Thirty Pieces of Silver: Money in Jesus' Last Week
A Three-Part Lenten Zoom Series
Thursdays, March 13, 20, & 27th at 7 p.m. PT
This series is hosted by St. Anselm's, Lafayette's Christian Formation Commission.
All are welcome! REGISTER HERE to receive the zoom coordinates.
Money plays a strikingly prominent role in the final days of Jesus’ life, appearing in at least thirteen key moments—from the cleansing of the temple to the betrayal for thirty pieces of silver. This three-part series will explore how the Gospels use money to illuminate themes of corruption, betrayal, and offering. By tracing these financial transactions, bribes, and sacrificial gifts, we will uncover how money shaped the events of Holy Week and consider its ongoing implications for faith today. Each session will include opportunities for discussion. The series is led by Miguel Escobar, author of The Unjust Steward: Wealth, Poverty, and the Church Today and is currently working on a second book about money in Jesus’ final week. His work explores Christianity’s complex relationship with money, wealth, and poverty. A graduate of Union Theological Seminary (MDiv, 2007), he has held leadership roles in the Episcopal Church, including at the Episcopal Church Foundation and Episcopal Divinity School. Ordained a transitional deacon in 2025, he now serves as curate at San Andrés Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, serving in Latino ministry in Spanish. Originally from the Texas Hill Country, he studied at Our Lady of the Lake University and serves on several boards, including Episcopal Relief & Development and Friends of Forward Movement.
March 20: Corruption
This session will focus on the theme of corruption, from Jesus' cleansing of the temple to his denunciation of religious leaders who "devour widows’ houses." We will also consider how bribery, from Judas’ betrayal to the silencing of the guards, plays a role in the Gospel narratives. Additionally, we will critically examine the ways in which some of these texts have been used to promote anti-Judaism.