The Death of Judas: Two Versions

1
The Death of Judas Two Versions
Matthew 273-8 When Judas, his betrayer, saw that
Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back
the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests
and the elders. He said, I have sinned by
betraying innocent blood. But they said, What
is that to us? See to it yourself. Throwing down
the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed
and he went and hanged himself. But the chief
priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, It
is not lawful to put them into the treasury,
since they are blood money. After conferring
together, they used them to buy the potters
field as a place to bury foreigners. For this
reason that field has been called the Field of
Blood to this day.
Acts 118-19 Now this man Judas acquired a
field with the reward of his wickedness and
falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and
all his bowels gushed out. This became known to
all the residents of Jerusalem, so that the field
was called in their language Hakeldama, that is,
Field of Blood.
Points of agreement 1) who died, 2) what the
money purchased, 3) what people called the field.
2
When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was
condemned, he repented and brought back the
thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and
the elders. He said, I have sinned by betraying
innocent blood. But they said, What is that to
us? See to it yourself. Throwing down the pieces
of silver in the temple, he departed and he went
and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking
the pieces of silver, said, It is not lawful to
put them into the treasury, since they are blood
money. After conferring together, they used them
to buy the potters field as a place to bury
foreigners. For this reason that field has been
called the Field of Blood to this day.
Now this man Judas acquired a field with the
reward of his wickedness and falling headlong,
he burst open in the middle and all his bowels
gushed out. This became known to all the
residents of Jerusalem, so that the field was
called in their language Hakeldama, that is,
Field of Blood.

• Points of apparent disagreement
• 1) What Judas did with the money
• Matthew gave it back before he died Acts kept
  it and bought a field
• 2) Who bought the field
• Matthew the chief priests Acts Judas
• 3) When the field was purchased
• Matthew After Judas died Acts Before Judas died
• 4) Whether Judas repented
• Matthew yes Acts no (suggested by his keeping
  the money to make a purchase)
• 5) Whether Judas killed himself
• Matthew yes Acts no (at least it sounds like an
  accident, especially with no hint of penitence)
• 6) How Judas died
• Matthew he hanged himself Acts falling
  headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his
  bowels gushed out
• 7) Why the field was called the Field of Blood
• Matthew it was purchased with blood money
  Acts Judas died a bloody death there

3
When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was
condemned, he repented and brought back the
thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and
the elders. He said, I have sinned by betraying
innocent blood. But they said, What is that to
us? See to it yourself. Throwing down the pieces
of silver in the temple, he departed and he went
and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking
the pieces of silver, said, It is not lawful to
put them into the treasury, since they are blood
money. After conferring together, they used them
to buy the potters field as a place to bury
foreigners. For this reason that field has been
called the Field of Blood to this day.
Now this man Judas acquired a field with the
reward of his wickedness and falling headlong,
he burst open in the middle and all his bowels
gushed out. This became known to all the
residents of Jerusalem, so that the field was
called in their language Hakeldama, that is,
Field of Blood.
An attempt to reconcile the accounts
(www.carm.org/demo2/bible/difficulties.htm) Ther
e is no contradiction because both are true. 
Remember, a contradiction occurs when one
statement excludes the possibility of another. 
What happened is that Judas went and hung himself
and then his body later fell down and split
open.  In other words, the rope or branch of the
tree probably broke due to the weight and his
body fell down and his bowels spilled out.  Also,
notice that Matt. 273-8 tells us specifically
how Judas died, by hanging.  Acts 116-19 merely
tells us that he fell headlong and his bowels
gushed out.  Acts does not tell us that this is
the means of his death where Matthew does.

• This addresses point 6how Judas died.
• It is not logically contradictory, but is it
  plausible that Luke (the author of Acts) would
  just forget to mention that Judas hanged himself
  first?
• What about the other six points of disagreement?
• Do these accounts need to be reconciled?