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How did
Judas die, by hanging or falling down?
Matthew 27:3-8 and Acts 1:16-19
- By hanging (Matthew
27:3-8) - "Then
when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt
remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and
elders, 4saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."
But they said, "What is that to us? See to that yourself!" 5And
he threw the pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed; and he
went away and hanged himself. 6And the chief priests took
the pieces of silver and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the
temple treasury, since it is the price of blood." 7And they
counseled together and with the money bought the Potter’s Field as a
burial place for strangers. 8For this reason that field has
been called the Field of Blood to this day."
- By falling (Acts
1:16-19) - "Brethren, the Scripture had to be
fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning
Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17"For
he was counted among us, and received his portion in this ministry."
18(Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness;
and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels
gushed out. 19And it became known to all who were living in
Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama,
that is, Field of Blood.)"
There is no
contradiction here at all because both are true. A contradiction occurs when one statement
excludes the possibility of another.
In fact, what happened here is that Judas went and hung himself and then his
body later fell down and split open. In other words, the rope or branch of the tree probably
broke due to the weight and his body fell down and his bowels spilled out.
Also, notice that Matt.
27:3-8 tells us specifically how Judas died, by hanging. Acts
1:16-19 merely tells us that he fell headlong and his bowels gushed
out. Acts does not tell us that this is the means of his death
where Matthew does.
Return to
Bible Difficulties - Matthew to
Mark
Return to or Bible Difficulties -
Luke to Acts
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Matthew J. Slick, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
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