THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
Chief Priests: Mt 27,1-10
The opening verses, 27,1-2, complete the Jewish trial in the house of Caiaphas (26,57). There they sought to condemn Jesus (26,59). Now in daylight they decide to act.
The word for "handed over" and for "betray" are similar in Greek so there are echoes of verse 2 (handed over) in verse 3 (betray).
This verse recalls Jesus' prediction in 20,19. This is the first mention in the Gospel of Pilate the Roman Governor.
Blood Money: 27,3-10
There is a different version of events in Acts 1,18-19 though with the same outcome, the purchase of the field of blood. Acts though lacks the context of the present scene.
Judas in verse 3 shows regret or remorse. Matthew does not use "repent" in the normal way (4,17, for example). The thirty pieces of silver are those of 26,15.
Innocent blood will be mentioned again in verse 24 by Pilate himself. There may be a hint here of Rachel and her children (2,18) of which more shortly.
The reply of the chief priests and elders is notably cold and harsh. Perhaps it is not surprising that as a result Judas went and hanged himself.
There are echoes here of the story of Ahithophel, David's counselor (2 Sam 15,12) who betrayed him during the rebellion of Absalom (2 Sam 17). When his advice was not followed by Absalom, Ahitohophel hanged himself (2 Sam 17,23).
Deuteronomy 27,25 indicates that the pieces of silver were cursed.
The quotation in verse 9 seems to allude to Zechariah 11,12-13 but is not an exact quotation.
This is the last of the fulfillment quotations given in this Gospel. Jeremiah may have been quoted by the evangelist to recall one of his first quotations (2,12-13), also concerned with innocent blood.
The final verse certainly recalls Jeremiah. He makes much of the potter (Jer 18,2-4) and also buys a field (Jer 32,7-9).
Reading these verses in this way is a final commentary on the actions of the Jewish leaders who have relentlessly opposed Jesus. They are now responsible for handing over or betraying Jesus to Pilate the Roman Governor.
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