Matthew 27:3-5
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Judas's regret isn't about betraying Jesus's innocence, but about the unforeseen consequence: Jesus's condemnation. His "repentance" is a gut-wrenching realization of the price of his actions, not a turning towards God, but a desperate attempt to undo the horror he helped unleash.
Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just been handed over and condemned by the Jewish authorities, leading to his trial before Pilate. Seeing his master condemned to death, Judas, the betrayer, is overcome with remorse and returns the blood money, confessing his sin but not to God. This remorse, however, is a worldly sorrow, not a saving repentance, and it ultimately leads him to despair and suicide, solidifying Jesus' innocence through the traitor's own damning testimony.
Judas handed Jesus over. He got his payment. Then, something changed. What did he expect, and why was he so shaken?
When we read that Judas 'saw that Jesus was condemned' and then 'repented himself,' we're witnessing a crucial moment.
A Failed Calculation
Many scholars point out that Judas likely didn't anticipate Jesus being condemned to death. He probably thought Jesus would miraculously escape or perhaps usher in his kingdom in a different way. Judas acted out of greed and perhaps a distorted view of how Jesus' kingdom would manifest.
The Shock of Condemnation
Seeing Jesus, the one he betrayed, facing death – not escaping, not triumphing, but condemned – shattered Judas's assumptions. This wasn't the plan he envisioned. His 'repentance' here is a sharp, agonizing regret over the consequences of his actions, not a turning towards God.
Judas felt terrible. He even gave the money back! But was this the kind of change that saves?
The Bible uses different words for 'repentance,' and the one used for Judas here (μεταμεληθεὶς - metamelētheis) is distinct from the 'repentance toward God' that leads to salvation.
A Change of Mind, Not Heart
This specific word points to a regret or remorse over actions and their outcomes, rather than a deep, spiritual turning from sin towards God. It’s the difference between hating the of sin and hating the .
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Worldly Sorrow Leads to Death
Judas’s remorse was a 'worldly sorrow.' It was driven by guilt, fear, and despair, not by a realization of his offense against God's love and holiness. This kind of sorrow leads to destruction, as it did for Judas, who ultimately took his own life. True repentance, on the other hand, is a 'godly sorrow' that results in a life transformed and reconciled with God.
Thirty pieces of silver. It seemed like a good deal. But what happened when Judas tried to 'undo' it?
Judas’s return of the money is a dramatic moment, but it reveals the depth of his despair and the hardened hearts of the religious leaders.
A Futile Attempt to Erase Sin
Judas, overwhelmed by guilt, tried to return the payment for his betrayal. He hoped, perhaps, to undo the deed or at least alleviate the crushing weight on his conscience. However, his actions show a desperate attempt to escape personal torment, not a genuine plea for forgiveness or restoration.
The Unresponsive Rulers
Tragically, the chief priests and elders refuse any responsibility for Judas’s crisis. Their chilling response, 'What is that to us? See to it yourself!' (Matthew 27:4), shows their utter callousness. They see Jesus’s condemnation as the goal achieved, and Judas's agony is merely an inconvenient side effect. They are unmoved by his confession of innocence, their hearts set on Jesus’s death.
The Ground of Blood
Ultimately, the thirty pieces of silver were used to buy the potter's field, fulfilling prophecy (Zechariah 11:12-13). This act, born of betrayal and ending in despair, ironically becomes a stark reminder of the high cost of sin and God’s sovereign hand at work, even through wicked deeds.
Understand the original words
paradidōmi · Greek Participle
One who delivers another into the hands of enemies or authorities; specifically applied to Judas, it denotes the act of turning against one’s master or friend.
katadikazō · Greek Verb
To judge or declare guilty; a formal verdict, often involving the imposition of a sentence, particularly in a legal or divine context.
metamelomai · Greek Verb
To turn away from, repent, or experience a change of heart/mind, though not always implying the biblical act of saving faith or godly sorrow.
hamartanō · Greek Verb
The transgression of God’s law, whether by act, word, or thought, which separates the individual from God and incurs His judgment.
athōos haima · Greek Adjective
A reference to a person who has committed no legal or moral wrong; used here to emphasize the complete lack of guilt in Jesus’ character or actions.
naos · Greek Noun
The central place of worship for Israel and the dwelling place of God’s presence on earth; it was considered the most sacred location in the Jewish world.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Trial and Condemnation
Following his arrest, Jesus is tried by the Jewish Sanhedrin and subsequently by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. The religious leaders press for his execution, and Pilate, despite reservations, hands Jesus over to be crucified.
c. 30 AD
Judas' Remorse and Death
Upon seeing Jesus condemned, Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, is overcome with remorse. He returns the money to the chief priests and elders and, in despair, hangs himself.
c. 30 AD
Purchase of the Potter's Field
The chief priests use the 30 pieces of silver returned by Judas to buy a field, intending it as a burial place for foreigners. This act is seen by Matthew as fulfilling a prophecy from the Old Testament.
c. 400 BC
Zechariah's Prophecy
The prophet Zechariah foretells a time when the Lord will ask the people to pay him the wages of a shepherd, which they do by weighing out 30 pieces of silver. This prophecy is interpreted by Matthew to relate to Judas' betrayal and the subsequent purchase of the field.
This passage is directly quoted by Matthew concerning the thirty pieces of silver, highlighting how Judas's betrayal and remorse were part of a preordained, albeit tragic, divine plan.
2 Samuel 15:31When David sees that his own counselor Ahithophel has joined Absalom's rebellion, he prays for God to 'turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.' This echoes the helplessness and divine intervention seen when Judas's plan backfires and he seeks to undo his deed.
Acts 1:18-19Peter recounts Judas's fate, mentioning how he 'went and hanged himself' and how the 'field of blood' was purchased with the money he returned, showing the immediate and tragic consequences of his remorse.
Job 20:5-9This passage describes the downfall of the wicked, whose triumph is short-lived and ends in ruin and terror, much like Judas's experience of intense guilt and despair after his betrayal.
vincentMatthew 27:3: "Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,"
Repented himself (μεταμεληθεὶς)See on Matthew 21:29.What is that to us?They ignore the question of Christ's innocence. As to Judas' sin or conscience, that is his matter. Thou wilt see to that.
henryMatthew 27:1-10: "When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:"
27:1-10 Wicked men see little of the consequences of their crimes when they commit them, but they must answer for them all. In the fullest manner Judas acknowledged to the chief priests that he had sinned, and betrayed an innocent person. This was full testimony to the character of Christ; but the rulers were hardened. Casting down the money, Judas departe…
Judas's regret isn't about betraying Jesus's innocence, but about the unforeseen consequence: Jesus's condemnation. His "repentance" is a gut-wrenching realization of the price of his actions, not a turning towards God, but a desperate attempt to undo the horror he helped unleash.
Jesus has just been handed over and condemned by the Jewish authorities, leading to his trial before Pilate. Seeing his master condemned to death, Judas, the betrayer, is overcome with remorse and returns the blood money, confessing his sin but not to God. This remorse, however, is a worldly sorrow, not a saving repentance, and it ultimately leads him to despair and suicide, solidifying Jesus' innocence through the traitor's own damning testimony.
Jesus has just been handed over and condemned by the Jewish authorities, leading to his trial before Pilate. Seeing his master condemned to death, Judas, the betrayer, is overcome with remorse and returns the blood money, confessing his sin but not to God. This remorse, however, is a worldly sorrow, not a saving repentance, and it ultimately leads him to despair and suicide, solidifying Jesus' innocence through the traitor's own damning testimony.
"Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is tha…" — Judas's regret isn't about betraying Jesus's innocence, but about the unforeseen consequence: Jesus's condemnation. His "repentance" is a gut-wrenching realization of the price of his actions, not a…
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Last reviewed October 2026
