Verse: Matthew 27:3

Quote:

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.

Subject Repenting:    Judas

Object of that repentance:    The condemnation of Jesus.  Judas had apparently turned Jesus over to the Roman officials in hopes of making some money, but did not expect that they would kill Jesus.  When he saw how far out of control the situation had gotten, he regretted what he had done.  "When he [Judas] saw that He [Jesus] was condemned, repented himself."

Consequence of lack of repentance:            He threw the thirty pieces of silver on the floor of the temple, and went out and hanged himself.  Note:  The word used for repent, herein, is "metamelomai," which means, "to regret" or "to care afterward."  Judas was deeply grieved over his sin!  "I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood."  And he had killed a friend.  He grief was so profound that he went out and killed himself."  But believing that Jesus is a good man, and an innocent man, is not saving faith.  And this repentance did not save Judas.  It was not because the result of his betrayal was the crucifixion of Jesus.  He clearly never intended or expected that his actions would be to send Jesus to the cross.  He was condemned because his act of betrayal showed that he never believed in Jesus.  Jesus was a good man to Judas.  But He was not the Son of God to Judas.  His refusal to believe was particularly dastardly because, as one of the twelve, he had been with Jesus for the three years that Jesus had showed Himself by many mighty works to be the Son of God.  Jesus taught that those cities which witnessed his mighty works and refused to believe were subject to the greater condemnation.  In view of this, Judas, who lived with Jesus for three years, but still would not believe, has secured for him a terrible condemnation.

This passage in Matthew should highlight the absurdity of teaching that remorse or otherwise "repenting of one's sins" is somehow connected to eternal salvation.  It clearly did nothing for the salvation of Judas.  Jesus said, " The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born."  Matthew 26:24.  One need not be a Ph.D. in Greek to realize that, whatever that means, it isn't good.

Repentance in Matthew 27:3