[787] תרין זוזין
Στατὴρ, Stater. We English it a piece of money at large, but it contained precisely two didrachmas. For the tribute money to be paid for each person, was Didrachmum, as is evident, Mat. 17. 24. and this Stater was paid for two, namely, for Christ and Peter, the value of it therefore was, 2 s. 6 d.
Δενάριον, Denarius, a peny. This was their tribute money, Mat. 22. 19. There were two sorts of pence[788] in use among them: the common peny, which valued of ours 7 d. ob. And the peny of the Sanctuary, which valued 1 s. 3 d. For it was answerable to their Didrachmum; and of this last we must understand S. Matthew in this place, for their tribute mony was Didrachmum, as before hath been noted out of Mat. 17. 24. This Didrachmum or half shekel was formerly paid by the Isrælites every year after they were 20 years old;[789] towards their Temple, Exod. 30. 13. Cæsar by taking away this money from the Temple, and changing it into a tribute for his own Coffers, did in truth take away from God that which was God’s. Hence in that question proposed unto Christ, Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? Christ answereth, Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s. This very tribute afterward was paid by the Jews[790] toward the Roman capital, by vertue of a Decree made by Vespasian.
[788] Tremel. Mat. 22. 19.
[789] Aben Esr. Nehem. 10. 32.
[790] Joseph. de bello, lib. 7. cap. 26.
זוז Zuz, It was the fourth part of a shekel of silver:[791] it valued therefore of ours, 7 d. ob.
[791] זוז רבע שקל כסף Elias Thisbit.
שקל Shekel, Siclus, a shekel: it was twofold; Siclus regius, the Kings shekel, of common use in buying and selling, it valued 1 s. 3 d. And Siclus Sanctuarii; the shekel of the Sanctuary, it valued 2 s. 6 d.