Matthew 27:7

foreigners: These were non-Jewish people who died in Jerusalem. If they could not find the owner of donated money, they used it for public charity. In this case, they used money considered ceremonially unclean to buy a ceremonially unclean place for people considered ceremonially unclean.

There are two stories about Judas's death. This one and the one found in Acts 1:18–19. There are differences between the two stories:

1. Matthew says the priests bought the field (Matthew 27:6–7), but Acts suggests Judas bought it (Acts 1:18).

2. Matthew says Judas hanged himself by hanging (Matthew 27:5). Acts says he fell and his body burst open (Acts 1:18).

3. Matthew says the field of blood was named for its use as a burial place (Matthew 27:7–8). Acts says it was named because of Judas’s violent death (Acts 1:19).

The stories can align if Acts describes the results of Matthew's events.

The Gospels describe Jesus having five legal hearings:

1. an informal hearing with Annas (John 18:13–24);

2. a night hearing with the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:59–66);

3. a morning hearing with the Sanhedrin (Matthew 27:1–2);

4. a hearing with Herod Antipas (Luke 23:6–12); and

5. a two-part trial with Pilate (Matthew 27:11–31; see Luke 23:6–12).

These hearings form two main trials, a Jewish trial and a Roman trial.