Knowing The Word in Matthew 27:3-10

Judas Hangs Himself

[an interlude to contrast with Peter?]

3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind [which is not the same as repenting] and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. [Despite his remorse, Judas is unable to unload his guilt. Yet the return of the blood-money and throwing it into the inner sanctuary of the temple implicates the chief priests and elders in this crime against the Messiah. The phrase “hanged himself” is used no other place in the New Testament but is found in the LXX version of 2 Samuel 17:23 that describes the suicide of Ahithophel, David’s friend who betrayed him. This is a grim warning against those who practice deliberate apostasy. Also see Acts 1:15-20 below.] 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. [They used unclean money to purchase an unclean place.] 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.” [This basically derives from Zechariah 11:13 with references to Jeremiah 18 and 19.]

Acts 1:15-20

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

“‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’;

and

“‘Let another take his office.’