Act 1:15 | KingComments | STEP | During the meeting, at which about one hundred and twenty people are present, Peter stands up. He stands up “in the midst of the brethren”. It is clear from the rest of the report that ‘brethren’ refers above all to the apostles, because it is to them that he speaks. Peter did not take the floor to break the silence. What he has to say is a message from Scripture. He is guided by Scripture. His mind is open ( ) and therefore he understands Scripture, although the Holy Spirit has not yet been poured out. He has received the understanding of the new man from the Lord when He breathed on him ( ). He also believes unconditionally in the inspiration of the Old Testament by the Holy Spirit. What David said ( ; ), Peter attributes to the Holy Spirit Who used David’s mouth to foretell the betrayal of Judas. This does not mean that David was aware that he was talking about Judas, but the Holy Spirit gives an application which goes beyond the actual situation which David brought to his statement. What David said, he said about someone who at first was his friend, on whom he trusted, but who later became his opponent. Through the understanding of the same Holy Spirit, Peter correctly applies what David said and states that Judas was the Lord’s main adversary. He was the leader of the gang that came to arrest Him. It may have been difficult for Peter to say that Judas was counted “among us”. Judas had gone after the Lord together with them and also had his part in the service the Lord had given to them. As apostles they never had any suspicion against Judas. That he manifested himself in this way must have been shocking for the apostles. It is not clear whether , which deal with the dramatic end of Judas, are words of Peter or an explanation of Luke. We read that this false apostle was guided by money, which is called “the price of his wickedness”. It is the same wages as the one Balaam loved ( ). It is the wages a person earns when he leaves the straight path. By these wages, Judas has acquired a field, without having possessed it in person. It is the field that the chief priests bought from the money that Judas had earned with his betrayal and that he had thrown back into the temple sanctuary ( ). However, the money remained his money and the field became his field. Judas, the false apostle, comes to his end dramatically. He hanged himself, fell headlong, and burst open in the middle so that all his intestines gushed out ( ). His depraved inner being came out in all its horror in this judgment. The terrible end of Judas has become known throughout Jerusalem. In their own language they then speak of that field as “Hakeldama”. The meaning of this word is: Field of Blood. Twice there is a history that reminds us of a field of blood, both times (in pictures) in connection with the blood of Christ: in Genesis 4 ( ) and in Deuteronomy 21 ( ).

‏ Acts 1:15

The End of Judas

During the meeting, at which about one hundred and twenty people are present, Peter stands up. He stands up “in the midst of the brethren”. It is clear from the rest of the report that ‘brethren’ refers above all to the apostles, because it is to them that he speaks. Peter did not take the floor to break the silence. What he has to say is a message from Scripture. He is guided by Scripture. His mind is open (Lk 24:45) and therefore he understands Scripture, although the Holy Spirit has not yet been poured out. He has received the understanding of the new man from the Lord when He breathed on him (Jn 20:22).

He also believes unconditionally in the inspiration of the Old Testament by the Holy Spirit. What David said (Psa 41:9; Jn 13:18), Peter attributes to the Holy Spirit Who used David’s mouth to foretell the betrayal of Judas. This does not mean that David was aware that he was talking about Judas, but the Holy Spirit gives an application which goes beyond the actual situation which David brought to his statement. What David said, he said about someone who at first was his friend, on whom he trusted, but who later became his opponent. Through the understanding of the same Holy Spirit, Peter correctly applies what David said and states that Judas was the Lord’s main adversary. He was the leader of the gang that came to arrest Him.

It may have been difficult for Peter to say that Judas was counted “among us”. Judas had gone after the Lord together with them and also had his part in the service the Lord had given to them. As apostles they never had any suspicion against Judas. That he manifested himself in this way must have been shocking for the apostles.

It is not clear whether Acts 1:18-19, which deal with the dramatic end of Judas, are words of Peter or an explanation of Luke. We read that this false apostle was guided by money, which is called “the price of his wickedness”. It is the same wages as the one Balaam loved (2Pet 2:15). It is the wages a person earns when he leaves the straight path.

By these wages, Judas has acquired a field, without having possessed it in person. It is the field that the chief priests bought from the money that Judas had earned with his betrayal and that he had thrown back into the temple sanctuary (Mt 27:3-8). However, the money remained his money and the field became his field.

Judas, the false apostle, comes to his end dramatically. He hanged himself, fell headlong, and burst open in the middle so that all his intestines gushed out (Mt 27:3-8). His depraved inner being came out in all its horror in this judgment. The terrible end of Judas has become known throughout Jerusalem.

In their own language they then speak of that field as “Hakeldama”. The meaning of this word is: Field of Blood. Twice there is a history that reminds us of a field of blood, both times (in pictures) in connection with the blood of Christ: in Genesis 4 (Gen 4:8-15) and in Deuteronomy 21 (Deu 21:1-9).