They were leaving in good health and would return safe and sound because it was not a difficult route. A drachma is only mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15, and not elsewhere in the biblical literature. This it must have been a coin in the Hellenistic and Roman times, not the Persian times. The relative value would be about $.25 USA or a quarter. They agreed to these terms. Tobit then gave him a blessing.