Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Monday, May 13, 2013 Read – Acts 1:15-20 Peter emerges as the spokesman of the group – Jesus had told Peter that after he had turned back from his failure in denying Jesus he was to strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:32). Now he begins his work. We find out that the group is not large, but it is likely larger than we might have imagined. There are about 120 people in the group. Significantly, that is just enough to constitute a synagogue. Perhaps Luke has that in mind. Peter begins by addressing the question of Judas who had been one of the Twelve. Peter interprets that the actions of Judas to have been necessitated by the scripture. Others have speculated that the motives behind Judas’ betrayal were his love of money. Luke never mentions anything like that. Instead, Luke portrays the betrayal by Judas as fated by the demands of scripture. In Luke’s view Judas is a tragic character – perhaps more tragic than any other character who has ever lived. Luke points to two rather obscure OT Psalms as evidence that Judas’ actions fulfilled the scripture. We will listen to those two Psalms in the next two days. Listening to this reasoning is not easy for us. Did Judas have no choice? Do we have choices? This is one of those places in the Bible where readers are brought to silence. Perhaps the wonders of God are beyond our ability to fully comprehend. It is tempting to try to make Luke say something that he does not say. We will need to take him at his word – as uncomfortable as that may make us feel. Almost as an aside, Luke tells of an action of Judas following his betrayal. Luke tells us that as a “reward for his wickedness” Judas bought a field. Luke has just told us that it was because it was necessary to fulfill the scripture that Judas did what he did – now the implication is that he was wicked. Again we are puzzled. At any rate Judas does not get to enjoy his purchase. In a fate that is reminiscent of the fate of Herod Agrippa which Luke will narrate later, Judas’ body swells and he burst open and dies. The field was known from that time forward as the Field of Blood. Again, careful readers of the Bible may remember that Matthew has also told of the fate of Judas (Matthew 27:3-10). The story that Matthew tells us is significantly different – there is no way to reconcile the two. In Matthew’s story Judas attempts to repent by bringing the money back to the Temple authorities after he realizes that Jesus has been condemned through his actions. They will not let him return it so he throws it on the Temple floor and goes out and hangs himself. It is the religious leaders who pick up the money and buy the field – called the Field of Blood in Matthew as well, one of the few likenesses between the stories – as a cemetery for foreigners. Instead of pointing to the Psalms that Luke uses, Matthew points to Jeremiah who had spoken of the thirty pieces of silver as the blood money. Once again the best explanation for these differences is to realize that both Luke and Matthew found stories of the fate of Judas in the traditions that were handed down to them. Each used them in differing ways. Neither was much bothered that the stories contained contradictions – neither should we.