UTTER DESPAIR
Opening Prayer
“Change my heart, oh God, make it ever true. Change my heart oh God, may I be like You” (Eddie Espinosa).
Read Matthew 27:1–10
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Judas Hangs Himself
27 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. 2 So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What is your strategy for moving forward when you know you have sinned?Only God knows what motivated Judas to betray Jesus. There has been much speculation about it over the years. Was it greed? He does seem to have had a preoccupation with money (John 12:6). Did he end up hating Jesus because he was disillusioned with the way Jesus was bringing about revolution (26:55)? Perhaps he never intended that Jesus should die, but rather simply wanted to hasten Jesus achieving his mission; he wanted to prompt Jesus to act.
Whatever the motive for the betrayal, Judas clearly found it difficult to accept Jesus as he was. Judas thought he knew better and took things into his own hands. This is not uncommon in any of us. We find it difficult to accept Jesus and his ways and therefore go our own way. We take things into our own hands.
Notice what Judas does when he realizes his guilt. He tries to put things right. But what is done is done and cannot be undone. His utter despair leads him to take his own life. If only he had been able to do the one thing that any of us can do when we recognize our guilt—turn to Jesus and seek his forgiveness. Consider how the chief priests show less sensitivity than Judas over an innocent man condemned to die.
Apply
Is there an area of your life that you know you have not brought to God in repentance? Don’t wait!
Closing prayer
Lord, help me run to You quickly when I have sinned.
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