Acts 1:18
(Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "this man purchased a field" is a subtle way of attributing the field to Judas, even though the priests actually bought it with his returned money. It highlights how his actions, not his direct payment, ultimately led to this grim acquisition, making the land forever associated with his treachery.
Peter is explaining how the prophecy in Psalm 109 applies to Judas. To emphasize the terrible end of Judas’s betrayal, Luke inserts a parenthetical description of his gruesome death and how the field bought with his blood money came to be called the "Field of Blood." This detail highlights the finality and consequence of Judas's wicked actions.
We read that Judas 'purchased' a field. But did he actually hand over the money himself? This detail matters for understanding how actions, even indirect ones, have consequences.
A Field Acquired Through Wickedness
The verse says Judas "acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness." While the word 'purchased' (or 'acquired') suggests a direct transaction, the broader context from Matthew tells us the chief priests actually bought the field with the silver Judas threw back.
This isn't a contradiction, but a nuance:
The description of Judas's death is graphic and shocking. What does this horrifying end reveal about the ultimate consequence of his betrayal?
The Wages of Sin
The verse leaves no room for ambiguity about the gruesome end of Judas: "falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out." This is a visceral image of judgment.
Understand the original words
adikia · Greek Noun
Moral depravity or malicious evil; it refers to conduct that is contrary to God’s holy character and law, often resulting in severe divine judgment.
The graphic description of Judas's death, contrasted with the miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of betraying Jesus and the divine judgment that follows.
c. AD 30
Judas Betrays Jesus
Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus to the Jewish authorities, leading to his arrest and crucifixion. He receives thirty pieces of silver for this act.
c. AD 30
Priests Purchase Potter's Field
The chief priests use the thirty pieces of silver Judas returned to buy a field from a potter. This field becomes known as the 'Field of Blood'.
c. AD 30— this verse
Judas Dies Tragically
Judas Iscariot dies, likely shortly after the betrayal. Accounts suggest he hanged himself, and his body later burst open.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus Ascends to Heaven
Jesus appears to his disciples over forty days after his resurrection, instructs them, and then ascends into heaven from the Mount of Olives.
This passage from Matthew parallels Luke's account by detailing Judas's betrayal and his subsequent remorse, which led to his death, though it focuses on his hanging himself rather than the horrific physical consequence described in Acts.
2 Samuel 17:23This Old Testament account describes Ahithophel's suicide, which is often seen as a parallel to Judas's end, highlighting the tragic fate of a traitor who took his own life.
Psalm 109:17-18This psalm, directly quoted by Peter in Acts 1, describes a wicked person being cursed to have destruction enter them like water, which vividly reflects the gruesome physical end of Judas.
Jeremiah 17:11This verse speaks of those who unjustly gain wealth, comparing them to a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay, implying their ill-gotten gains will be lost and they will ultimately face ruin.
vincentActs 1:18: "Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out."
Purchased (ἐκτήσατο)See on possess, Luke 18:12. Better, as Rev., obtained. Judas did not purchase the field, but the priests did with the money which he returned to them, (Matthew 27:7). The expression means merely that the field was purchased with the money of Judas.Falling headlong (πρηνής γενόμενος)Lit., having become headlong.He bur…
jfbActs 1:12-26: "Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey."
Ac 1:12-26. Return of the Eleven to Jerusalem—Proceedings in the Upper Room till Pentecost.12-14. a sabbath day's journey—about two thousand cubits.
The phrase "this man purchased a field" is a subtle way of attributing the field to Judas, even though the priests actually bought it with his returned money. It highlights how his actions, not his direct payment, ultimately led to this grim acquisition, making the land forever associated with his treachery.
Peter is explaining how the prophecy in Psalm 109 applies to Judas. To emphasize the terrible end of Judas’s betrayal, Luke inserts a parenthetical description of his gruesome death and how the field bought with his blood money came to be called the "Field of Blood." This detail highlights the finality and consequence of Judas's wicked actions.
Peter is explaining how the prophecy in Psalm 109 applies to Judas. To emphasize the terrible end of Judas’s betrayal, Luke inserts a parenthetical description of his gruesome death and how the field bought with his blood money came to be called the "Field of Blood." This detail highlights the finality and consequence of Judas's wicked actions.
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c. AD 33
Apostles Gather in Jerusalem
The remaining eleven apostles and other followers gather in an upper room in Jerusalem, awaiting the promised Holy Spirit.
"(Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out." — The phrase "this man purchased a field" is a subtle way of attributing the field to Judas, even though the priests actually bought it with his returned money. It highlights how his actions, not his d…
