Matthew 27:1-5

Mat 27:1 (KJB)
When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

The official sentence of death was pronounced on Jesus early in the morning by the Sanhedrin. The night meeting was the preliminary meeting to try and raise false witnesses and get as much false testimony for the morning meeting. It seems that the night meeting had lasted all night and the morning meeting had dovetailed that meeting. The Sanhedrin was in full session in the morning as they did not want anyone to claim that it was only a select few that sentenced Jesus. In the second set of proceedings, as it turned to dawn the verdict was reached on what had been discussed during the night and brought forward to the morning. The verdict was execution.

Mat 27:2 (KJB)
And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Since they had now pronounced the verdict of death upon Jesus, they were not allowed to put anyone to death so what they did was they now brought Jesus to Pontius Pilate the governor. This was the same method of indictment used during the Middle ages when the Inquisition was going on. The Roman Catholic Institution could not put someone to death so what they did was get the local authorities involved and let them legally put some one to death. However, many true believers died in the torture chambers run by the Roman Catholics. So in the same way the Sanhedrin handed Jesus over to the civil authorities, the believers down through history were also handed over to the civil authorities, something Jesus had warned His disciples about. They knew that Pilate was a weak Governor and it would not take much for them to get their way.

Mat 27:3 (KJB)
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

Judas now knew that Jesus was condemned to die had repented of his actions betraying Jesus. A question has to be asked at this point. Judas knew that Jesus was the target of the religious leaders in Israel, so then what did he think was going to happen to Jesus when he betrayed Him? They were not going to just sternly warn Him not to preach or perform miracles but they were out for His blood. Judas thought that he could somehow make amends for his betrayal of Jesus by returning the money but that was not to be so. The type of repentance that Judas had was the worldly sorrow and not repentance unto salvation. (2 Cor 7:10 KJV) For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. Judas was now face to face with the reality of his actions. There is a great principle here, we must be careful about what we do today because we could face grave consequences for our actions in the future.

Mat 27:4 (KJB)
Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

What Judas was saying here concerning sin was that it was not a sin against God but it was a bad error, an incorrect action. (Deu 19:10 KJV) That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee. Judas knew that he was in violation of the law and he thought that by giving the money back and confessing the fact he betrayed innocent blood, that maybe he would be told how to atone for that by some sacrifice under the Mosaic law. Their response to Judas was that they did not want the money back nor did they want anything to do with his act of repentance and they told him in no uncertain terms. In other words, they basically told him that it was his problem and what does your problem have to do with us?

Mat 27:5 (KJB)
And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Judas then took the money and cast it down in the temple. The word “cast down” in the Greek carries with it the meaning of “throwing it down violently.” For Judas to do that, he must have been very angry and depressed at the same time. He was so distraught that after he threw down the money, he departed out of the temple, probably the area where the temple treasure was kept, and then proceeded to commit suicide by hanging himself. In New Testament times there were two methods of hanging. The first was by crucifixion and the second was being impaled on a sharp spike or stake. (Acts 1:18 KJV) Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. From the description that we read in Acts, Judas must have impaled himself on the sharp stake, which would have pierced his body and weakened the muscle walls and depending how hard he fell, then that would cause his inner organs to come out of his body. Not a very pretty sight but it was the judgment of God on Judas. (Mat 26:24 KJV) The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

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