Mt 27:3-10

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154. Death of Judas (Matt 27:3-10)

Judas knew he had done wrong in betraying Jesus. He showed no repentance or desire to correct this wrong, but before he committed suicide he made an effort to ease his guilty conscience by returning the money. The priests had not hesitated to use temple money in paying Judas to bring about Jesus’ death, but now they tried to appear righteous by refusing to put the money into the temple treasury (Matt 27:3-6).

In the meantime Judas went out into a field, tied a rope around his neck and hanged himself. It seems that in doing so he injured himself internally and his stomach burst. When the body was found in the field, the priests used Judas’ returned money to buy the field in his name. Originally it was known as Potter’s Field, but later it was called Field of Blood and was used as a cemetery for Gentiles (Matt 27:7-10; cf. Acts 1:18-19).