Saturday, January 2, 2021

When did Judas Die?

The account Matthew gives has Judas throwing the money at the chief priests and then the chief priests buying the field with that money. Luke says in Acts that Judas "acquired" the field and died in it. Matthew stresses that the field is called the Field of Blood because it was bought with betrayal money. Luke seems to stress that it's called the Field of Blood because Judas died in the field. Both, however, can be true. They're not exclusive options.


So it looks like the chief priests bought the field using Judas's money, and it's through them that Judas acquired it. It isn't that Judas purchased it directly.  Matthew seems to indicate that Judas died the same day that Jesus was crucified "and then he went away and hanged himself,” but I don't think he necessarily means to teach that, even though it's implied. There must be enough time for the chief priests to buy the field before Judas can know about it and die there.


Here's the timeline: Thursday night Jesus is betrayed. He's tried that night and condemned Friday morning. He's dead by 3:00 pm on Friday.


It looks like Judas tried to repent after hearing of Jesus’s condemnation by the Jews. So that's Friday morning. Perhaps the chief priests tried to buy the field that afternoon and Judas killed himself Friday evening. Saturday is the sabbath, so probably not Saturday. Maybe they waited till Sunday to buy the field and that's when Judas killed himself.  Or maybe Monday. But Jesus is resurrected by Sunday


Here’s one scenario:  Perhaps when Judas had thrown the money the chief priests discussed using it to buy the field in front of Judas.  Judas inquired where the field was located so that he could go kill himself in it. That's possible. I think that's a plausible scenario. This would allow for Judas to be dead by Friday evening.

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