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Making Sense of Apostasy in Christ’s Betrayal
Matthew 27:1-10, Acts 1:16-20
We touch on a topic today that’s very disturbing. Apostasy. It’s disturbing for several reasons. We all know of someone who once followed Christ, but now betray him by doctrine and life. And so it’s personal. It hurts. We know that all things are in God’s will - so the one who has apostatized has done so because of God’s will. And so it’s more than just personal. It’s also theological. The one who betrays Christ, is it foreordained? If it is, how can it be the traitor’s fault? The apostate’s only doing what God had ordained him to do. So can he in the end be humanly responsible? It’s confounding. In this sermon, we hope to address some of these things - that while we may not solve every disturbing thought, we’re pointed back to the majesty and sovereignty of God, where we can find rest. Only at the end of time will we understand and be comforted. As the Puritan Thomas Watson once wrote, “The providence of God is like a Hebrew word - it must be read backward.” There are three points to consider from this passage. Firstly, an apostate can experience regret but not true repentance. Secondly, even apostasy is a fulfillment of God’s will. Thirdly, not all who seem to be apostate are finally apostates.
Firstly, an apostate can experience regret but not true repentance. Matthew 27:1-2 summarize the trial of Jesus - the chief priests and elders plotted to kill Jesus. They bound him and led him to Pilate. This was brutal - they took counsel - they conspired against Jesus with false witnesses. They were like Joseph’s brothers, who plotted and intended evil against him. But not only did they plot, they hurt Jesus. Matthew 26:67, the night before they attacked Jesus - “Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands.” It was worse than perhaps what Judas expected. And now they delivered him to Pilate. Judas knew what would happen next. A Roman trial would be far worse than a Jewish trial. And if found guilty, Jesus would surely be crucified. Verse 3 tells us that Judas, after he saw that Jesus was condemned, repented - or changed his mind. He returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. Listen to his words in verse 4 - “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.” Note when it happened. It was after Judas saw Jesus’ condemnation that he regretted what he did. What he saw or what he knew would happen would be so horrific, it made him repent. Now, we see three words that seem to demonstrate his sincerity. He repented. He confessed the sin of betrayal. And furthermore, he tried to return the money. There was restitution. It seems almost too good to be true. Repentance, confession, and restitution. But this was not true repentance unto salvation. How do we know? There are three reasons.
The first reason we see from the Greek word used. The Greek word for repent here is not the regular word for repent. This word - metamelomai - literally means care afterwards, or to feel concern and regret after an action is already done. On the other hand, the usual word for repent - metanoia - means a turning of the heart and mind, a transformation. So indeed, there can be a worldly grief so strong that it produces a regret - but not one that follows through until true repentance which requires a godly grief. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” So true repentance unto salvation will have a godly sorrow that’s not regretted. He freely admits; he freely sorrows. On the other hand, there’s a worldly sorrow that leads to death. Judas had the outward signs of repentance - confession, restitution, sorrow - but he lacked the inward reality - a faith in the mercy of God. So his worldly sorrow led him to suicide. The sorrow of worldly regret can’t take humiliation. It wants to escape.
The second reason is in the details and precision of the text. Judas regretted only after seeing Jesus condemned. The sight in that moment must’ve been terrible to witness. But compare this to the sight he witnessed for 3 years. He saw all the works of Christ. He’d seen the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the dead raised, the possessed freed. He also heard Christ’s words spoken with great authority - heavenly truths spilling out of his mouth. But all of those wondrous things produced no true faith in him! He threw all of those things aside and betrayed Christ. In his so-called repentance, he said he’d sinned by betraying innocent blood. But he already knew Jesus was innocent before betraying him. Judas was betraying both knowledge and love. And the reason why he knew he was innocent is because he’d been with Jesus 3 years. He’d eaten at his table, carried the moneybag, received the sop from Jesus’ own hand. J.C. Ryle observed, “There is no evidence that ever came out against our Lord Jesus Christ so powerful as the evidence of Judas Iscariot.” If any man could have found fault in Jesus, it was His betrayer. Yet even Judas is forced to declare His perfect innocence. So let’s not be fooled. It was only regret and not repentance that was evoked at Christ’s condemnation. But could he having done all of that still come to true repentance?
That’s a hard question to answer because it’s a hypothetical. In reality, he didn’t repent. What we do know for certain is that he killed himself. Sorrow of true repentance leads to humility. But sorrow of worldly regret can’t face humiliation. It wants to escape. That’s the third reason to doubt true repentance. Now, we certainly don’t want to be moralistic here and condemn all who in weakness commit suicide. But specifically to Judas - his sorrow could’ve ended differently. He went to the chief priests and elders. But why? To whom should he have gone? He should’ve gone to God in repentance. And this meant that he should’ve gone to the disciples - the ones to whom it really mattered - the ones who could’ve forgiven him. James 5:16 - “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” He knew where they all were - in the upper room. Instead, he went to the priests - who were no help. We see how callous they were - “What this to us? That’s your problem, not ours!” He didn’t get the relief he wanted. Neither could he humble himself to get that relief through true repentance. The sorrow of true repentance leads to humility. The sorrow of worldly regret can’t take humiliation. And that’s why verse 5 - leaving the silver there, he hanged himself. And the place he hanged himself was a potter’s field. It was eventually called Aceldama - the field of blood - and it was located in the Valley of Hinnom. The ungenerate go to their death, rather than to their savior when they’re confronted with their sin. This was very different from the thief on the cross - in his final hour, he turned to Christ. Peter, went out and wept bitterly in shame, but finally returned to the Lord. But Judas in shame went out and hanged himself. To be clear, the difference is not the greatness of sin - it’s the response to grace.
But secondly, we see that even this apostasy was a fulfillment of God’s will. Now, what purpose did this record of Judas’ suicide serve? The gospel writers weren’t just journalists who reported; but the Divine author has a purpose. Sure, to be clear, it serves to warn of the heart of apostasy - but its inclusion, is especially to show that Christ’s death and betrayal was something planned. It was willed by God from eternity past - even the betrayal by Judas. Remember, Christ himself said that his life wouldn’t be taken from him, but that he would lay it down himself - it was purposeful to fulfill prophecy. He even revealed the traitor at the Last Supper. And in his greatest trial at Gethsemane, he submitted to God’s will to be betrayed. And in front of his accusers, he didn’t defend himself, but gave more fodder to them to accuse and kill him. All that was done was to put Jesus on the cross; so too this betrayal was willed by God. Article 13 of the Belgic clearly states - “We believe that this good God, after he had created all things, did not abandon them or give them up to fortune or chance, but that according to his holy will he so rules and governs them that in this world nothing happens without his direction. Yet God is not the Author of the sins which are committed nor can he be charged with them. For his power and goodness are so great and beyond understanding that he ordains and executes his work in the most excellent and just manner, even when devils and wicked men act unjustly.”
Now what happened? When Judas left the money there, the priests refused to take it back. Why? They said it was blood money. It couldn’t be returned to the treasury. What hypocrisy! They were scrupulous about ceremonial laws, but blind to the weightier matters like justice, mercy, and faithfulness. They’d taken the money from the treasury to pay Judas to betray Christ. Once passed through Judas’ hands, and the deed was done, the money was now bloody - unclean - and couldn’t be placed back into the treasury. So this was superstition. They couldn’t see beyond superstition at their hypocrisy. The issue wasn’t the money - it was them. They already paid money for the blood of Jesus - they misused the money. The money itself wasn’t dirty - their hypocritical hearts were. But even in this hypocrisy, God was at work. Because of their superstition, they decided to buy a potter’s field with that 30 pieces of silver. A potter’s field wasn’t good for anything else - after potters dug up all the clay to make pots. It couldn’t be used to grow crops. It was only good for burying paupers. So what’s the purpose of reporting this event and the details? It was to show that all of these things fulfilled Scriptures. Jesus’ betrayal, Judas’ judgment, and the purchase of the field were all planned. Verses 9-10 - “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; And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.” Now, careful readers will notice that this quotation blends 3 passages from Jeremiah and Zechariah. And these passages have great significance. The reference to thirty pieces of silver comes from Zechariah 11:12-13, which described how God’s people viewed God - a shepherd who was only valued at 30 pieces of silver - the price of a slave. It’s a prophecy of how Christ was valued by his own people. In Zechariah, the 30 pieces of silver were to be thrown at a potter - to symbolize how Christ was treated like dirt. On the other hand, the purchase of a field was found in Jeremiah 32, where the prophet bought a field for a sum of money, and preserved the title deeds in potter’s vessels. Jeremiah prophesied how God will destroy Judah - all the land would be judged. But despite that judgment for the people’s sins, God would preserve them an inheritance. But not before great judgment - Jeremiah 19 spoke of how God would smash a potter’s vessel in the Valley of Hinnom, which would become a place of judgment.
Now, what’s Matthew doing? He’s painting an impressionist artist’s artwork. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Matthew was bringing these 3 prophecies together to describe what was happening in one scene. Christ was betrayed by Judas for 30 pieces of silver - he was treated as a slave. But this very act itself was God giving hope to his people - that those who believe in Christ would have an everlasting inheritance - out of betrayal. But God is just - in that potter’s field in the Valley of Hinnom, there’d be judgment. And Judas hanged himself there. God’s telling us that he’s sovereign in Christ’s death - that through the rejection of the good shepherd, the price of a slave, the purchase of a field, which was a place of judgment, God would give eternal life as a hope of restoration to his people - his weak, sinful, and fleshly people. And we see that restoration in Acts 1.
Thirdly, not all who seem to be apostate are finally apostates. Peter in Acts 1 addressed the disciples. And in his address, we see a warning about apostasy. The judgment would be terrible. In Acts 1, Peter spoke of these things - that Judas’ betrayal of Christ was sovereignly arranged. Nothing is by accident. But clearly, Judas was a guide even though he was numbered among the 12. So while it was sovereignly arranged, Judas willingly and voluntarily became that guide. He was never forced. He did what he did out of his own volition. God didn’t force him to betray Jesus. He chose to betray Jesus. He loved money more than the Messiah. He loved his pride more than the Prince of Peace. His sin was genuine, his guilt was real, and his punishment was just. And we learn the gruesome details of his death and judgment. We know he hanged himself, but Acts 1 tells us that he fell headlong and burst open in the middle and spilled his guts. And that’s why the field was thereafter known as Aceldama - the field of blood - which was subsequently purchased by the priests. So Judas hanged himself on a tree - a cursed death - and even that tree, as it were, refused to hold this traitor’s body; the branch giving way, he met a grisly aftermath.
So while Matthew recorded the manner of suicide, Acts recorded the fuller tragedy of one who apostatized. But Peter’s point was clear - the field was the reward of his wickedness. His line would be cut off. Peter was quoting from 2 psalms here - speaking about the fate of God’s enemies - that they would go to their own place. What place is this? The place of eternal loss. So while God’s people will have an inheritance of gain, those who reject Christ will have their inheritance of judgment. But beloved, this tough doctrine here is not meant to discourage us. For we see another apostate returning.
Now, who was the one who addressed these 120 disciples? Peter. But what gave him the right? He himself denied Christ. He fled from the scene. He cursed and swore and blasphemed that he wasn’t Christ’s disciple. When Christ needed him most at Gethsemane to watch and pray, he refused and fell asleep. He apostatized. He abandoned his post. Yes, both Peter and Judas betrayed Christ. But Peter was restored. Why? Because in his shame, he ran toward the Lord; not away. He sought forgiveness and found it. And in his restoration, he was used mightily. On the other hand, Judas, in his shame, ran toward death - he despaired of mercy. Both had the same opportunity for repentance. Both heard the same warning from the Lord. When Peter sinned, he remembered those words and wept bitterly. And he came for restoration. Judas also remembered in his sin, but only remembered his own guilt, and not God’s mercy. He ran to the priests and not the Savior. He returned the money, but didn’t return to the Lord. He was unwilling to be humbled, unwilling to be forgiven. He preferred death to shame and life. Peter trusted that the Lord who loved him wouldn’t cast him off; Judas believed that his sin was greater than the grace of God.
John Bunyan once said, “There is only one sin that God cannot forgive, and that is the sin of refusing to be forgiven.” What damned Judas was not his betrayal - Peter betrayed Jesus too. What damned Judas was his refusal to believe that Jesus could forgive him. He committed the sin of unbelief - the sin of despairing of mercy. Thomas Goodwin wrote: “The sin of Judas was not his betrayal, but his despair. He thought his sin was greater than the mercy of God. And in that, he committed the greatest blasphemy, for he made the mercy of God less than his sin.” There’s no sin too great for the blood of Christ. And there’s hope still for everyone who has denied Christ - there’s no sin too great for the blood of Christ to cover. He shed his blood for all who’d come to him. For all those who’d come to the garden, to the cross, to the tomb, they’d receive an inheritance of a land. If we confess our sins, he’s faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The only sin that cannot be forgiven is the sin that refuses forgiveness - that sin which goes to that field of blood. Yes, there will be Judases, but there are Peters who will return. They will despise the shame and come humbly to their humble savior.
1. An apostate can experience regret but not true repentance
2. Apostasy is a fulfillment of God’s will
3. Not all who seem to be apostate are finally apostates
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Mark Chen, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
(c) Copyright 2026, Rev. Mark Chen
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