And casting down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed and went and hanged himself with an halter.
και ριψας τα αργυρια εν τω ναω ανεχωρησεν και απελθων απηγξατο
15 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 21 commentaries
They did not put Him to death in secret, because they sought to destroy His reputation, and the wonder with which He was regarded by many. For this reason they were minded to put Him to death openly before all, and therefore they led Him to the governor.
Observe that he repents only when his sin is finished and complete; for so the Devil suffers not those who are not watchful to see the evil before they bring it to an end.
The Evangelist had above brought down his history, of what was done to the Lord as far as early morning; he then turned back to relate Peter’s denial, after which he returned to the morning to continue the course of events, When the morning was come, &c.
Since the Chief Priests were employed about the murder of the Lord from the morning to the ninth hour, how is this proved that before the crucifixion Judas returned them the money he had received, and said to them in the temple, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed innocent blood? Whereas it is manifest that the Chief Priests and Elders were never in the temple before the Lord’s crucifixion, seeing that when He was hanging on the Cross they were there to insult Him. Nor indeed can this be proved hence, because it is related before the Lord’s Passion, for many things which were manifestly done before, are related after, that, and the reverse.
It might have been done after the ninth hour, when Judas, seeing the Saviour dead and the veil of the temple rent, the earthquake, the bursting of the rocks, and the elements terrified, was seized with fear and sorrow thereupon. But after the ninth hour the Chief Priests and Elders were occupied, as I suppose, in the celebration of the Passover; and on the Sabbath, the Law would not have allowed him to bring money. Therefore it is to me as yet unproved on what day or at what time Judas ended his life by hanging.
Judas departed to proclaim the errors he had embraced. He reasoned within himself, "I will escape much criticism and conceal myself from disgrace." In casting off all restraint, as if he had nothing to reckon with upon leaving this world, he ensnared himself and met his end. To ensure that mercy remained untainted by his fate, none of the children of peace and truth were responsible for his death—rather, he ended his own life, illustrating how the malevolence of humanity ultimately leads to its own ruin. Who then will exact justice for the blood of Him who manifested in human form, if not the one who, influenced by the devil, betrayed Him? This betrayal occurred not because he could overcome Him, but because it was His own choice to yield to this betrayal.
The Lord did not extinguish evil; instead, He permitted it to consume itself through its own actions. Thus, the devil caused the demise of the immortal One clothed in human flesh, deserving of divine retribution. This was so that the one falsely deemed a god—the devil, worshipped in idols—would ultimately perish. The archer who aims at an enemy breaks the arrow and discards the bow into the fire when the arrow rebounds upon him. Likewise, Satan, recognizing that the death of the Son meant victory for the world and that His Cross offered redemption, possessed Judas, his chosen instrument, leading him to take his own life. The statement that "his womb was ripped asunder" (Acts 1:18) signifies the force that accompanied Judas in his fatal act. As the rope gave way, he fell, resulting in his body being torn apart. Some suggest that Judas shut and locked the doors of the house from the inside, and while he faced decay and his body fell apart, the doors remained sealed, preventing anyone from entering to discover the situation within.
Observe the evil zeal of the Chief Priests; they watched the whole night with a view to this murder. And they gave Him up to Pilate bound, for such was their practice to send bound to the judge any whom they had sentenced to death.
Judas, when he saw that the Lord was condemned to death, returned the money to the Priests, as though it had been in his power to change the minds of His persecutors.
The tears that flowed from Peter were filled with genuine emotion, while Judas did not shed any tears to cleanse his sin upon his demise. He faced an anguish of conscience that tormented him for having desecrated the sacred. By his own judgment, the betrayer brings condemnation upon himself and willingly bears the consequences of his wrongdoing. The Lord’s goodness is revealed in His reluctance to seek vengeance, demonstrating His divine nature as He allows the conscience to be tested through an unseen force.
Confessing one’s transgressions openly and discarding the silver was an act of true repentance, yet resorting to suicide stemmed from sheer despair. Judas acknowledged the wickedness of his actions, repented, and admitted his guilt. However, he failed to seek forgiveness from the One who could offer it. The adversary hindered him from turning to Christ, the very one he had sinned against, and drove him away before he could find repentance, as he was unable to endure the guilt of his conscience. Instead of seeking refuge in the compassionate Savior, he chose death as a means to escape his sorrowful existence. Ironically, he did not immediately attain the relief he yearned for; though initially suspended, he was soon cut down.
Afterward, he withdrew to a solitary area, and when he fell in despair, he was rendered lifeless, as the Acts of the Apostles recounts (Acts 1:18). While it is stated that Judas acquired the field through treacherous means, this event did not occur after his attempt at self-harm, contrary to some beliefs. In elucidating this, Chrysostom explains that the field purchased with ill-gotten gains refers to the potter's field, which was acquired with the thirty pieces of silver—a payment for the betrayal of the Lord. What act could be more vile than betraying Him? Let us, too, who are tempted by greed, reflect on Judas's sin, recognizing that he not only sought material wealth but ultimately destroyed his own soul.
They supposed that by His death they should crush His doctrine, and the belief in Him of those who believed Him to be the Son of God. With such purpose against Him they bound Jesus, Who looses them that are bound. (vid. Isa. 61:1.)
Let the propounders of those fables concerning intrinsically evil naturesa answer me here, whence Judas came to the acknowledgment of his sin, I have sinned in that I have betrayed righteous blood, except through the good mind originally implanted in him, and that seed of virtue which is sown in every rational soul? But Judas did not cherish this, and so fell into this sin. But if ever any man was made of a nature that was to perish, Judas was yet more of such a nature. If indeed he had done this after Christ’s resurrection, it might have been said, that the power of the resurrection brought him to repentance. But he repented when he saw Christ delivered up to Pilate, perhaps remembering the things Jesus had so often spoken of His resurrection.
(John 13:27.) Or, perhaps Satan who had entered into him continued with him till Jesus was given up to Pilate, and then, having accomplished his purpose, departed from him; whereupon he repented. But how could Judas know that He was condemned, for He had not yet been examined by Pilate? One may perhaps say, that he foreboded the event in his own mind from the very first, when he saw Him delivered up. Another may explain the words, when he saw that he was condemned, of Judas himself, that he then perceived his evil case, and saw that he himself was condemned.
But when the Devil leaves any one, he watches his time for return, and having taken it, he leads him into a second sin, and then watches for opportunity for a third deceit. (1 Cor. 5:1.) So the man who had married his father’s wife afterwards repented him of this sin, but again the Devil resolved so to augment this very sorrow of repentance, that his sorrow being made too abundant might swallow up the sorrower. Something like this took place in Judas, who after his repentance did not preserve his own heart, but received that more abundant sorrow supplied to him by the Devil, who sought to swallow him up, as it follows, And he went out, and hanged himself.
But had he desired and looked for place and time for repentance, he would perhaps have found Him who has said, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. (Ezek. 33:11.) Or, perhaps, he desired to die before his Master on His way to death, and to meet Him with a disembodied spirit, that by confession and deprecation he might obtain mercy; and did not see that it is not fitting that a servant of God should dismiss himself from life, but should wait God’s sentence.
When he says, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed innocent blood, he persists in his wicked treachery, seeing that amid the last struggles of death he believed not Jesus to be the Son of God, but merely man of our rank; for had he not thus denied His omnipotence, he would have obtained His mercy.
Though it should be observed that they did not now first bind Him, but before, when they first laid hands upon Him in the garden, as John relates. (John 18:12.)
He hung himself, to shew that he was hateful to both heaven and earth.
But they said, What is that to us? that is to say, What is it to us that He is righteous? See thou to it, i. e. to thy own deed what will come of it. Though some would read these in one1, What must we think of you, when you confess that the man whom yourself have betrayed is innocent?
In despair, the sorrowful betrayer lamented that everything was lost after receiving a harsh reprimand from the Jewish elders. He retreated to a remote location and took his own life. The apostle Peter recounts the tragic end of this betrayer, stating that in his fall, he sat down in the midst and his entire insides gushed out; ‘when he was brought low, his womb was loosed, and all his entrails fell out’ (Acts 1:19). The phrase ‘when he was brought low’ indicates that the unfortunate traitor hanged himself on a rock, after which the rope snapped, leading to his body falling and his insides spilling out. This was the divine judgment for the dishonor brought upon the high calling of the Apostle. This was indeed the judgment of the Apostle.
Overwhelmed by the harsh rebuke of the chief priests, the unfortunate traitor gazed upon himself, but it was a gaze filled with hopeless despair that made death seem inviting. Tormented by his conscience, he rushed to the temple and, releasing the burden of his betrayal, emerged from its confines. Yet, this act did nothing to ease his anguish. He succumbed to the devil's first suggestion, retreating to a solitary spot where he sought his own destruction on a tree above a precipice. There he met his end, or perhaps a branch broke, or the rope failed, causing Judas’ lifeless form to plunge into the depths below, where it was shattered and his bowels spilled out. Truly, it would have been better if this utterly miserable man had never been born. "Judas repented," remarks St.
Chrysostom, "but it was too late and his repentance was slow; he condemned himself. Such is the nature of the devil! He blinds men to their sins before they act, and once ensnared, they do not turn back. Certainly, it is commendable that Judas acknowledged his wrong and returned the silver without trepidation towards the Jews; however, his self-imposed demise is a sin that cannot be forgiven, a deed influenced by an evil spirit. Yet, the truth is evident. Does the death of such a traitor not silence the accusers of Jesus? What can they possibly say when the traitor has denounced himself? Take note, you lovers of money, and reflect on the fate of the traitor. How did he forfeit both his treasures and his very soul? Where is the joy in his greed, and what did it cost him? This is the harsh reality of avarice! "What led to the tragic conclusion of Judah's repentance, culminating in hardening and suicide?" asks one commentator on Scripture. Judah sought solace in the wrong place for the torment of his guilty conscience, where genuine repentance calls one closer to God. Instead, he turned to the very bishops who had bribed him to commit his wrong. He should have approached God directly, yielded to His boundless mercy, and poured out his grief for forgiveness in prayer and tears, for true repentance is inseparable from heartfelt supplication. Repentance devoid of prayer and tears often leads to the tragic end of the tormented criminal. If such offenders do not meet a dire fate, they remain unrepentant. The affliction of the soul may fade temporarily but ultimately lingers in the recesses of a hardened conscience. Such a sinner grows bolder in future transgressions, committing them without the burden of a suffering soul; their conscience lies in a deep slumber.
Judas had the opportunity to plead for mercy at the feet of Jesus, seeking forgiveness for his grave transgression, and he might have found the compassionate heart of a Savior willing to pardon a genuinely repentant soul. However, it appears that either Jesus had already been led away by the time Judas arrived, or he lacked the courage to ask for forgiveness from the One he had betrayed for his adversaries. Instead, Judas directed his sorrow towards the chief priests and the other members of the Sanhedrin, hoping to find at least some relief from his overwhelming despair and to persuade the judges to reconsider the sentence they had just pronounced. Yet, his efforts bore no fruit; the decree remained unaltered, and he was met with disdain and cold rejection.
Overwhelmed and unsure of his next steps, he recalled the thirty pieces of silver he had received, throwing them at the feet of the chief priests before fleeing the court. He found no solace from the torment of his guilty conscience, ultimately succumbing to despair. He took his own life, either by hanging or strangulation. The account in Acts, authored by Luke, reveals that Judas’s lifeless body fell and split open, causing his entrails to spill out (Acts 1:18). The testimony of Matthew does not clarify the specific location where Judas attempted to express his remorse, but since he begins his narrative after the conclusion of Jesus’ trial, prefacing it with “Then Judas...,” it is reasonable to conclude that he approached the court while the Sanhedrin was still present. During the proceedings of Pilate and Herod, and amidst the crucifixion of Jesus, Judas would likely have found it difficult to present his repentance to them.
Where did Judas cast aside the silver coins? According to Matthew, it was in the temple. He presumably tossed them in the same place where his plea for forgiveness was callously rebuffed, for it was there he sought to repent. At that moment, only the ordinary priests were present, as the chief priests were occupied with judicial matters. The Sanhedrin convened within one of the temple structures, and since all areas of the temple were collectively referred to as the temple, it could be inferred that throwing the coins into a temple building was synonymous with casting them into the temple itself. Furthermore, comparing Matthew 27:3, which states that Judas returned the thirty pieces of silver after feeling remorse, with Matthew 27:5, where it mentions that he threw the money into the temple, suggests that Judas's act of returning the silver was not accepted within the Sanhedrin hall, prompting him to go directly to the temple.
Regardless, the chief priests collected the discarded coins and deliberated at their leisure on what to do with them. Regarding Judas’s character, numerous interpretations exist. For example, the Cainite sect posited that Judas possessed a deeper understanding of his Master’s mission than the other apostles, recognizing that the true glory of Jesus lay in His suffering and death for humanity. According to them, by betraying Jesus, Judas contributed to the salvation of mankind and therefore deserved honor rather than scorn. This perspective starkly contradicts the Gospel accounts regarding the apostles in general and Judas in particular.
However, Judas's remorse, his belief that there was no forgiveness or salvation following betrayal, his self-condemnation, and his choice of suicide reveal that his greed did not completely overpower his conscience. The moment came when his conscience regarded his actions with clarity, and suffering began to invade his heart. He believed he was beyond forgiveness, despite Christ’s teachings in parables about mercy that conveyed to everyone, particularly the apostles, that there are no limits to divine forgiveness in human sinfulness. Indeed, Judas could have been forgiven had he truly turned to God in repentance. If he could not, for some reason, fall down before Jesus and seek forgiveness, nothing stopped him from persistently imploring his heavenly Father for mercy.
Yet, he neglected this path and forgot the words of the prodigal son in the parable: “I will arise and go to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you’” (Luke 15:18). Instead of approaching the Father—this was his grievous error—Judas attempted to escape the torment of his conscience. However, no matter where he sought refuge, he was pursued by the haunting specter of the cross, with his conscience relentlessly rebuking him, intensifying his remorse. I speculate that Judas’s decision to take his life came not immediately after Jesus’s condemnation, but later on. He might have held onto hope that Pilate would acquit the innocent One, waiting for the conclusion of the trial.
When Pilate transferred authority back to the Sanhedrin and Jesus was taken to Golgotha, that hope faded, leaving him in despair. Yet, far from Calvary, Judas ran, glancing back. The chief priests had dismissed his repentance, and he hurled the thirty pieces of silver—the silent testimony of his betrayal—towards them. He believed this would free him from shame and ease his conscience. However, as his conscience reasserted its dominion, the unease grew stronger, leading Judas towards the one place that could have offered true peace and forgiveness for his sin—the innocent Victim of his treachery.
It is likely he found himself amidst the crowd surrounding Pilate's Praetorium, absorbing the Roman governor's hopeful words declaring, “I find no guilt in this Man!” He must have felt a flicker of reassurance, only to be crushed by Pilate’s subsequent uncertainty and the fear of repercussions leading to Christ's scourging. When the chief priests and people cried out, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Judas became painfully aware that he bore the weight of not just his own sin of betrayal but also the collective transgression of the people.
In despair, he fled from the Praetorium, seeking solace beyond the city, yet he encountered a throng exiting the gates, accompanied by Roman soldiers carrying the instruments of execution. Realization dawned on Judas: his sin could never be washed away. He paused, gazing at Golgotha, anticipating the grim fate that awaited those condemned. Once the innocent one’s crucifixion was complete, the weight of despair drove Judas away from the scene, retreating in the opposite direction. But where was he going? Why was he running? Tormented by conscience, he resolved that a man like himself could no longer live, to end the incessant suffering.
He approached a withered tree, contemplating it as the end of his life’s reckoning. He climbed onto a stone, with frantic movements, threw his belt over the tree, tied one end to its trunk, and encircled the noose around his neck. With a final glance at Golgotha, he leaped down from the stone. The noose tightened around his neck, and following a few spasms, his body hung lifeless, snapped, and fell. Thus, the traitor sealed his own fate, becoming his own executioner.
Judas was left with nothing but overwhelming despair. In his desperation, he discarded the cursed purse and plunged into the depths of nothingness, which, despite the terrors of hell, now seemed a more appealing refuge than life on earth. He chose to end his life by hanging from the nearest tree, but the branch refused to bear his condemned body; it broke beneath him, and he 'fell down,' resulting in his body bursting, with all his innards spilling out.
"Throwing down the pieces of silver": not accepted by the chief priests and scribes (see Matt. 27:4), Judas cast aside the money, perhaps believing that this act would soothe his troubled conscience concerning the price of blood, but it was to no avail. - "In the temple": likely in the area of the temple complex (refer to Matthew 21:12) where the chief priests and elders had gathered. - "Struck down": the apostle Peter, in reference to Judas' demise, describes it as follows, “when he was brought low, his womb was parted, and all his entrails fell out” (Acts 1:18). It is suggested that he may have hanged himself and then, for some reason, fell from the height where he had been suspended, leading to what Peter recounts.
Passages read together with this verse.
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THEOSIS