Treasury

The treasury of the Jerusalem temple consisted of thirteen trumpet-shaped bronze receptacles located in the Court of the Women, into which worshippers cast their offerings. The Gospels record two significant scenes set there. In Mark 12:41–44 (Luke 21:1–4), Jesus sat opposite the treasury and observed worshippers contributing gifts, singling out a poor widow who cast in two small copper coins (lepta) as having given more than all the wealthy donors — "for she of her want did cast in all that she had." In John 8:20, the treasury area is where Jesus spoke the words recorded in John 8, a location the evangelist notes expressly. Matthew 27:6 records that the chief priests refused to put Judas's thirty pieces of silver back into the korban (treasury) because it was blood money, instead purchasing the Potter's Field — fulfilling Zechariah 11:12–13 as cited by Matthew.