The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 576

in the Boriptnre sense; it springs not from well moralizes, " lmpli In facto ooneortes, love of God, it he.s not the.t che.re.oter post fe.otum deeerunt; pii, ill facto non con- which ce.lls for pardon, "Me.rk," 111.ys St. Bortes, postea medentm." To symµalhize Ohrysostom, " when it is the.t he feels re- with repentance is the dnty and tiie privi- morse. When his sin we.s completed, e.nd lege of the Christian ; to deride and scoff' he.d received e.n e.ocornplishment. For the at the returning sinner is devilish. It is devil is like thie ; he suffers not those who profitable to contrast the sincere repentanae e.re oareless to see the evil before this, lest of Peter after his fall with the remorse of he whom he he.s to.ken should repent. At the despairing Jude.a. least, when Jesus we.s ee.ying so many Ver. 5.-He cast down the pieces of silve! things, he was not influenced, but when his in the temple ( ;,, -r<i vcup, in the sanctuary, offence wae completed, then repentance came or, e.s good manuscripts read, .,, 'TOv v<16v, upon him, and not then profitably." Only into tM aanctuary). The priests were in now did he fnlly realize whe.t he he.d done; the priests' court (which would be included in the light of his ori.me ais conscience awoke in the term vaJs), separated by e. stone par- and confounded him with vehement re- tition from the conrt of the Gentiles. Into proaches; the object for which be had sinned the latter area. Judas he.d pressed; and, seemed utterlyunworthyand be.ea; its attrac- hurrying to the wa11 of division, he flung tion vanished when no longer pursued. the cursed shekels with all his force illto Brought again (returned) the thirty pieoes of the inner place,e.s if to rescind the iniquitous silver. He he.d received the whole price for contract and to cast a.way its pollution. Ha which he had bargained, but he could not departed. He rushed away from the temple retain the money now; it we.s e. silent witness a.nd the oity into solitude, down into and which he could not endnre. He me.y have across the valley of Hinnom, up the steep thought that he would throw away the sides of the overhangillg mounte.in--t1.ny- ~It of his crime as he deprived himself of where to escape human eyes, e.nd, if it its we.gas, or that he could repair its conse- might be, to flee from himself. Ve.in en- quences by this tardy restitution. deavom I The memory of his useless crime Ver. 4.-1 have sinned, He confesses his haunts him; he has no hope in earth or sin, indeed, yet not to God, but to the partners heaven; life under this burden is no longer and instigators of his crime, e.nd this, not supportable. Went and hanged himselt with godly sorrow, but in self-disgust e.nd (&11'1)-y(11-ro, he etrangled hi,melf; laqu.eo se vexation of spirit that could not be repressed. smpendit, Vulge.te). He mounted some pre- His we.a the sorrow the.t worketh death cipitous rook, and unwinding the girdle (for (2 Oor. vii. 10). In that I have betrayed it was unnecessary to find and take a. rope [the] innocent blood (aIµ11 &B,iiov, or, e.ccord- with him) which he wore, a.nd in which be ing to some manuscripts, 11Tµ11 5!1<111011, but had doubtless oe.rried the pieces of silver, in either oe.se without the article). By fastened it round his neck, and securing it spee.killg of "blood," he ■ howed that he to some tree or projecting stone, ftnng him- knew the murder was certain. J ude.s self from the height. The horrible result seems to have had no faith in Christ's is told by St. Peter in his first address to Divinity, but he he.d perfect assure.nee of the disciples (Act:l i. 48), " Falling head- his holilless and innocence, and felt, and long, he burst e.snnder in the midl!t, and all endeavoured to make the rulers feel, that his bowels gushed out." This may have an iniquitous sentence had been passed, and resulted from the breaking of the girdle. A that e. guiltless person we.s condemned to fmgment of Papie.s gives another explana- death. This consideration added to the tion, recounting that he wo.s crushed and bitterness or his regret. But he obtained disembowelled by n passing waggon. Thus no comfort from the hardened and unfeeling Judl\s, the only me.n concerning whom the priests. They had gotten what they had terrible expression is used, went "to his desired. The question of Christ's moral own place" (Acts i. 25). He is tile Ahitho- guilt or innocence we.a nothing to them; phel of the New Testament (2 Sam. xvii. eqne.lly indifferent to them wus the fierce 23 ; Ps. xii. 9; Iv. 12-H). remorse of Judas. What is that to ns 1 Ver. 6.-Took the silver pieoes. They TI .,,.po, ~µii.,; See thou to that (11~ ~,i, .. , picked up tho coins which Judas had flung lu videris, equil"alent to "U1at is your oon- away on the warble pavement of the court, eern." as in ver. 24). A more unfeeling, but were perplexe,l to determine what they nny,· fiendish answer conld not have been should do with them. It is not lawful. given. It threw the wretched man back These mon, who had felt no doubt or hesita- on himself, left him alone with his remorse, tion in compassing the dee.tb of an innocent the Lluokness of his night unrelievod by Mnn by the foulest treachery and perversion eny ray of humun symputhy. In their own of justice, have, or hypocritica.lly professed to obduracy and impenitence they soorn tlio h1w0, religious scruples about the disposal weakness of their miserable tool. As B~ngcl of this blood-money thus thrown on their  582 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO S'l'. MATTHEW. [oH. xxvn.1-66.