Matthew 26:15

What will ye give me? Personal advantage was uppermost in his mind as Judas offered to betray his Master. In fact, personal advantage had come to be the dominant motive of his entire life.

I will deliver him. Judas’ offer solved the dilemma of the leaders in Jerusalem. They wished to silence Jesus, but were paralyzed by fear of the people (see on v. 5). Their problem was how to take Jesus into custody without provoking a popular revolt in His favor. See on v. 16.

Pieces of silver. Gr. arguria, thought here to refer to shekels, which, in the days of Christ, were equivalent to the Greek stateres (see on ch. 17:24, 27) and the Tyrian tetradrachma. The stater weighed .458 oz. troy, or 14.245 g., and would be about 4 days’ wages for a common laborer. “Thirty pieces of silver” would, accordingly, be about 120 days’ wages. Thirty shekels of silver was the traditional price of a slave (Ex. 21:32). Compare the prediction of Zech. 11:12.