Matthew 27:3-5 3Then when Judas, the one who betrayed him, saw that he was condemned, changing his mind brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is it to us? You yourself will see.” 5And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he went away, and after going out, he hanged himself.
The object of these verses is not grammatically clear but the context makes it evident that Judas is the subject and Jesus is the object, the one who was condemned and betrayed. It is impossible to know what was going through Judas’ mind the night of Jesus’ arrest and trial. It is evident that he was lurking in the shadows, watching the events. He may have been around the courtyard, like Peter, able to hear the outcome of Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin. Matthew simply records that Judas saw what was happening. The note that Jesus was condemned indicates that the Sanhedrin had already made its decision about the fate of Jesus. It was only a matter of carrying it out with the help of the Romans, since the Jews did not have the authority to execute a person. Judas is known as the one who betrayed. This is not a label that one would want to have in history.
Matthew’s note that that Judas changed his mind and regretted what he had done (metamelētheis) raises the question of Judas’ motives. What were his overall intentions? Did he hope that Jesus would rise up and walk free, proclaiming himself king in power and authority? Did he know Jesus was innocent the whole time but was disappointed because Jesus did not meet his expectations? Was he so blinded by his selfishness that he did not think through the consequences of his actions? Even when we change our minds or even repent out of sorrow and guilt, we may still have to suffer the consequences of our choices.
In the case of Judas, he showed his regret by returning the thirty silver pieces. He may have thought that by returning the money, his guilt would be resolved, and perhaps the Jews would change their minds about condemning Jesus. People do naive things like this, thinking that the power holders will change by one’s actions. But these Jews were already on their way to Pilate with their minds made up. Judas’ simple confession, I have sinned, is the beginning of restoration, but for Judas, his regret was too overwhelming. Interpreters throughout history have wondered about this confession of sin. Was it enough to make Judas right with God? Would God forgive even the betrayal of his Son? Or was Judas simply trying to clear his conscience?
The rebuff he got from the Jewish leaders must have been disappointing to him. Their responses in translation are idiomatic and basically mean that it was Judas’ problem, his conscience, not theirs. They had used Judas and had no more use of him. He was only a pawn in their game, and they had won. Throwing the money back was his last desperate act to make it right with them. It is not clear where Judas had the conversation with the Jewish leaders, if they were in the temple, or if he went to the temple after talking with them and threw the money there. Throwing the money may have been motivated by guilt, another sign of his repentance. Judas was going down hill and had dug himself a hole. His betrayal of Jesus could be compared to Peter’s denial and the rest of the disciples’ abandonment of Jesus. The difference is what comes next. Judas saw no escape except suicide. His guilt was so overwhelming that he hanged himself. There was hope for him in his sorrow for his sin but he could not overcome his sense of guilt. Repentance is an important step towards restoration, but without faith for new life, the old life of sin can still control and destroy.
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