Written ~ 02-06-2024
Read Matthew Chapter 27
Matthew 27
Yesterday, from Matthew chapter 26, we studied the betrayal of Jesus by His own disciple, Judas Iscariot. In chapter 27 verses 1-10 we will continue to look at what happened to Judas after the decision was made to betray the Lord.
1 Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. 2 Then they bound Him, led Him away, and took Him to Pilate, the Roman governor.
3 When Judas, who had betrayed Him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”
“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”
5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.
6 The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.” 7 After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. 8 That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood. 9 This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says,
“They took the thirty pieces of silver—
the price at which He was valued by the people of Israel,
10 and purchased the potter’s field,
as the Lord directed.”
Jesus had already appeared before the high council along with the leading priests. They had presented Him before the High Priest, Caiaphas, to prove the necessity of death for this man who had called Himself the Son of God. Early the next morning Jesus was being bound and led to the Roman Governor, Pilate (or Pontius Pilate). What do you suppose Judas was doing during this time? Was he hanging around all proud of himself that he was the one to help bring Jesus in for questioning? Did he gloat over his achievement to the others gathered around? At what point do you think his point of view changed?
3 “When Judas, who had betrayed Him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse.”
I truly believe that when Judas agreed to betray Jesus into the hands of His enemies, he did not look past the 30 pieces of silver sparkling in his hand. Judas just wanted to gain approval from the men who were plotting the arrest of Jesus, he wasn’t thinking about their true agenda. Now, here he is standing in the courtyard where the leading priests and elders were delivering their sentence. They wanted Jesus dead. It wasn’t until then that Judas realized what he had done. He had sentenced Jesus to death by betraying Him. At this point we probably don’t like Judas very much… but can we have some sort of sympathy for him now? His motives were not right from the moment he first decided to follow Jesus. He never got it. He did not put his full trust in who Jesus was. Are we sure he was even a believer? But how can a person truly spend three years with someone without developing a bond or a loving friendship? When the realization came to Judas that his decision to sell out Jesus wasn’t at all what he was expecting, he went back to the leading and priests and elders…
3 “So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”
“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”
I can just imagine Judas’ jaw dropping and thinking, “What do you mean that’s my problem…” I think it had finally sunk in that he had made a huge mistake. I really believe at that point he wished it was not him who had betrayed the Messiah.
It does need to be pointed out that even if Judas had not been the one to betray Christ, someone else would’ve. In order to fulfill the prophecy in Scripture, Jesus had to be betrayed to His enemies. Jesus said that very thing Himself in Matthew 26:24a, “For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago…” In Isaiah 53 you can read about one prophecy describing what Christ Jesus would have to endure.
So, when Judas went to the leading priests but did not get the response he was expecting from them, his remorse overtook his entire being.
5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.
Judas made the decision to end his own life because he could not live with notion that he was the one to put Jesus to death through his betrayal. It’s a sad ending to this man’s life. We do need to be reminded though, that his heart did not belong to Jesus. In both Luke 22:3 and John 13:27 it says this…
3 …Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples…
27 …When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do…”
Satan used Judas to do his dirty work. This is how we know that the heart of Judas was not fully committed to Jesus. And when he felt the remorse for betraying Jesus, it might just be that it was the first true emotion he had felt in some time.
You and I can probably recall many decisions we have made that have caused us remorse. But let’s praise the Lord that we know to seek repentance from those things and renew our strength in the One who gives complete forgiveness. Even Jesus called Judas His friend. See Matthew 26:50,
Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.”
In those words of Jesus, I feel His love and forgiveness towards Judas. So even though we may not like this Biblical character, it was necessary for Jesus to be handed over to His enemies. It was necessary for Him to be tried and condemned to death. The domino effect from that betrayal kiss needed to take place so Christ would die on that cross for our Salvation.
Thirty pieces of silver became the symbol of what Christ’s life was valued. Thus, fulfilling another prophecy from Zechariah 11:12-13 and Jeremiah 32:6-9.
Certainly, you and I value Christ exceedingly more than thirty pieces of silver. We know who He is. We understand His sacrifice for us. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, His life is valued beyond measure when we put all of our faith and trust in Him.
~AMEN~