The Potter’s Field

“So after consultation they bought with them [the pieces of silver] the potter’s field [as a place] in which to bury strangers.” – Matthew 27:7 (AMP)

When Judas, remorseful, returned the thirty pieces of silver which he’d received for his betrayal of Jesus, to the chief priests, they purchased a potter’s field. Why a potter’s field?

Because those thirty silver coins were now nothing more than the price of blood – formerly offered for the payment of murder, it became blood money not worthy to be placed in the treasury. 

In those days, when clay was extracted from certain fields for the production of pottery, so exhaustive was that extraction that what was left of the field rendered it useful only as a ground for burial. Burial of unknown and indigent people. 

Judas allowed his selfishness, his greed and his utter love of money to betray a man he knew was innocent. The value of his reward for betraying loyalty, friendship, and love was a field of desolation, despair, and death.

The Bible tells us that Judas, in a show of repentance, confessed his sin. But to whom? The answer can be found in Matthew 27:3, 4 (AMP),

“…to the chief priests and the elders. Saying, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. They replied, What is that to us? See to that yourself.”

Judas confessed to the chief priests and the elders but they showed him neither mercy nor compassion. They were incapable of doing so for they’d already received from him what they wanted, he was of no use to them now – to them he must have been as good as dead. So they left Judas on his own, unable, because of their own spiritually desolate state of being, to even offer him a single word of encouragement towards genuine repentance. Judas was just like that potter’s field in the eyes of the chief priests and the elders – a desolate, despairing man that was as good as dead to them. Ironically, so were they.

To whom have you been confessing your sins? And in what condition have they left you?

1 John 1:9 tells us to confess our sins to God because God, Who is faithful and true to His own nature and promises will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Psalm 32:5 (TLB) says,

“until I finally admitted all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, I will confess them to the Lord. And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” 

And Proverbs 28:13 (CEV),

“…God will be merciful if you confess your sins and give them up.”

God’s Word is quite clear, confess your sins to God. God will not point out your sins, He does not condemn you and reject you, He does not treat you as your sin deserves. Instead, God is compassionate, gracious, patient, kind, abounding in love (see Psalm 103), and always ready to forgive (Psalm 86:5). He longs for you to come to Him, to pour out your heart to Him (Isaiah 30:18).

“this is the LORD's declaration-- turn to Me with all your heart” – Joel 2:12 (HCSB)

The potter’s field was Judas’ reward, and a reflection of his state of being; he became united with it (Acts 1:18) but it does not have to be yours. Jesus Christ died so that you don’t have to suffer that fate. He opened the way to God through His blood, the forgiveness of sin (Ephesians 1:7). So, if you are filled with despair, remorse and guilt over sin, know that there’s a way out…

“Tear your hearts…and turn back to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to become angry, overflowing in gracious love, and grieves about this evil.” – Joel 2:13 (ISV)

Amen†

The Potter’s Field    Shelley Johnson 04-Jul-2016