Bible Dictionary
Farthing
“Farthing” represents two small Roman coins mentioned in the New Testament: the assarion, a small coin, and the quadrans, one-fourth of an ass. The quadrans was the smaller of the two.
Definition
Farthing represents two small Roman coins in the New Testament. One is the assarion, a small coin equal to a tenth of a denarius or drachma; the other is the quadrans, one-fourth of an as and equal to two lepta. The quadrans was the smaller coin.
Biblical Usage
The assarion occurs in passages concerning the value of sparrows, while the quadrans occurs in the teaching about paying the last coin and in the widow’s offering.
Historical Background
The assarion was approximately a penny in the supplied comparisons. The quadrans was worth about three mills, or less than an English farthing. The lepton, or mite, was the smallest copper coin.
Scripture References
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(1.) Matt. 10:29; Luke 12:6. Greek assarion, i.e., a small as, which was a Roman coin equal to a tenth of a denarius or drachma, nearly equal to a halfpenny of our money. (2.) Matt. 5:26; Mark 12:42 (Gr. kodrantes), the quadrant, the fourth of an as, equal to two lepta, mites. The lepton (mite) was the very smallest copper coin.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Two names of coins in the New Testament are rendered in the Authorized Version by this word:
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>far'-thing: The rendering of two words in the Greek of the New Testament, assarion, and kodrantes, Latin quadrans. The assarion was the tenth part of the denarius, and hence in value about one penny or two centuries The quadrans was the fourth part of the Roman as, and worth only about three mills, or less than the English farthing, and is the only term rendered farthing by the American Standard Revised Version. It occurs in Mt 5:26 and Mr 12:42, while assarion, which occurs in Mt 10:29 and Lu 12:6, is rendered "penny" by the American Standard Revised Version.</p>