Mat 27:3-10 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Matt 27:3-10: 27:3-10 There are two accounts of Judas’s death—this one and Acts 1:18-19 . There are differences between the two: (1) Matthew states that the priests bought the field (Matt 27:6-7 ), while Acts seems to suggest that Judas bought it (Acts 1:18 ); (2) Matthew reports that Judas committed suicide by hanging himself (Matt 27:5 ), while Acts enigmatically refers to a fall and an abdominal rupture (Acts 1:18 ); (3) Matthew implies that the field of blood was so named because it became a place of burial (Matt 27:7-8 ), while Acts suggests that it was because of Judas’s violent death there (Acts 1:19 ). The two accounts are compatible if one takes the account in Acts as describing the effects of the actions described in Matthew. 27:3 Judas was filled with remorse (Greek metamelomai ), but he did not repent (Greek metanoeō ), which would have changed his heart and resulted in obedience and a relationship with God based on faith.

Summary for Matt 27:3-10: 27:3-10 ^a There are two accounts of Judas’s death—this one and Acts 1:18-19 ^b. There are differences between the two: (1) Matthew states that the priests bought the field (Matt 27:6-7 ^c), while Acts seems to suggest that Judas bought it (Acts 1:18 ^d); (2) Matthew reports that Judas committed suicide by hanging himself (Matt 27:5 ^e), while Acts enigmatically refers to a fall and an abdominal rupture (Acts 1:18 ^f); (3) Matthew implies that the field of blood was so named because it became a place of burial (Matt 27:7-8 ^g), while Acts suggests that it was because of Judas’s violent death there (Acts 1:19 ^h). The two accounts are compatible if one takes the account in Acts as describing the effects of the actions described in Matthew. 27:3 ⁱ Judas was filled with remorse (Greek metamelomai), but he did not repent (Greek metanoeō), which would have changed his heart and resulted in obedience and a relationship with God based on faith.
27:4 ^j an innocent man: Jesus’ innocence is a dominant theme in the narrative of his suffering (see 23:35 ^k; 26:55-56 ^l, 59-60 ^m; 27:18-19 ⁿ, 24 ^o; see also Luke 23:47 ^p).
27:5 ^q hanged himself: Judas’s suicide resulted from a guilt-stricken, unrepentant conscience. His death satisfied Old Testament law regarding the punishment of a false witness (see Deut 19:16-21 ^r).
27:7 ^s Foreigners were Gentiles who died in Jerusalem. An asset whose owner could not be traced was used for public charity. In this instance, unclean money was used to buy an unclean place for unclean people.
27:8 ^t Field of Blood is a way of describing a cemetery (cp. Acts 1:18-19 ^u).
Summary for Matt 27:9-10: 27:9-10 ^v the prophecy of Jeremiah: The citation is from Zech 11:12-13 ^w. Matthew might merely have been conforming to the Jewish custom of citing books by referring to the first book in the particular scroll—the first book in the scroll containing Zechariah would have been Jeremiah. Or, Matthew might have thought of similar passages in Jeremiah (Jer 19:1-13 ^x; 18:2-6 ^y; 32:6-15 ^z) along with Zech 11:12-13 ^aa.

• Matthew sees a striking resemblance between Zechariah’s actions and those of the leading priests. Both contexts deal with the rejection of God’s messenger who was to be king of God’s people.