Penny

Penny [DRACHMA; DENARIUS]

The Greek drachma, or Roman denarious, equivalent to about fourteen cents. In reading the Scripture passage in which this word, occurs, we should consider that the real value of money, to purchase labor or commodities, was far greater then that now; and also that even the nominal value of the drachma would be better expressed by "shilling," or "franc," than by "penny." Thus, "two hundred shillings’ worth of bread would not suffice," Mar 6:37 ; "he took out two francs and gave them to the host," Luk 10:35 . So in Jer 6:6, "a measure of wheat for a penny" expresses to the English reader the idea of great plenty; whereas the original indicates a distressing scarcity. A drachma in Christ’s time was good wages for a day’s labor in a vineyard, Mat 20:2 .\par

Penny. In the New Testament, "penny," either alone or in the compound, "pennyworth," occurs as the rendering of the Roman denarius. Mat 20:2; Mat 22:10; Mar 6:37; Mar 12:15; Luk 20:24; Joh 6:7; Rev 6:6. The denarius was the chief Roman silver coin, and was worth about 15 to 17 cents.

(See DRAM; DRACHMA.) The Greek silver coin, (Latin denarius, from whence the French denier,) bearing the head of the reigning Roman emperor, the date of his tribunitian power or consulate, or the number of times he was saluted emperor (Mat 22:19-21). A labourer’s day’s wages (Mat 20:2; Mat 20:13). The good Samaritan’s gift of twopence for the entertainment of the man at the inn would suffice for two days. In Rev 6:6 "a measure (choenix, two or three pints) of wheat for a penny," implies comparative scarcity when a man’s whole day’s wages would only buy a day’s provisions, instead of, as ordinarily, buying 16 to 20 measures.

Penny. Mat 20:2; Mat 22:19; Luk 20:24. This word in the English version is misleading at the present time. When the translation was first made the English penny was a silver coin. The Greek word is denarion, the Roman denarius, which was a silver coin worth about 16 cents. The penny shown to Christ was a Roman denarius, bearing the likeness and name of Tiberius Cæsar, who was emperor of Rome at that time. Agreeing "to pay the laborer a denarius a day" shows that 16 cents was then about the value of a day’s labor in Judea.

δηνάριον. A common Roman coin. It was the labourer’s wages for a day. Mat 20. Higher sums were reckoned by this coin, as the debt of 500 pence in Luk 7:41. The Lord when answering the Jews said "Show me a penny." Luk 20:24. It was the chief Roman silver coin. See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

PENNY.—See Money.

PENNY.—See Money, §§ 6, 7.

Coin mentioned in the New Testament. In the time of Christ Roman coins were in circulation in Palestine. This is proved by the story of the tribute money.

And they offered him a penny. And Jesus saith to them: Whose image and inscription is this? They say to him: Caesar’s. Then he saith to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God, the things that are God’s. (Matthew 22)

pen´i (δηνάριον, dēnárion; Latin denarius (which see)): the American Standard Revised Version (Mat 18:28; Mat 20:2, Mat 20:9, Mat 20:10, Mat 20:13, etc.) renders it by “shilling” except in Mat 22:19; Mar 12:15 and Luk 20:24, where it retains the original term as it refers to a particular coin. See DENARIUS; MONEY.

‘Penny’ (äçíÜñéïí) is mentioned twice in Rev_6:6. The RV_ gives marginal reference to Mat_18:28, where a note states that the coin (which was of silver) was worth about 8½d. The American Revisers’ note renders äçíÜñéïí by ‘shilling,’ which more nearly represents the actual value. During the reign of Nero the denarius suffered depreciation, and its value was as above stated. In the time of Christ it was worth 9:6 pence, or roughly 9½d. (see DCG_, art._ ‘Money’). For its purchasing power, with special reference to Rev_6:6, see HDB_, art._ ‘Money,’ 11. The denarius, or the denarius-drachm, probably underlies the ‘pieces of silver’ mentioned in Act_19:19 (see EBi_, art._ ‘Stater,’ with reference to Vulg._). At the higher value the total price of the books burned is about £2000.

W. Cruickshank.