Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #2 Matthew 27:3-10 – Judas Hangs Himself
Matthew 27:3-10 – Judas Hangs Himself
MT27:3 Then Judas his betrayer, having seen that the judgment went against Jesus, felt remorse[1] and tried to return the thirty pieces of silver[2] [Zechariah 11:12, 13] to the religious hierarchy and Jewish elders. MT27:4 He told them, “I have sinned by betraying righteous blood.”[3] But those leaders said, “How does this involve us?[4] You take care of that problem.” MT27:5 After throwing the silver pieces into the Sanctuary,[5] Judas left and went and hanged himself.[6] MT27:6 However, having picked up the silver coins, the religious hierarchy said: “It is not lawful[7] to cast the silver coins into the temple-treasury since it is blood-money.” MT27:7 After they took counsel they bought with the silver coins the Field of the Potter for the burial of unknown strangers.[8] MT27:8 To this day[9] this field is called ‘Field of Blood.’[10] MT27:9 Thus what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah[11] was fulfilled: “And they took the thirty pieces of silver as how they put a price upon or estimated the value of one from among the sons of Israel. MT27:10 And they gave the silver money for the potter’s field just as YHWH ordered me.” [Zechariah 11:12]
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[1] Felt remorse: Or, KJV: repented; RHM: smitten with remorse; TAY: deeply regretted.
[2] Thirty pieces of silver: This was the price of a slave (Exodus 21:32).
[3] Righteous blood: Or, KJV: innocent blood.
[4] How does this involve us: Or, RIEU: Why should we care; MOF: it is your affair, not ours.
[5] Sanctuary: The Greek is NAON or the Divine Habitat. There is disagreement on this exact location. Some, like Thayer’s, believe this to be the Holy Place, or first compartment behind huge doors. It is possible that where Judas met with the Jewish priests and elders was within offices around the Temple. He could well have thrown the coins under the front doors or even an open door to the Temple proper. Research the word NAOS for details.
[6] Hanged himself: Some suggest this was from a tree over a cliff which proceeded to break casting Judas’ body down to the ground where it burst open. Compare Acts 1:18.
[7] It is not lawful: The hypocrisy is unthinkable that they would consider what was legal or lawful to do with blood-money that they had paid for the betrayal of Jesus. A similar hypocrisy is shown in removing the body of Jesus before the Sabbath for it was not lawful to leave a body hanging on the Sabbath!
[8] Unknown strangers: Or, RIEU: foreigners; WEY: people not belonging to the city.
[9] To this day: This would seem to prove Matthew was composed before the complete destruction of Jerusalem.
[10] Field of Blood: Or, NEB: Blood Acre.
[11] The prophet Jeremiah: The quote is actually from Zechariah 11:12. There are three explanations why Matthew credits Jeremiah with the quote: a) Jeremiah led off the section of the Prophets; b) one ancient text uses “Zechariah” in a margin (Syh) and Syp,s omits “Jeremiah”; and, c) it is possible and suggested by some that Jesus has formed a conflate (a compound paraphrase) of Zechariah 11:12 and Jeremiah 18:2, 3 and thus the reference to Jeremiah as the prophetic source. For notes on Zechariah 11:12 when used as a “proof text” regarding the Trinity research Zechariah 11:12 in Nazarene Commentary.
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Preceding
Matthew 27 – The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – Bible Students Intro
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When Judas Iscariot, the traitor, learned that Jesus had been condemned to die, he repented & took the thirty silver coins back to the chief priests & the elders (214). “I have sinned by betraying an innocent man to death!” cried Judas. One of the chief priests dismissed him, saying: “That’s not our problem.” The looks on their faces told Judas that all the Jewish religious leaders were agreed. In anguish & frustration, Judas threw the coins down on the temple floor & left the temple. Overwhelmed with grief, Judas went outside the city & hanged himself.
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