The religious trial and Judas's death

Matthew 27:1-10 (New Living Translation)

1Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. 2Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

3When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4“I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”

5Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

6The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.”7After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. 8That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood. 9This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says,

“They took the thirty pieces of silver—

the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,

10and purchased the potter’s field,

as the lord directed.”

The consequence of sin

Jesus' formal accuser Judas wanted to drop his charges, but the leading priests refused to halt the trial. Judas tried to force Jesus' hand to get Him to lead a revolt and that did not work. But by the time he realized that he had betrayed an innocent man it was already too late. Many of the plans we set into motion cannot be reversed. It is best to think of the potential consequences before we launch into action else we may later regret .