Matthew 27:3-10, Judas Hangs Himself

3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind 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. 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. 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.”

Comments

Matthew inserted an interlude to contrast Judas with Peter. While Judas changed his mind, that is not the same as repenting. Despite his remorse, Judas was unable to unload his guilt. The return of the blood-money, throwing it into the inner sanctuary of the temple, implicated 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 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.

Prayer

Dear God, it is so hard for us not to be anxious.

We worry about work and money,

about food and health,

about weather and crops,

about war and politics,

about loving and being loved.

Show us how perfect love casts out fear.

(Monica Furlong)