Suicide - Judas Hanged Himself
Suicide – Judas Hanged Himself
According to Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC. “Suicide is one of the top 10 causes of death in the US right now, and it's one of three causes that is actually increasing recently”. Some recent celebrity deaths by suicide have brought more attention to a hopeless generation dying rapidly of suicide.
This is a complex, difficult subject and not to be taken lightly. Suicide is a spiritual problem and always instigated by the evil one. Satan always lies and say, "O it will be better for everyone, just end it." God created life and it is not up to us to end it by suicide, murder, abortion or any other means. We are discussing suicide in the context of our continuing study of the Gospel of Matthew.
How can one go from hanging out with God himself for about three years to hanging himself? I do not know the answer and we will never understand every suicide on this side of eternity. Judas, however, was called the “son of perdition” (John 17:12). He is in hell. He did not believe nor trusted Christ.
We can at least look for signs of potential suicide as we study Judas’ case. No two suicides are the same. We must pray for all who are troubled in spirit and seek help for them.
Matthew 27:3-10 Judas Hangs Himself
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
The scripture said that Satan entered into Judas. Luke 22:3. Judas had been living a secret life all along. We are told that Judas was a thief who helped himself to the bag of money. Sin will always result to death. Judas betrayed Jesus. To kill himself was at this time nothing compared to betraying Jesus.
Judas had opportunity to repent and turn back to Jesus even after the betrayal. He did not, rather, Judas was “remorseful” and said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” His confession does not match his subsequent behavior.
True repentance (unlike remorse) turns us to Jesus and not away from Jesus into suicide. Judas was sorry for the outcome but not repentant of the sin. He still validated Jesus’ “innocence” which condemned him but set free all that believe and trust in Christ.
Some of us have close family members, friends and people we know who have committed suicide. Sometimes, we may asked, what could we have done to help this person?
The best we can offer anyone is hope, in the person of Jesus Christ. One with true hope for tomorrow and forever will not commit suicide. They may be tempted but they will run back to Jesus as they cry for help.
Do true believers in Christ commit suicide? I know that true followers of Christ are to be like Christ and give life and hope to others. I also know that Christ died for all sins including suicide. We all have sinned and we are only made right with God by the cross of Christ; including the one who has committed suicide if he/she believed and trusted in Christ’s redemption.
We must watch out for signs of suicidal talks and behaviors. A month ago, while on evangelistic outreach in downtown Silver Spring, I met a man, David who seemed very depressed. He said his wife divorced him a year ago, after that his father died and then he lost his job. I asked David, what is his greatest need right now? He said, ‘the will to live’.
David is correct. David needs hope and that hope is Jesus. Unfortunately, David had plenty of augments against Jesus. Please pray for David and many others like him. Please pray that the cloud of darkness over these people will lift and that their eyes be opened to see hope in Jesus Christ.
We must also look out for people who may be depressed and suffering mental illness. Why should we take to the hospital someone who has cancer and not take someone who has mental illness to the hospital or doctors? Both are illness and all require healing.
Lord, help us to live out your word, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15. Help us look out for one another. Open up and share what you are going through before it is too late.
Lord, we pray for all (Christian and non-Christian) who are depressed and entertaining suicidal thoughts. Lord, help them and grant them hope in you; and provide them encouragement through people. May they not die without Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We also pray for families grieving loss from suicide. Please comfort all who grieve in Jesus name. Amen.
According to Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC. “Suicide is one of the top 10 causes of death in the US right now, and it's one of three causes that is actually increasing recently”. Some recent celebrity deaths by suicide have brought more attention to a hopeless generation dying rapidly of suicide.
This is a complex, difficult subject and not to be taken lightly. Suicide is a spiritual problem and always instigated by the evil one. Satan always lies and say, "O it will be better for everyone, just end it." God created life and it is not up to us to end it by suicide, murder, abortion or any other means. We are discussing suicide in the context of our continuing study of the Gospel of Matthew.
How can one go from hanging out with God himself for about three years to hanging himself? I do not know the answer and we will never understand every suicide on this side of eternity. Judas, however, was called the “son of perdition” (John 17:12). He is in hell. He did not believe nor trusted Christ.
We can at least look for signs of potential suicide as we study Judas’ case. No two suicides are the same. We must pray for all who are troubled in spirit and seek help for them.
Matthew 27:3-10 Judas Hangs Himself
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
The scripture said that Satan entered into Judas. Luke 22:3. Judas had been living a secret life all along. We are told that Judas was a thief who helped himself to the bag of money. Sin will always result to death. Judas betrayed Jesus. To kill himself was at this time nothing compared to betraying Jesus.
Judas had opportunity to repent and turn back to Jesus even after the betrayal. He did not, rather, Judas was “remorseful” and said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” His confession does not match his subsequent behavior.
True repentance (unlike remorse) turns us to Jesus and not away from Jesus into suicide. Judas was sorry for the outcome but not repentant of the sin. He still validated Jesus’ “innocence” which condemned him but set free all that believe and trust in Christ.
Some of us have close family members, friends and people we know who have committed suicide. Sometimes, we may asked, what could we have done to help this person?
The best we can offer anyone is hope, in the person of Jesus Christ. One with true hope for tomorrow and forever will not commit suicide. They may be tempted but they will run back to Jesus as they cry for help.
Do true believers in Christ commit suicide? I know that true followers of Christ are to be like Christ and give life and hope to others. I also know that Christ died for all sins including suicide. We all have sinned and we are only made right with God by the cross of Christ; including the one who has committed suicide if he/she believed and trusted in Christ’s redemption.
We must watch out for signs of suicidal talks and behaviors. A month ago, while on evangelistic outreach in downtown Silver Spring, I met a man, David who seemed very depressed. He said his wife divorced him a year ago, after that his father died and then he lost his job. I asked David, what is his greatest need right now? He said, ‘the will to live’.
David is correct. David needs hope and that hope is Jesus. Unfortunately, David had plenty of augments against Jesus. Please pray for David and many others like him. Please pray that the cloud of darkness over these people will lift and that their eyes be opened to see hope in Jesus Christ.
We must also look out for people who may be depressed and suffering mental illness. Why should we take to the hospital someone who has cancer and not take someone who has mental illness to the hospital or doctors? Both are illness and all require healing.
Lord, help us to live out your word, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15. Help us look out for one another. Open up and share what you are going through before it is too late.
Lord, we pray for all (Christian and non-Christian) who are depressed and entertaining suicidal thoughts. Lord, help them and grant them hope in you; and provide them encouragement through people. May they not die without Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We also pray for families grieving loss from suicide. Please comfort all who grieve in Jesus name. Amen.
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