Thanking a Betrayer: Matthew 27:1-10

Focus Passage: Matthew 27:1-10 (GW)

Early in the morning all the chief priests and the leaders of the people decided to execute Jesus. They tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

Then Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, regretted what had happened when he saw that Jesus was condemned. He brought the 30 silver coins back to the chief priests and leaders. He said, “I’ve sinned by betraying an innocent man.”

They replied, “What do we care? That’s your problem.”

So he threw the money into the temple, went away, and hanged himself.

The chief priests took the money and said, “It’s not right to put it into the temple treasury, because it’s blood money.” So they decided to use it to buy a potter’s field for the burial of strangers. That’s why that field has been called the Field of Blood ever since. Then what the prophet Jeremiah had said came true, “They took the 30 silver coins, the price the people of Israel had placed on him, 10 and used the coins to buy a potter’s field, as the Lord had directed me.”

Read Matthew 27:1-10 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

While Judas Iscariot is looked down on as the disciple who betrayed Jesus, the gospel of Matthew includes the final act of this disciple’s life. The events surrounding Judas’ betrayal happen over a relatively short period of time. It may have even been less than a week between the time when Judas first thought about betrayal and Jesus’ arrest.

But Jesus knew that He would be betrayed even before starting His ministry. Jesus even knew it would be Judas Iscariot who would be the one to betray Him when bringing Him in to the group of twelve disciples.

Some people believe that Judas’ betrayal was his way of trying to force Jesus’ hand. None of the disciples believed Jesus intended to face the cross. In their minds, the Messiah God promised would live forever – never facing death. In Judas’ mind, the thought is that an arrest by the Jewish leaders would push Jesus into taking the Messiah role that Judas believed He should step into.

Matthew tells us what happened to Judas after realizing Jesus was not moving away from death. “Then Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, regretted what had happened when he saw that Jesus was condemned. He brought the 30 silver coins back to the chief priests and leaders. He said, ‘I’ve sinned by betraying an innocent man.’” (v. 3-4a)

Judas realizes what he had done and he regrets his decision. Before leaving, he throws the money back at the chief priests in the temple.

Was this enough to cause him to turn back to Jesus and ask for forgiveness?

Was the regret simply that Jesus did not step up like Judas believed He should have?

I don’t think we really can know what happened in Judas’ mind at the realization that Jesus was condemned and was headed to the cross. We can see that he returned the money the priests had paid him, and in his words to them, he acknowledges his sin.

But there were four deaths that weekend. After leaving the temple, Matthew tells us that Judas “went away and hanged himself.” (v. 5)

In the list of people we should thank, we truly can thank Judas Iscariot. By betraying Jesus, which kick-started the events of crucifixion weekend, Judas’ actions ultimately led to Jesus’ death, and Jesus’ innocent death opened the way for everyone who has sinned to come to the Father for forgiveness.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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