What happened to Judas after he betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver? The tragic end of his story reveals far more than his loss of life. In reality, it serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of greed and misguided choices.
While this part of the Easter story doesn’t receive as much focus as others, it holds valuable lessons for us today. In Matthew 27:3-10, Judas’ regret collided with the unrelenting guilt of his actions. This offers us a powerful opportunity to reflect on consequences of our own decisions. Let’s see what Judas faced in these verses.
Death of Judas – Continuing The Story of Easter
Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!”
And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.
The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood.”
And they conferred together and with the money bought the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers.
For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
“AND THEY TOOK THE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER, THE PRICE OF THE ONE WHOSE PRICE HAD BEEN SET by the sons of Israel;
AND THEY GAVE THEM FOR THE POTTER’S FIELD, AS THE LORD DIRECTED ME.” – Matthew 27:3-10
Judas Commits Suicide – Consequence of Judas’ Actions
Guilt and remorse consumed Judas as he realized he had betrayed an innocent man, Jesus. Determined to make amends, he rushed to the temple, returned the thirty pieces of silver, and pleaded for the charges against Jesus to be dropped.
But, it was too late. The religious leaders put the process in motion. And they were not about to stop now.
For every action there is reward or consequences. Many times we make decisions that seem harmless at the time. But, they affect us and other people long into the future. so, we must think through, and ask God for guidance, especially in important decisions. Even though we will make mistakes, at least the decisions don’t come in haste.
It’s a given, our decisions might not condemn a person to death as was the case with Jesus. But, they could destroy a relationship or another persons trust in us. So be careful.
Consequence from the Actions of the Priests
In mental anguish, Judas, appeared before the religious leaders. And yes, he admitted that he was a sinner.
Remember, the priests were charged with directing the people in the way of God. But what did they do? They answered Judas with, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!”.
His repentance meant nothing to them. They had already rejected the Christ! And now, they turned their back on Judas, totally neglecting their duties as priests.
These leaders were so blinded by their actions that justice was completely thrown out. They gave no mercy and had no shame.
Field of Blood
It’s strange that the priests could not use the money because it was considered blood money, given in exchange for murder. To justify, they used the silver for another project outside the temple. And this made it okay. Did it? Again, they showed no guilt in doing this.
As Christians, let’s try not to let personal gain interfere with doing the right things for God. We can easily justify perpetrating something bad–as long as it produces what we believe is good in another area.
Ask God First
Always talk with God, listen for His answer first. Use the old slogan “What would Jesus do?“. Then, talk with other Christians to see if you are on the right track. You won’t be perfect (neither am I), but at least you’ll make better decisions based on the best input.
Love in Christ
– Bob
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