3 Then Judas—he who delivered him up—having seen that he was condemned, having repented, brought back the thirty silverlings to the chief priests, and to the elders, saying, 4 'I did sin, having delivered up innocent blood;' and they said, 'What—to us? thou shalt see!' 5 and having cast down the silverlings in the sanctuary, he departed, and having gone away, he did strangle himself. 6 And the chief priests having taken the silverlings, said, 'It is not lawful to put them to the treasury, seeing it is the price of blood;' 7 and having taken counsel, they bought with them the field of the potter, for the burial of strangers; 8 therefore was that field called, 'Field of blood,' unto this day. 9 Then was fulfilled that spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 'And I took the thirty silverlings, the price of him who hath been priced, whom they of the sons of Israel did price, 10 and gave them for the field of the potter, as the Lord did appoint to me.'
11 And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor did question him, saying, 'Art thou the king of the Jews!' And Jesus said to him, 'Thou sayest.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 27:3-11
Commentary on Matthew 27:1-10
(Read Matthew 27:1-10)
Wicked men see little of the consequences of their crimes when they commit them, but they must answer for them all. In the fullest manner Judas acknowledged to the chief priests that he had sinned, and betrayed an innocent person. This was full testimony to the character of Christ; but the rulers were hardened. Casting down the money, Judas departed, and went and hanged himself, not being able to bear the terror of Divine wrath, and the anguish of despair. There is little doubt but that the death of Judas was before that of our blessed Lord. But was it nothing to them that they had thirsted after this blood, and hired Judas to betray it, and had condemned it to be shed unjustly? Thus do fools make a mock at sin. Thus many make light of Christ crucified. And it is a common instance of the deceitfulness of our hearts, to make light of our own sin by dwelling upon other people's sins. But the judgment of God is according to truth. Many apply this passage of the buying the piece of ground, with the money Judas brought back, to signify the favour intended by the blood of Christ to strangers, and sinners of the Gentiles. It fulfilled a prophecy, Zechariah 11:12. Judas went far toward repentance, yet it was not to salvation. He confessed, but not to God; he did not go to him, and say, I have sinned, Father, against heaven. Let none be satisfied with such partial convictions as a man may have, and yet remain full of pride, enmity, and rebellion.
Commentary on Matthew 27:11-25
(Read Matthew 27:11-25)
Having no malice against Jesus, Pilate urged him to clear himself, and laboured to get him discharged. The message from his wife was a warning. God has many ways of giving checks to sinners, in their sinful pursuits, and it is a great mercy to have such checks from Providence, from faithful friends, and from our own consciences. O do not this abominable thing which the Lord hates! is what we may hear said to us, when we are entering into temptation, if we will but regard it. Being overruled by the priests, the people made choice of Barabbas. Multitudes who choose the world, rather than God, for their ruler and portion, thus choose their own delusions. The Jews were so bent upon the death of Christ, that Pilate thought it would be dangerous to refuse. And this struggle shows the power of conscience even on the worst men. Yet all was so ordered to make it evident that Christ suffered for no fault of his own, but for the sins of his people. How vain for Pilate to expect to free himself from the guilt of the innocent blood of a righteous person, whom he was by his office bound to protect! The Jews' curse upon themselves has been awfully answered in the sufferings of their nation. None could bear the sin of others, except Him that had no sin of his own to answer for. And are we not all concerned? Is not Barabbas preferred to Jesus, when sinners reject salvation that they may retain their darling sins, which rob God of his glory, and murder their souls? The blood of Christ is now upon us for good, through mercy, by the Jews' rejection of it. O let us flee to it for refuge!