Matthew 27:9 Meaning: Names Jeremiah Instead of Zechariah
Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him upon whom a price had been set, whom some of the children of Israel priced,
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was priced, whom certain of the children of Israel did price;
Then was fulfilled that spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, `And I took the thirty silverlings, the price of him who hath been priced, whom they of the sons of Israel did price,
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremias the prophet, saying, And I took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was set a price on, whom [they who were] of the sons of Israel had set a price on,
Meaning in one sentence
Matthew 27:9 quotes Zechariah 11 but credits Jeremiah. Learn why scholars see this as a meaningful reference, not a mistake.
Context
The scene is heavy with aftermath. Judas has thrown the silver into the temple and hanged himself. The chief priests, unwilling to put blood money into the treasury, buy a potter's field for burying strangers. Matthew pauses the narrative to show how this moment fits a pattern God set long before. He says these events fulfill something spoken through the prophet. The words he then quotes come from a passage about a shepherd being valued and discarded. But the name Matthew gives has puzzled readers for centuries. He says Jeremiah, while the closest Old Testament text is from Zechariah. This small puzzle opens a larger wonder: God weaves together His promises across the whole prophetic witness, and nothing in the betrayal of Jesus falls outside that plan.
Key Words
The Greek verb eplērōthē, translated 'was fulfilled', means to fill something up until it is complete. Matthew uses this word often. He sees the Old Testament not as a collection of predictions but as a vessel being poured into, and the life of Jesus fills it to the brim. The word timēn, 'price', and its repeated form tetimēmenou, 'priced', come from the same root as the word for honor. The irony is sharp. The leaders attach a monetary value to the Son of God, yet the word itself carries the weight of worth and dignity. They are assigning a price, but their action only shows how little they honor Him. The arguria, silver pieces, were thirty shekels, the compensation for a slave gored by an ox (Exodus 21:32). God's anointed is valued at the price of a common servant. Matthew wants us to feel that sting, and then recognize that God uses even this devaluation to accomplish salvation.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have long debated why Matthew writes 'Jeremiah' when the closest text is Zechariah 11. Early church fathers like Jerome mentioned a Hebrew copy of Jeremiah that contained these words. Wesley simply called the name a mistake. Calvin confessed he did not know and did not worry about it. Others, like Lightfoot and the Geneva annotators, pointed out that in the Hebrew canon the book of Jeremiah stood first in the section called the Prophets, so quoting that section by its first book was a common shorthand. Still others think a scribe may have copied the name incorrectly. The disagreement matters less than what all traditions agree on: the Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to show that Christ's betrayal and burial fit a pattern God had revealed long before, whether through Jeremiah or Zechariah.
A common misunderstanding
Some think Matthew made a simple error, confusing Jeremiah with Zechariah out of carelessness. In fact, early Jewish practice often referred to the entire prophetic collection by the name of its first book, which was Jeremiah. Matthew was not mixing up his scrolls. He was using a recognized way of saying 'as the prophets wrote', letting the first book stand for the whole. Even if a later scribe miscopied the name, the point stands: God's word is fulfilled, however the human details got recorded.
Living This Out
When you feel undervalued, remember that Jesus was priced at thirty pieces of silver, the cost of a slave. He knows what it is to be treated as cheap, dismissed, used. But He also knows that God does not waste that pain. This week, notice where you might be assigning too low a price to Christ in your own life: your time, your attention, your trust. And when others devalue you, you can hold on to the truth that God’s estimation of you does not change. He paid a price far beyond silver to make you His own.
Main takeaway: God’s plan is not derailed by human betrayal; He weaves even our worst choices into the fulfillment of His word.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus was sold for thirty silver coins. That was the price of a slave. But Jesus is worth more than all the money in the world. He let it happen so we could belong to God.
For ages 9, 12
Matthew shows that even the way Judas betrayed Jesus and the priests bought a field with the money was something God had planned long ago. It's like God wrote a story, and every detail came true, even the sad ones. That means nothing that happens to you is outside of God's plan either. He can use even bad things for good.
Questions People Ask
Why does Matthew quote Zechariah but name Jeremiah?
Several explanations exist. The most common is that in the Hebrew order of the Old Testament, Jeremiah came first among the prophets, so 'Jeremiah' could refer to the entire prophetic collection. Others think a scribal error changed the name, or that Matthew had access to a now-lost version of Jeremiah. Either way, early Christians accepted the quotation as properly from Scripture.
What do the thirty pieces of silver represent?
Thirty shekels of silver was the compensation for a slave killed by an ox, according to Exodus 21:32. It was not a large sum. By valuing Jesus at that price, the religious leaders showed deep contempt for Him. Yet God used that small, shameful price to purchase a field for burying strangers, a picture of how Christ's death brings hope to the outsider.
What is the potter's field?
A piece of land owned or used by a potter, likely where clay was dug and waste was dumped, making it cheap and undesirable. The chief priests bought it with Judas's returned silver to bury foreigners. It became known as the Field of Blood because it was bought with blood money. It stands as a lasting reminder of both human greed and God's provision for the overlooked.
Did Matthew make a mistake in quoting Jeremiah?
Christians have debated this for centuries, but few believe Matthew made an error. Some note that Jeremiah was the first book in the Hebrew prophetic scroll, so citing his name could mean 'as the prophets say'. Others see a scribal error in copying the name. The church has always accepted the passage as Scripture, confident that God's message is trustworthy even when peripheral details are puzzling.
How is this prophecy fulfilled in Matthew 27?
Zechariah 11:12-13 describes a shepherd who asks for his wages and receives thirty pieces of silver, then throws them to a potter in the Lord's house. In Matthew, Judas betrays Jesus for thirty silver pieces, then throws the money into the temple. The priests take it and buy a potter's field. The specific details match exactly, showing that God had foreseen even the betrayer's fee and the burial plot.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study