Posted by David Stephens on July 15, 1998 at 12:54:58:
In Reply to: The death of Judas posted by blue on July 15, 1998 at 02:09:21:
I don't want to get into the money/field issues, that wasn't my question. The author of Matthew screwed up Jeremiah and Zechariah, thus creating the problems with the silver and the field when he invented stories to fulfill old prophecies he had misread (especially since Matthew several times invented writings to "fulfill" old testament prophecies that he had misread). The author of Matthew really was a dolt, and never should have been canonized. However there's a long and torturous argument on that one that I have no interest in. I'm more concerned with the short and sweet description of Judas' death.
: But how did he die? The most likely answer is that he hanged himself and that, in due time, the body fell or was cut down and, having decayed, it burst asunder.
: Clearly Judas died in a field bought with his money and his body burst asunder at some point.
Well thanks for you answer, however as I'm sure you know this isn't really an answer that any objective person would accept. I find it rather laughable (and much like a road-runner cartoon) that you think it reasonable that a person can die both by hanging himself and falling HEADLONG to his death. Your composite statement of death by hanging followed by later falling (headlong?!?) is not in either version in my bible:
"And he cast down the pieces of silver into the temple and departed, and went out and hanged himself." (Matt. 27:5)
"Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out." (Acts 1:18)
A reasonable person is dumbfounded to try to believe these verses refer to the same method of death, and reason is even more appalled when forced to invented and accept your composite "hang-splat" version. The contradiction is much easier to explain when you realize that legendary stories (especially those based on multiple source myths) wind up with multiple conflicting versions.
P.S. I'm ignoring the translation issues as you don’t make any strong points, but rather just stretch a bit hoping to get some "wiggle room" for your truth.