κοδράντης

the smallest Roman copper coin

Definition

Κοδράντης (kodrantēs) refers to the smallest Roman copper coin in circulation during the New Testament period. It was a 'quadrans,' valued at a quarter of an 'as' and one sixty-fourth of a denarius, making it a coin of extremely low monetary value. In Matthew 5:26, Jesus uses it in a parable about debt and reconciliation, illustrating the principle of paying one's debt 'to the last kodrantēs.' In Mark 12:42, it describes the two small coins offered by the poor widow, emphasizing their minimal financial worth but maximal spiritual significance as a sacrificial gift.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only twice in the New Testament, both times to denote a coin of minimal value in a teaching context. In Matthew 5:26, it appears in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount within a legal analogy about settling accounts completely. In Mark 12:42, it is used in the narrative of the widow's offering at the temple treasury, where her two lepta coins are said to equal a kodrantēs, highlighting her poverty and the nature of her sacrifice.

Etymology

The word κοδράντης (kodrantēs) is a direct Greek transliteration of the Latin 'quadrans,' meaning 'a fourth part.' It derives from the Latin 'quattuor' (four), as the coin was a quarter of an 'as,' a standard Roman bronze coin. The Greek term was adopted into common usage to refer to this specific low-denomination Roman coin in circulation in the eastern provinces.

Semantic Range

Theologically, the kodrantēs is significant not for its monetary value but for its symbolic use in Jesus' teachings. In Matthew 5:26, it underscores the necessity of complete reconciliation and the seriousness of spiritual debt. In Mark 12:42, its pairing with the widow's mite powerfully illustrates the principle that God measures giving by sacrifice and heart attitude, not by monetary amount, enriching our understanding of true devotion and stewardship.

In the 1st-century Roman economy, the kodrantēs was the smallest copper coin, worth very little—about one sixty-fourth of a denarius (a day's wage for a laborer). Its mention immediately conveyed ideas of poverty, insignificance in worldly terms, and the most minimal unit of currency. This cultural understanding is essential for grasping the impact of Jesus' and Mark's narratives, where the coin's worthlessness by human standards contrasts with its great value in God's economy of the heart.

λεπτόν (lepton, G3016) — an even smaller Jewish bronze coin; two lepta equaled one kodrantēs. ἀσσάριον (assarion, G787) — a Roman 'as,' a bronze coin of which the kodrantēs was a quarter. δηνάριον (dēnarion, G1220) — a silver denarius, a day's wage, vastly more valuable than the kodrantēs.

Word Details

Scripture References