Why does the bible say Judas died in two different ways?

Question

Matthew 27:5 And he [Judas] cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Acts 1:18 Now this man [Judas] purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

Answer 1

Different authors who write the same story never get it right.

Answer 2

It doesn't really say it was in two different ways if you research the ones who wrote the accounts. Some accounts were a little more detailed than others because that was the nature of the gospel writer. Apparently Judas began by trying to hang himself from a tree, and this tree was apparently near a cliff. What most likely happened was that in trying to hang himself, the branch on the tree broke, and he fell down the cliff onto the rocks and was killed that way, but ultimately it was from trying to hang himself.

For those who actually are looking for clarity on things like this, they do research to see what the case may have been. Ignorant people just sit around and say "oh the Bible just contradicts itself over and over", and yet they won't be bothered to do a little work to see if they're wrong. (And they always are.)

Answer 3

Always remember that each book of the bible was written at different times in different places by different men who had no idea of what had happened in Jerusalem so many decades earlier. There was probably a rumour that some bloke called Judas had betrayed Jesus and then killed himself, but neither Matthew nor Luke had any of the details - so they made them up. Naturally, since their was no communication between them, the "made up" parts of the story are quite different.

Answer 4

Simple. Judas hung himself the day of the crucifixion as recorded in the gospels. But when he did, he apparently went out of town into a deserted, wooded area and did it with no one around. His body was not found and hung from the tree for a time. As it began to decay, he eventual fell from the noose on the tree, hit the ground, and burst open spilling his guts as recorded in Acts.

The story of what happened to the body is not told until after Jesus has returned to heaven 40 days ater the resurrection. So it may have been over a month before the body was even found.

The four gospel all end after he hung himself, but before his dead body fell. So they do not mention it. It was still a "future" event at the time the gospels end. The book of Acts, which takes place later, tells you what happened later, so it includes the "later" fate of Judas' body.

Answer 5

Nice try, but you are wrong:

1. Acts is a continuation of what happened without Jesus, so this is a description by Peter as to what happened already.

2. What did he fall from? Having nothing else to go on, we use Matthew 27:5 to see that he hanged himself.

If you hang yourself then your body is up in the air.

Now put 2 + 2 together and we find out more details. Judas' body fell and burst open.

How do we know that the two are connected. What proof is there in the Bible that this is describing the same event? Look at the reference to the Old Testament and the description given in the context of both passages:


Matt 27:3-9
3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.
7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.
8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;
(KJV)


Acts 1:16-19
16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.
(KJV)

Your futuile attempt to prove the Bible wrong only points to your laziness and poisoned spirit toward the Bible. You presuppose that it contradicts itself, so that in great haste you find the first thing you do not understand, take it out of context and say, "Contradiction".

No, you only contradicted yourself.

Answer 6

First, the Bible should be capitalized =)

I think these two verses describe the same incident.
Matthew: Judas got paid silver, left and hanged himself.
Acts: Judas bought a field with (his silver) and falling headlong (going head first) his body burst open and his guts came out..I guess when he hanged himself he did it in a way where his body fell apart?

Answer 7

The reason for this "difference" is because after he hung himself he begin to rot and just like a dead animal on the side of the road he began to swell-up. When the rope he was hanging by broke he fell to the ground and thereby "burst asunder".

Answer 8

When you get a collection of myths written by many people from different parts of Europe and the Middles East and try to make a religion out of them these mistakes are bound to happen. I guess the right hand really didn't know what the left was doing.

Answer 9

Wink wrote:

What most likely happened was that in trying to hang himself, the branch on the tree broke, and he fell down the cliff onto the rocks and was killed that way, but ultimately it was from trying to hang himself.


yet further down someone else wrote that it was because his body began to decay and EVENTUALLY fell to ground, spilling his guts.

which one of you is right?


edit:

I don't mind getting a thumbs down, but I do when I'm only pointing out what's so blatantly obvious! How can you disagree with that? Pathetic!

Answer 10

Because the bible contradicts itself all over the place. The people that wrote the bible were obviously hallucinating and had terrible memory problems.