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Ten Pieces of Silver

The pieces of silver are not ten pieces of money or ten coins. Much more than that, they are a gift most precious of all the gifts a bride receives from her bridegroom at the time of their marriage. The losing of one of the pieces of silver means the withdrawal of God's favor upon the family.

3rdburglar by Wordburglar
Topic: Bride - Marriage - Money
Format: Verified Digitized
Pages: 2

As a convert to Christianity from Hinduism, Bishop K.C. Pillai came to the Western world on a singular mission: to teach the Eastern culture of the Bible. Although Christianity is generally considered a western religion, the Bible itself was written and set in the Orient, and it must be viewed through the light of that eastern window. The Bible is filled with passages that perplex the Western mind, and yet they were readily understood by the Easterner. When the reader becomes knowledgeable of the oriental idioms, customs, and traditions of the Biblical setting, these Scriptures become clear. God called Bishop K.C. Pillai to reveal these Biblical truths he called Orientalisms. At the time of the Bishop’s early life, his native India had remained an isolated country for thousands of years. Therefore, the customs and manners of the people were still aligned with the Eastern, Biblical culture. For over twenty years, Bishop Pillai taught these Orientalisms, bringing great enlightenment to the Christian world. His crusade of imparting this light of the Eastern Culture carried him to numerous universities and seminaries, as well as every major denomination throughout the United States, England and Canada. Still today, his teachings remain the foremost authority on the rare gems of Biblical customs and culture. Bishop K.C. Pillai’s conversion to Christianity is a witness of God’s heart, as well as a lesson in one of the most significant Eastern customs found in the Bible. The Bishop was raised as a Hindu. When a Hindu child of the ruling class is born, a little salt is rubbed on the baby who is then wrapped in swaddling cloth. This custom invoked one of the oldest and strongest covenants in the Eastern world, the “salt covenant.” In this particular instance, the child was salted for a lifetime of dedication to the Hindu religion. The “salt covenant” is used in like manner throughout the Bible to seal the deepest commitment. As a result of the salt covenant it is difficult for Hindus to convert to Christianity. When they do, their family actually conducts a funeral service to symbolize that the individual is dead to their family, the community and Hinduism. Their family will carry a portrait of the “deceased” to the cemetery and bury it. Many times Bishop spoke of his “burial day” when he was disinherited by becoming a Christian; the only Hindu willing to break that covenant of salt in his community during that time. K.C. Pillai answered God’s call and served as Bishop of North Madras in the Indian Orthodox Church. Sent on a special mission to the United States, he spent the last twenty years of his life acquainting Christians with the Orientalisms of the Bible. The interest Bishop Pillai generated in the field has led to numerous further studies by other scholars in the field of manners and customs in the Bible, as well. His books and teachings continue to illuminate and inspire students of the Bible throughout the world. A solid understanding of Orientalisms is essential to “rightly dividing” the Word of truth, and Bishop K.C. Pillai’s works remain an indispensable reference.

Ten Pieces of Silver

The Bible is an Eastern book. It was written by men who thought in Eastern fashion. This again is clearly seen in Luke 15:8-10: "The Women with the ten pieces of silver."

The pieces of silver are not ten pieces of money or ten coins. Much more than that, they are a gift most precious of all the gifts a bride receives from her bridegroom at the time of their marriage.

Each piece of silver is approximately the size of an American quarter. On one side of the piece of silver, the size of a 25 cent piece, is engraved the coat of arms of the husband's family, or the insignia by which that particular family is known. If the family crest happened to be a sheep, well fed, protected and safe, that is what would be engraved on one side of all ten of the pieces of silver. On the other side would be stamped the year in which it was made.

The husband gives this special dowry to his wife on their wedding day. As for dollars and cents it isn't worth much, but the sentimental value is unlimited. If the wife lost one piece of silver and her father would say to his son in-law, "I'll give you a thousand dollars," it would not be accepted, for money is no replacement for the lost piece of silver.

In the days in which Jesus lived and today in the East, the women receive lavish gifts of jewelry at the time of their marriage. All the jewelry a woman receives is her property and possession with the exception of the ten pieces of silver. She has all the legal rights to all of her jewelry the husband has none. He can not take her jewelry away from her under any circumstance, with one exception: the husband has claim to only one jewel and that jewel is called the ten pieces of silver. This is the only jewel which in the event of the husband's death must be handed back to the husband's side of the family.

The jewel called the ten pieces of silver is worn by the wife only on very special occasions. She may once in awhile, because of her love for her husband, put them on while her husband is away at work; and sort of look at herself in a mirror, appreciative of her husband's gift and love. Yet very rarely does a wife lose one of the ten pieces of silver, because they are so precious to her that she hardly ever wears them for fear she might lose one. Maybe the 25th or 50th wedding anniversary would call for their wearing. Nothing less then the most outstanding occasion.

When the wife does wear the ten pieces of silver jewel, she wears five pieces of silver on one side of her head, towards the front of the head, and the other five pieces on the other side of her head. Each piece of silver has a little hook on top, and the wife just hooks the piece of silver in her hair. Thus, you can understand how easily one piece, or a number of them might become unhooked and without her noticing it she would lose them. If she loses one piece of silver and can not find it she will be put out of the house by her husband.

The husband will not divorce her or be angry with her if she loses a piece of silver, but simply expels her; for she has disgraced him in his house and has brought reproach upon his family, not because of the economic value of the ten pieces of silver, but because the losing of one of the pieces of silver means the withdrawal of God's favor upon the family. That is why she is put out of the house if she does not find the piece of silver. It is looked upon as a great curse on the whole family for the wife to lose a piece of silver. God's favor has been lost. The husband has no spitefulness for her, neither do the parents, but the wife will receive no sympathy from her husband, her parents or in-laws. No amount of money can redeem the loss.

She must find the lost piece of silver and when she does it becomes the good news of the whole town, for the whole town is concerned about her for they know the consequences of being dishonored and expelled. The women of the entire city know what she must endure. Therefore, when the wife finds the lost piece of silver and she knows it is safe and secure she calls in all of her neighbors to rejoice with her over the piece of silver which she has found.

Every person is an invaluable jewel in the eyes of God. Whenever one of His jewels is lost or astray the heart of God is hurt. But when that one, that jewel returns to the fold, is found, and finds his fellowship with the Father, the very angels of heaven rejoice.

Bishop K.C. Pillai, D.D.