Judas Iscariot holds a unique place in history as the disciple who betrayed Jesus Christ. This betrayal was executed in exchange for a payment of thirty pieces of silver. The sequence of events following the betrayal led directly to his demise, though the exact manner and location of his final moments are documented differently in the scriptural accounts. The conflict between these two narratives has long been a point of discussion, but both ultimately converge on the same geographical area outside Jerusalem.
The Hanging Account
The Gospel of Matthew presents a straightforward narrative of Judas’s final actions, focusing on his sudden remorse. Upon realizing that Jesus had been condemned, Judas was overcome with regret and attempted to reverse his treasonous act. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders in the Temple, admitting that he had betrayed innocent blood.
The religious leaders refused the money, deeming it “blood money” unlawful to put into the temple treasury. Abandoned, Judas threw the silver coins down in the temple and departed. Matthew then states plainly that the former disciple “went away and hanged himself,” indicating suicide as the immediate cause of death. The priests subsequently used the returned money to purchase a plot of land known as the potter’s field, intended as a burial place for strangers. This transaction, paid for with the defiled silver, is how the field acquired the name “Field of Blood.”
The Contradictory Account
A second account of Judas’s end is presented in the Book of Acts, delivered by the Apostle Peter to the other disciples. This version recounts that Judas himself used the money he received to acquire a field. Peter describes the death by stating that Judas “fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.” This description presents a different manner of death than the hanging mentioned in Matthew’s Gospel.
This narrative in Acts does not explicitly mention suicide, but instead details a gruesome death resulting from a fall within the field. The text explains that the field earned its name, Akeldama, because the incident became known to the residents of Jerusalem. Many scholars reconcile the two accounts by suggesting Judas first hanged himself, as recorded in Matthew. The body may have remained suspended until the rope or branch broke, causing the body to fall onto the rugged terrain below. This fall, possibly combined with decomposition and bloating in the heat, would have resulted in the violent bursting open described in the Acts account.
Identifying Akeldama
Despite the differences in the manner of death, both biblical accounts agree on the location where the aftermath of Judas’s betrayal took place. The field purchased with the thirty pieces of silver was named Akeldama, an Aramaic term that translates to “Field of Blood.”
Traditional identification of Akeldama places it on the southern slope of the Valley of Hinnom, just outside the Old City of Jerusalem. The Valley of Hinnom, or Gehenna, was historically a place of ill repute, known for ritualistic practices and later serving as a refuse or burial area. The specific field was known as a potter’s field, designated for poor quality land that contained clay suitable for pottery, making it a cheap option for a burial ground.
The site is currently marked by the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St. Onuphrius, built on a terrace believed to be the location where the tragedy occurred. Historically, the field was used as a cemetery for non-Jews and pilgrims who died in Jerusalem, fulfilling the purpose the priests had for the plot. The traditional location of Akeldama marks the common ground for both narratives, confirming the place where Judas Iscariot met his end.