Why is the field called the "Field of Blood" in Matthew 27:8? Key Passage “Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.” (Matthew 27:8) Background Snapshot • Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14–16). • Overcome with remorse, he returned the money to the chief priests and elders, confessing, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood” (Matthew 27:3–4). • The leaders, deeming the coins “blood money,” used them to buy a potter’s field for burying foreigners (Matthew 27:6–7). How the Field Was Bought • The coins were “the price of blood” (Matthew 27:6)—the literal payment for Jesus’ wrongful death. • Legally, Jewish law forbade putting tainted funds back into the temple treasury, so the priests purchased the nearby clay-rich potter’s field. • This fulfilled Zechariah 11:12–13, where the prophet was paid thirty pieces of silver, then commanded, “Throw it to the potter.” Two Reasons Behind the Name “Field of Blood” 1. Blood Money – The field’s purchase price was directly linked to the shedding of innocent blood—Christ’s. – Scripture treats that connection as real and lasting; the land itself became a memorial to Christ’s sacrifice. 2. Judas’ Death – Acts 1:18–19 adds another layer: “Falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines spilled out. This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.” – Judas’ gruesome end literally covered the field with blood, reinforcing the name in popular memory. Prophecy Fulfilled • Zechariah 11:12–13: the exact amount and the potter’s field. • Jeremiah 19:6: a location linked with judgment and innocent blood in the Valley of Hinnom, geographically adjacent to Akeldama. • Acts 1:20 joins Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8 to show the Spirit’s overarching plan: “May his place be deserted… Let another take his office.” Lessons for Today • Scripture records events with historical precision; God’s Word ties prophecy and fulfillment down to coins, places, and names. • Sin’s cost is real and visible—blood money leaves a stain no human effort can erase. • Yet even betrayal and tragedy become part of God’s redemptive tapestry, highlighting the priceless blood of Christ that truly cleanses all who believe (1 Peter 1:18–19). |
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