John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. Then Judas, which had betrayed him , etc.] Before, he is described as he that shall, or should, or doth betray him; but now having perpetrated the horrid sin, as he that had done it. When he saw that he was condemned ; that is, that Jesus was condemned, as the Syriac and Persic versions read, either by the Jewish sanhedrim, or by Pilate, or both; for this narrative concerning Judas may be prophetically inserted here, though the thing itself did not come to pass till afterwards; and the sense be, that when he, either being present during the whole procedure against Christ; or returning in the morning after he had received his money, and had been with his friends; finding that his master was condemned to death by the sanhedrim, who were pushing hard to take away his life; that they had delivered him bound to the Roman governor; and that he, after an examination of him, had committed him to the soldiers to mock, and scourge, and crucify him; and seeing him leading to the place of execution, repented himself : not for the sin, as committed against God and Christ; but as it brought a load of present guilt and horror upon his mind, and exposed him to everlasting punishment: it was not such a repentance by which he became wiser and better; but an excruciating, tormenting pain in his mind, by which he became worse; therefore a different word is here used than what commonly is for true repentance: it was not a godly sorrow for sin, or a sorrow for sin, as committed against God, which works repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but a worldly sorrow, which issues in death, as it did in him. It did not spring from the love of God, as evangelical repentance does, nor proceed in the fear of God, and his goodness; but was no other than a foretaste of that worm that dieth not, and of that fire which cannot be quenched: it was destitute of faith in Christ; he never did believe in him as the rest of the disciples did; (see John 6:64,70,71), and that mourning which does not arise from looking to Jesus, or is not attended with faith in him, is never genuine. Judass repentance was without hope of forgiveness, and was nothing else but horror and black despair, like that of Cains, like the trembling of devils, and the anguish of damned souls. It looks as if Judas was not aware that it would issue in the death of Christ: he was pushed on by Satan, and his avarice, to hope, that he should get this money, and yet his master escape; which he imagined he might do, either through such a defence of himself, as was not to be gainsaid; or that he would find out ways and means of getting out of the hands of the Jews, as he had formerly done, and with which Judas was acquainted: but now, there being no hope of either, guilt and horror seize his mind, and gnaw his conscience; and he wishes he had never done the accursed action, which had entailed so much distress and misery upon him: and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders : which was the sum he; had covenanted for, and they had agreed to give him, on condition of delivering Jesus into their hands, which he had done: and it appears from hence, that the money had been accordingly paid him, and he had received it. But he being filled with remorse of conscience for what he had done, feels no quietness in his mind; nor could he save of what he had desired, but is obliged to return it; not from an honest principle, as in the case of true repentance, but on account of a racking and torturing conscience.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-10 - Wicked men see little of the consequences of their crimes when the commit them, but they must answer for them all. In the fullest manne Judas acknowledged to the chief priests that he had sinned, an betrayed an innocent person. This was full testimony to the characte of Christ; but the rulers were hardened. Casting down the money, Juda departed, and went and hanged himself, not being able to bear the terror of Divine wrath, and the anguish of despair. There is littl doubt but that the death of Judas was before that of our blessed Lord But was it nothing to them that they had thirsted after this blood, an hired Judas to betray it, and had condemned it to be shed unjustly Thus do fools make a mock at sin. Thus many make light of Chris crucified. And it is a common instance of the deceitfulness of ou hearts, to make light of our own sin by dwelling upon other people' sins. But the judgment of God is according to truth. Many apply thi passage of the buying the piece of ground, with the money Judas brough back, to signify the favour intended by the blood of Christ to strangers, and sinners of the Gentiles. It fulfilled a prophecy, Ze 11:12. Judas went far toward repentance, yet it was not to salvation He confessed, but not to God; he did not go to him, and say, I have sinned, Father, against heaven. Let none be satisfied with such partia convictions as a man may have, and yet remain full of pride, enmity and rebellion.
Greek Textus Receptus
τοτε 5119 ADV ιδων 1492 5631 V-2AAP-NSM ιουδας 2455 N-NSM ο 3588 T-NSM παραδιδους 3860 5723 V-PAP-NSM αυτον 846 P-ASM οτι 3754 CONJ κατεκριθη 2632 5681 V-API-3S μεταμεληθεις 3338 5679 V-AOP-NSM απεστρεψεν 654 5656 V-AAI-3S τα 3588 T-APN τριακοντα 5144 A-NUI αργυρια 694 N-APN τοις 3588 T-DPM αρχιερευσιν 749 N-DPM και 2532 CONJ τοις 3588 T-DPM πρεσβυτεροις 4245 A-DPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Repented himself (metamelhqeiv). See on Matt. xxi. 29.What is that to us? They ignore the question of Christ's innocence. As to Judas' sin or conscience, that is his matter. Thou wilt see to that.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
27:3 {Repented himself} (metameleqeis). Probably Judas saw Jesus led away to Pilate and thus knew that the condemnation had taken place. this verb (first aorist passive participle of metamelomai) really means to be sorry afterwards like the English word _repent_ from the Latin _repoenitet_, to have pain again or afterwards. See the same verb metameltheis in #Mt 21:30 of the boy who became sorry and changed to obedience. The word does not have an evil sense in itself. Paul uses it of his sorrow for his sharp letter to the Corinthians, a sorrow that ceased when good came of the letter (#2Co 7:8). But mere sorrow avails nothing unless it leads to change of mind and life (metanoia), the sorrow according to God (#2Co 7:9). this sorrow Peter had when he wept bitterly. It led Peter back to Christ. But Judas had only remorse that led to suicide.
