Matthew 27:1 - 10
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.”
Question:
ReplyDeleteWhy was Judas surprised when they condemned Jesus?
http://www.bible.ca/ef/expository-matthew-27-3-10.htm says:
ReplyDeleteThe motivation of Judas in betraying his Master is identified only implicitly. In Mark’s gospel, we are told that the chief priests and scribes were plotting how they could take Jesus by trickery and put Him to death, but the problem with doing so was the multitudes that followed Jesus (14:1-2). It is likely no accident that Mark next records the anointing of Jesus with oil in a home in Bethany and the criticism of some of the disciples, including Judas (14:3-9). Mark then notes that Judas went to the chief priests and offered to betray Jesus to them. In the story of the anointing of Jesus, sandwiched between the plotting of the Jewish leaders to take Jesus by trickery and Judas’ offer to betray his Master, Mark suggested a possible motivation of Judas to betray Jesus.
Matthew tells us that Judas brought the thirty pieces of silver back to the chief priests and elders (27:3). It would appear that these Jewish leaders had returned to the temple, after having delivered Jesus to Pontius Pilate and been assured of His destruction at the hands of the Romans (see 27:20). Since the trial of Jesus before Pilate is recorded in the remainder of Matthew 27, it is likely that the story of Judas returning the “blood money” is not in strict chronological order.
Judas was filled with regret that he had betrayed Jesus. He knew that Jesus had already been condemned by Pilate (Matthew 27:3), but I suspect that he was surprised that this had happened. As one of the twelve, Judas had seen Jesus do many miracles and also escape the murderous designs of His enemies on more than one occasion. He probably had reasoned that Jesus would escape harm as He had done in the past and he (Judas) might as well put some cash into his pocket from the whole affair.
The thirty pieces of silver must have looked so appealing to Judas before the betrayal, but he eventually realized that their worth was nothing compared to the cost of obtaining them. So many baubles of the world are like that; to covetous eyes they sparkle and shine…and men and women give up things of much greater worth to obtain them. Those same men and women often realize later, even as Judas did, the great cost they have incurred for such temporary trinkets.
Even though Judas brought the money back, he couldn’t undo the treachery he had committed. Even if the chief priests and elders had been willing to take the money back, the deed had been done and Jesus had been arrested, abused and condemned to death. Giving up the reward for evil wouldn’t take away the guilt for sin committed.
http://delrifkah.homestead.com/Matthew_27_3-10.htm says:
ReplyDeleteIt appears that Judas was surprised at the decision of the Counsel to put Jesus to death, by his remorseful reaction in returning the money and confessing that he had betrayed innocent blood.
Some have suggested that Judas did it with the intent that Jesus would use His divine power to save Himself and would immediately set up His kingdom and deliver Israel from Roman oppression.
Truth was not in the interest of the jealous religious leaders of Israel at the time, so they were not swayed by the confession of Judas, they had what they wanted.
We know that remorse did not save Judas, because Jesus said, While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
And in the Apostles prayer seeking a replacement for Judas, said, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place."
But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood." Here the Chief Priests demonstrated their full knowledge of their own sin and guilt, but it did not bring them to repentance.
http://www.pulpitpages.com/uploads/9/5/3/2/9532717/sin_when_it_is_finished_-_mat.273-10.pdf says:
ReplyDeleteJudas now realized that Jesus had been condemned of the
high priest and the Roman authorities. The realization that Jesus would suffer crucifixion, even
though He was innocent, began to sink in on Judas. No doubt guilt began to grip his heart. Sadly
he had so rejected the Lord that his heart had become hard toward the leading of the Spirit.
Even the vilest of sinners will come to the realization that their sin is wrong.
As Judas pondered recent events, including
his own actions, he repented himself. We must understand this does not speak of repentance as
one would commonly think. This means “to be concerned; to regret.” It carries the idea of “little
more than a selfish dread of facing the consequences for what one has done.” This does not
reveal that Judas turned from his sin and unto Jesus. It reveals his deep concern for the
consequences he knew he would face for his betrayal. It appears that Judas is not sorry for his
sin, only sorry that he must now face judgment for his sin.
Rather than coming to Jesus in
repentance, seeking salvation, he turns to those he had conspired with in betraying Jesus. I am
convinced that Judas realized that Jesus was the Christ, that He was who He said he was, but he
refused to receive Christ as his personal Savior. Maybe Judas somehow thought returning the
money would pardon his great sin.
The world needs to take a close look at the life of Judas. Trying to undo wrongs will never
result in salvation. Seeking to rectify past injustices will not make one acceptable unto God.
Simply feeling sorry for sin, and even realizing that Jesus is the Christ is never enough. God does
not classify sin. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Sin brings separation. You
can seek to rectify every wrong you have ever committed, but if you fail to come to Christ by faith,
receiving Him as your Savior based on the finished work of Calvary, you are yet in your sin. It is
futile to look to this world for forgiveness of sin. It is futile to seek a means of righteousness apart
from Jesus Christ. He alone can pardon, cleanse, and save! Man isn’t a sinner because he sins;
he sins because of the Adamic nature within.
Judas rejected Christ for the last time and went and hanged himself. He committed
suicide, dying in his sin, eternally separated from Christ, he entered hell lost and undone.