Judas Hangs Himself - Matthew 27
Judas Hangs Himself
27 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. 2 So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
Reflection:
Here today we may observe:
How the elders made plans to execute Jesus by bringing him to Pilate. A few years earlier the Romans had revoked the right of the Jews to dole out capital punishment for those who had violated their Law. When Judas saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse. Perhaps he thought Jesus would somehow get out of this, or the folly of his own betrayal finally set in when he saw the finality of what was going to happen to his Lord. Whatever the case when he is seized by his remorse and regret, he confesses the the chief priests and elders his guilt. Perhaps he was hoping they might assuage his guilty conscience, but they have no part in it, and throw it back in his face. Here we see how cold-hearted they were in using Judas, then having no concern for him when he realized what he had actually been manipulated to do.
As part of his remorse he threw back the money into the temple. And then he went away by himself. His remorse overcame him and he took his life. Note he did not turn to the mercy of Christ, or the fellowship of the disciples in his repentance, but wallowed in his sin and it eventually overcame him. As Satan had entered him to commit this act, ultimately Satan so overcame him in his guilt and remorse that he thought it better for him to be dead. This is the saddest of occasions in anyone's life, and confirms the passage where it says, "the devil has come to steal, kill and destroy life". His sin was not unpardonable, but yet he did not turn to Christ in his self pity and depression. Christ's mercies are new every morning, but for those who refuse to turn to Christ there is no consolation.
There is no "unpardonable sin", not even "self murder". Jesus died for all of it. But when one does not turn to Christ, the wages of sin is death. Both for those who take their own lives in despair not knowing Christ, and for those who never turn to Christ to receive His grace. This is why it is imperative we continue to preach the Gospel and live it out in our own lives. There are many still who wallow in pride and self deception, and are relying on their own goodness to save them. Though they may not be as notorious as Judas in their betrayal, yet they need Christ and His mercy the same.
Pray for those who have not yet in faith received God's grace. Though none of us deserve it, the great and free gift of God is forgiveness of sin and eternal life. This is why it is called the "Good News", and as we read this story I am sure we all wish Judas would have known of it, so it wouldn't have ended this way. Let us seek the Judas we know in our lives, and do our best to avail them of the mercy they have in the Son of God! And also as we have said yesterday, there is a little bit of Judas in all of us possibly. Maybe we don't outright deny Jesus, but for what price to we betray Jesus, or take the road of comfort rather than the cross. Amen.
27 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. 2 So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
Reflection:
Here today we may observe:
How the elders made plans to execute Jesus by bringing him to Pilate. A few years earlier the Romans had revoked the right of the Jews to dole out capital punishment for those who had violated their Law. When Judas saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse. Perhaps he thought Jesus would somehow get out of this, or the folly of his own betrayal finally set in when he saw the finality of what was going to happen to his Lord. Whatever the case when he is seized by his remorse and regret, he confesses the the chief priests and elders his guilt. Perhaps he was hoping they might assuage his guilty conscience, but they have no part in it, and throw it back in his face. Here we see how cold-hearted they were in using Judas, then having no concern for him when he realized what he had actually been manipulated to do.
As part of his remorse he threw back the money into the temple. And then he went away by himself. His remorse overcame him and he took his life. Note he did not turn to the mercy of Christ, or the fellowship of the disciples in his repentance, but wallowed in his sin and it eventually overcame him. As Satan had entered him to commit this act, ultimately Satan so overcame him in his guilt and remorse that he thought it better for him to be dead. This is the saddest of occasions in anyone's life, and confirms the passage where it says, "the devil has come to steal, kill and destroy life". His sin was not unpardonable, but yet he did not turn to Christ in his self pity and depression. Christ's mercies are new every morning, but for those who refuse to turn to Christ there is no consolation.
There is no "unpardonable sin", not even "self murder". Jesus died for all of it. But when one does not turn to Christ, the wages of sin is death. Both for those who take their own lives in despair not knowing Christ, and for those who never turn to Christ to receive His grace. This is why it is imperative we continue to preach the Gospel and live it out in our own lives. There are many still who wallow in pride and self deception, and are relying on their own goodness to save them. Though they may not be as notorious as Judas in their betrayal, yet they need Christ and His mercy the same.
Pray for those who have not yet in faith received God's grace. Though none of us deserve it, the great and free gift of God is forgiveness of sin and eternal life. This is why it is called the "Good News", and as we read this story I am sure we all wish Judas would have known of it, so it wouldn't have ended this way. Let us seek the Judas we know in our lives, and do our best to avail them of the mercy they have in the Son of God! And also as we have said yesterday, there is a little bit of Judas in all of us possibly. Maybe we don't outright deny Jesus, but for what price to we betray Jesus, or take the road of comfort rather than the cross. Amen.
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