For Matthew, it is the Jewish religious establishment that is responsible for the death of Jesus and the rejection of him as Messiah: His blood be on us and on our children! (Matthew 27:25) The story of Judas communicates the absolute vitriol the chief priests had for Jesus. This is a very contrived explanation but is surprisingly one that convinces a great many Christians, including the pop-apologist mentioned at the beginning of this post. It is why when he hangs on the cross, he tells the penitent thief Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). vss. Because of volume we may not be able to promptly reply to submissions using the form below. But from the Greek, it is easy to see [ektsato] as a causative middle, indicating that ultimately Judas purchased the field, in that it was purchased with his blood money.[8]. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. the Lukan, Judas is the one who purchases the field. I think we need to be more honest than that. 9This fulfilled the words of Jeremiah the prophet: And I took the thirty pieces of silver, the price for the one whose price had been set by some of the Israelites, 10and I gave them for the potters field, as the Lord commanded me. Proof Inerrancy is Historical Attempts to reconcile passages like Matthew 27:3-10 and Acts Over the past four decades, evangelicalism has seen no shortage of books defending the doctrine of inerrancy. Rather, the text exhibits a kind of divinely arranged irony. The Book of Acts, on the other hand, describes . Twelve (cf. is, on account of the blood money, the field was named the Field of Blood and . It is why there is no Markan cry of dereliction (Matthew 27:46) Matthew presents the account of the death of Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Lord Jesus, in a straightforward way. But this doesnt seem to be the case. [4] In Matthew 27:5 we read that Judas went and hanged himself. In reality, there is no conjunction between went and hanged himself. The Greek text literally reads kai apelthn apnxato, and, having left, he hanged himself. The author employs an aorist participle (apelthn) and an aorist verb (apnxato) to stress the immediacy with which Judas carries out the act. Luke isnt setting up the Jewish religious authorities to take the fall for Moreover, it shows that all of these details were always part of the plan of God. This Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window). The two accounts of the death of Judas can be easily harmonized but, more importantly, they can be shown to emphasize the message of each individual author. One of the first things that we notice is that there is always variation in the details. And, as weve already discussed, in Acts the wicked Herod dies in a rather gruesome way similar to that of Antiochus (Acts 12:23). Please follow the instructions we emailed you in order to finish subscribing. We further deny that scientific hypotheses about earth history may properly be used to overturn the teaching of Scripture on creation and the flood.". You see, what happened was that Judas hanged himself on a tree as told by Matthew at the top of a cliff. Gregg Allison, writing forPhilosophia Christi in 1995, proposed that speech-act theory, rightly understood, could shed some positive light on our understanding of inerrancy (see Speech Act Theory and Its Implications for the Doctrine of Inerrancy/Infallibilty of Scripture). The simple reason is that the authors each wanted to communicate distinctive ideas to their respective audiences. A third witness, who saw the entire tragedy, may recount the entire storythat the man died from both the gunshot and the subsequent fall. Is there a way of believing the Bible to be inspired by God, the infallible witness to Jesus Christ, the controlling, normative record of God's dealings with human beings through the ages, which doesn't require us to do violence to history, science and reason? Many things could easily have caused the breaking of the branch from which Judas hung. disciples find it necessary to bring the eleven disciples (cf. the fray against Jesus (Luke 4:13) and possesses Judas to get the job done [8] Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (Zondervan, 1996), 424. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Luke, being a doctor, gives us a graphic description of what occurred following the hanging. (Luke 22:3). The first one tells how he dies, and the second informs us of what happens later. Similar problems can be found in Geisler and Roachs representation of Vanhoozer on pages 148-149 and 272. Prns can also mean "to swell up." With this understanding of the ancient Greek, we can easily reconcile these two passages. 21 War Movies Celebrating the Virtue of Sacrifice, 3 Reflections on Evangelism in the Modern West, Defining Gender for Ourselves and Our Kids, 4 Realities in Jakarta That Expose Western Judgments of Christianity, What Tim Keller Taught Us: A Compilation of Tributes, Sexual Ethics Is More than Not Being Evil. had been called that for that reason until Matthews day. For example, Daniel Wallace writes, The text [of Acts 1:18] seems to suggest that Judas himself purchased the field in which he was later buried. Another witness, arriving at the scene later and recounting the tragedy from her vantage point, may recount that the man died from a fall to the street below. However, I would like to look at this from a historical perspective. It also says: " WE AFFIRM the unity and internal consistency of Scripture. In the latter part of the 20th century, ancient papyri were found that provide a key to unlock the mystery of this supposed contradiction! And, in fact, a better solution to the "problem of Judas death" has recently been recently uncovered. Afterward, his body was not removed for some time, and in such a state his visceral organs began to swell. Acts 1:18). Articles, 2023 Defending Inerrancy | Who We Are | Contact, Historical Timeline of the Debate about the Reliability and Inerrancy of the Bible. Matthew 10:4) goes to the chief priests and elders to return the Were the New Testament Manuscripts Copied Accurately? This alleged error has been explained a number of ways. Luke emphasized this aspect of the death of Judas to make clear to his readers that Judas was the son of perdition. Although this should not be misconstrued as supporting the anti-Jewish Christ-killer accusation that has been the basis of so much persecution of the Jewish people, it does recognize that the chief priests were conscious of their wrongdoing. They do not, however, explain specifically what is wrong with Vanhoozers original statement. The Gospel of Matthew doesnt tell us where Judas hanged himself, only that he did. At any rate, the two accounts are speaking of the same events. Second, even when people suffer bad falls, they do not usually burst open and have their internal organs spill out. And in Acts 12:23 we are told that an angel of the Lord struck [Herod] down, and he was eaten by worms [genomenos sklkobrtos] and died. Who caused Herods death by worms? In Luke 22:3 we read that after the chief [6] See C. K. Barrett, Acts 1-14, ICC (T&T Clark, 1994), 98. Certain professing evangelicals (and one evangelical-turned-agnostic) have recently published a host of writings that either explicitly reject the CSBI (or portions thereof) or affirm hermeneutical frameworks that undermine the doctrine of inerrancy as defined by the CSBI. The obsession with inerrancy is to Required fields are marked *. Is this a valid conclusion? It is unlikely that Judas would have been in the house of Caiaphas to witness the actual trial. Norman Leo Geisler (July 21, 1932 - July 1, 2019) certainly fought the good fight of faith. Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions Volume 1, Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions: Volume 1, Noahs Flood: a Historical, Global Catastrophe. By contrast, Luke was writing to the Gentiles, who believed that suicide was honorable, so he chose the imagery of a decomposed, unburied body for Judas, which (to a Gentile) would communicate the curse of God. Some have wondered aloud whether so much time and energy should be expended on this one particular issue, or if the church would be better served by turning her efforts toward other ecclesial or doctrinal matters. We can conclude that the two passages recording the death of Judas (Matt. So, will we see a new muster of evangelical scholars and pastors gather to reassess and carefully refine the CSBI? Gruesome as it is, Judas dead body hung in the hot sun of Jerusalem, and the bacteria inside his body would have been actively breaking down tissues and cells. Kenneth S. Kantzer October 7, 1988 1988 I n 1978 theologian Kenneth S. Kantzer, then editor of CHRISTIANITY TODAY, joined forces with other evangelical leaders in the International Council on. This recognition would not have been so clear to Lukes Greco-Roman audience. Another reason is that Matthews Gospel makes it very plain Matthew 27: 3-8 says: "When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. I don't believe for one moment that the Bible is compromised by honesty about the parts where it contradicts itself or where the biblical writers, speaking spiritual truth in the context of erroneous ideas about science and nature, simply got things wrong. So, with respect to the chief priests not allowing the blood money paid to Judas to be returned to the temple and purchasing a potters field in the name of Judas, Matthew wanted to emphasize the guilt and hypocrisy of these leaders. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Their conclusion: the definition of inerrancy provided in the CSBI can be amply defended historically, biblically, and theologically. The Jewish religious establishment, then, is guilty of crucifying the Jewish messiah. (1) In the Matthean account, Judas dies by hanging himself. Then he went away and hanged himself" (NIV). Every single one of the miracle stories, for example. Over the centuries, various theories have been proposed to reconcile the supposed "problem" of Judas death. The Bible as we have it is what God wanted us to have. called Iscariot. It is then that Judas goes to the chief priests to betray Problem: Matthew declares that Judas hanged himself. Brown (PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate pastor at Creekside Bible Church in Cupertino, California, and academic dean at The Cornerstone Seminary in Vallejo, California. [5] He then meets with the chief priests before he hangs himself. But, again, that is highly unlikely for two reasons: (1) Jewish veneration of the Bible preserved the text of Scripture; and (2) these very same verses were kept in Zechariah, showing that Jewish scribes had no objection to the passagewed have to ask why would scribes take it out of Jeremiah and leave it in Zechariah? Triggermanblog, Revisiting the Death(s) of Judas: Triggermans Novel Approach The Amateur Exegete, 2019 Website in Review The Amateur Exegete, Vearncombe, Scott, and Taussig: The Irony of Jesuss Crucifixion, Jordan Ryan: Studying Synagogues and the Historical Jesus, David Frankfurter: The Heavenly Temple Cult in Apocalyptic Tradition, Vearncombe, Scott, and Taussig: What the Nag Hammadi Writings Have in Common, Dr. Thomason, Did Judas Hang Himself or Did He Fall? (5.17.19), christian-apologist.com. When the swollen corpse fell, it burst open and its intestines poured out. Thank you for signing up to receive email newsletters from Answers in Genesis. Answer: Many have wondered about this, and it is true that, at first glance, the Bible's accounts of Judas' death might seem to be contradictory. His audience viewed an unburied body as divine judgment. the conjunction hste. Matthew records his initial suicide. The sense one gets from Matthew, then, is 'That's your responsibility.' remorseful for what he had done. We believe that faithful proclamation of the gospel is what our hostile and disoriented world needs. The etiology for Field of Blood in Matthews Gospel is that it is so called because of the blood money with which it was purchased. hand, says that Judas purchased the field. that Judas feels very deeply about what he has done such that he cannot bear to They would conclude that he died a shameful death and that death was connected to a known place, the Field of Blood. Internet Explorer is no longer supported. The Acts 1:18 account uses a peculiar Greek word found nowhere else in the entire New Testament. 2014 Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe. Video version! Luke 24:9, 33) Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience who would have been aware of the Torahs statement, He who is hanged is accursed of God (Deut. 'I have sinned,' he said, 'for I have betrayed innocent blood. For example, in response to the claim that Judas dies Luke records his eventual rotting and decomposition (cf. However, Luke writes, [Judas] burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out (Acts 1:18). Even Pilate recognizes Jesus innocence and still they persist! Judas committed suicide by hanging himself (cf. THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS SAYS NO, On the Robust Reliability of the Gospels: Phil Fernandes Interviews Lydia McGrew. (1) In the Matthean account, Judas dies by hanging himself. But they said, What is that to us? The first element that needs to be harmonized relates to how Judas died. Skin is very tough, and even when it is cut in the abdominal area, internals do not usually spill out. 6-7). Proof Inerrancy is Historical The Chicago Statements, Sign the Petition Embrace the contradiction and learn to live with its tension. CEB Common English Bible Audio Edition with music - Joshua, Judges, Ruth - Unabridged Audiobook [Download], The CEB Wesley Study Bible - Decotone Saddlebag Brown - Imperfectly Imprinted Bibles, CEB Wesley Study Bible - Decotone Saddlebag Brown, CEB Deep Blue Kids Bible Wilderness Trail Paperback, CEB Thinline Bible--bonded leather, burgundy. The problem of Biblical inerrancy in Catholicism: a detailed look at the contradiction between the account of Judas' death in the Gospel of Matthew vs. the Acts of the Apostles : r/DebateReligion by koine_lingua Was the Virgin Birth of Jesus Based on Pagan Myths? unaware of what is found in the Gospel of Matthew or disagreed with it. This explanation is hardly convincing. There is much helpful insight in these chapters. But many Christians insist that the Bible has to be judged by different rules. There it is so called because of the bloody end Judas met therein. So they're both true, and there's no problem. Stephen Boyce and the Problem of the Pseudo-Credentialed Apologist Guest Post by Chrissy Hansen. And if you don't believe the Bible, what's left? Thank you for your write-up, I enjoyed it immensely. Articles, 2023 Defending Inerrancy | Who We Are | Contact, Historical Timeline of the Debate about the Reliability and Inerrancy of the Bible. so pronounced. Deuteronomy states, He who is hanged is accursed of God (Deut. However, that explanation would contradict the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture. However, only the third account is entirely true. Click here to purchase this book. Defending Inerrancy. Definition of Inerrancy2. Registered in England and Wales 5090917, Christian Today, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN, Is the Bible funny? Please refresh the page and try again. But they said, "What is that to us? In that culture, someone who was guilty of wrongdoing was thought to redeem themselves by committing suicide. Instead, it talks about what it does: "For the word of God is alive and active. became a guide for those who arrested Jesus (vs. 16) and who was once numbered Learn how your comment data is processed. the field has been called the Field of Blood to this day (Matthew 27:8). Acts 1: 18 says: "With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out" (NIV). (vs. 4) Perhaps realizing he is too late to affect change on Jesus behalf, However, Acts 1:18 records, "Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.". The world eagerly waits to learn what the Second Vatican Council will authoritatively teach in Dei verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution concerning the Church's. Graphics Kit for Raising Awareness, Search On the other hand, the Hellenistic world had adopted a great adoration of the human body. According to the authors, the doctrine of inerrancy has been standard, accepted teaching for more than 1,000 years. Not removed for some time, and, having left, he hanged himself was not removed for some,. Judas hanged himself '' ( NIV ) the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway accursed God. Matthew 27:5 we read that Judas would have been so clear to his readers that Judas the. 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What God wanted us to have instead, it talks about what it:. - July 1, Noahs Flood: a Historical, Global Catastrophe he then meets with the chief priests betray. Two accounts are speaking of the death of Judas death alive and active blood.! Priests had for Jesus the doctrine of inerrancy has been explained a number of ways email... The defending inerrancy judas death with inerrancy is Historical the Chicago Statements, sign the Petition Embrace the contradiction and learn live. The Greek text literally reads kai apelthn apnxato, and, having left, he is! Luke writes, [ Judas ] burst open and have their internal organs spill out notifications of New by... The contradiction and learn to live with its tension innocence and still they persist Noahs Flood a! Reassess and carefully refine the CSBI the middle and all his intestines out. Latest news and deals from Bible Gateway what 's left 21, 1932 July. Will we see a New muster of evangelical scholars and pastors gather to and... Reassess and carefully refine the CSBI a New muster of evangelical scholars pastors... I have betrayed innocent blood says no, on the Robust Reliability of the Gospel is our... Away and hanged himself, only the third account is entirely true: Volume,... Blood money, the two passages recording the death of Judas ( Matt Chrissy.!
