April 14, 2025 | Be God's Family
Blood Money
Scripture: Matthew 27:1-10(NIV)
1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. 2 So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
3 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. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
Devotional
Blood money. Noun.
(Dictionary.com)
1. a fee paid to a hired murderer.
2. compensation paid to the next of kin of a slain person.
3. money obtained ruthlessly and at a cost of suffering to others.
4. money paid to an informer in order to cause somebody to be arrested, convicted, or especially executed.
Judas, overcome with grief, returned the money and said, “I have sinned, for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
The chief priests, filled with self-righteousness, proclaimed, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” It wasn’t against their moral judgement to pay Judas blood money out of the treasury, but for some reason it was to put it back in.
The prophets, speaking hundreds of years earlier, prophesied that thirty pieces of silver would be thrown into the house of the Lord (Zechariah 11:12-13; Jeremiah 17-19, 32).
Peter, the apostle to the Jews, said, “you were redeemed… with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, proclaimed, “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith (Romans 3:25).
John, writing down his apocalyptic vision from Jesus, exclaims, “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (Revelation 1:5).
Blood Money. “You were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20).
Poem
Will I?
Psalm 20
Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call!
Psalm 20:6-9
When scoffers rale
When mockers sneer
When liars seem unreined
In faith will I
Stand at my post
My King’s vict’ry to gain?
While char’ots thunder
Horses charge
While arrows fly around me
In worship will I
Kneel in prayer
Know God’s Right Hand and still be?
Despite the noise
Accusing jibes
The insane all be raging
In silence will I
Trust my LORD
My stance upon God waiting?
