Matthew 27:1-10
Judas Hangs Himself
1 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.”
Judas betrayed Jesus...Judas betrays Him for thirty silver pieces...Jesus was getting arrested and will be executed...Judas now feels regretful about his decision...When Judas sees that Jesus was condemned, he returns the silver to the chief priests and the elders...Judas admits that Jesus is innocent, and that he has betrayed innocent blood...The chief priests and elders do not care and tell him that was and is his responsibility...So Judas throws the money in the temple, and then goes off and hangs himself...
Judas acts of betrayal and thought out...His act is not an emotional outburst...Judas acts were premeditated...Judas at one time was a disciple and follower of Jesus...Jesus tells us,
“While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me...None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled." (John 17:12)...Judas fulfilled Scripture...
The chief priests pick up the money and know that it is blood money...It is the blood of Jesus...They decide to use it to purchase a potters field as a burial place for foreigners...The chief priests, who gave Judas the money for information to betray Jesus, will not put the money back in their treasury...The money is tainted...The money was used to try, convict, and crucify Jesus...The money fulfills what the Prophet Jeremiah and Zechariah in their writings (Jeremiah 19:1-13, Zechariah 11:4-17)...While Judas shows remorse and regret, the chief priests seem to show little remorse...
St. Paul writes about how Godly sorrow brings repentance..Sorrow of this world brings death (2 Corinthians 7:10-13)...
So regret and remorse of this world and the heavenly world are different...God does not live in everyone's heart...This is why everyone does not go to heaven...On judgment day, if God sees Himself and His Son in our heart, we go to heaven...When we feel remorse, and our lives are filled with regret, let us pray to the Father and Son for help and guidance...