# Why did Judas commit suicide? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 6, 2012, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619 "2012-01-06T13:25:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/81 "2012-01-15T04:12:27Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > I don’t know waht version is correct,and doubt that the church kept any version (in the 300s when they decided what was from God or inspired by God) so one cannot state as fact anything that was written thousands of years ago, and noone seems to know the author, some say Moses but that too is debatable. The Latin Vulgate was standard for most of that period. As far as who wrote it, I suggest going back through the Straight Dope archives; there was an excellent multi-part article on Who Wrote the Bible. Fundamentalists may cling to the idea that Moses wrote the OT but no serious bible scholars do. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/82 "2012-01-15T04:13:32Z")
> [@user\_hostile](#): > > Just curious. I saw a documentary that talked about Moses leading the Jews through the northern Sinai, rather than the traditional southern route and thought: if this was an historic event, why haven’t detritus of those travels been found? Or is work in this area being pursued currently, or in the past? Just curious.\* Probably because it didn’t happen, at least not as described in Exodus. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/83 "2012-01-15T12:16:21Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > The Latin Vulgate was standard for most of that period. > > As far as who wrote it, I suggest going back through the Straight Dope archives; there was an excellent multi-part article on Who Wrote the Bible. Fundamentalists may cling to the idea that Moses wrote the OT but no serious bible scholars do. Since there were no wittness to that period a lot was just a made up story later on, at least that would be the consesnses. Just as Adam and Eve story is a matter of belief not fact. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/84 "2012-01-15T15:16:08Z")
I forgot to say, I mostly agree with **dorsk188** ’s critique of the NIV. But it’s still wildly more accurate than any of the 16th-century translations. **monavis** , those are sacred stories passed down orally for centuries before being written down, some of them having been written down 2500 years ago or more. You keep trying to make a point (that they’re not historical fact) that no one in this thread is refuting. By the way there is a difference between sacred oral tradition handed down over generations and “a made up story later on.” Neither is necessarily historical, but it’s more likely that the stories evolved over time before they were written, and not just created out of nothing by one person. ---
**Author:** ![Theophane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@Theophane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theophane)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/85 "2012-01-15T15:23:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Did Jesus unfriend Judas? Yes, in fact. At the Last Supper. Since he was a gentleman, Jesus did not mention the name of the traitor while they were all together in that upper room, but used His presience to make the traitor unwittingly reveal himself right then and there at the table. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/86 "2012-01-15T17:33:35Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > How about John 13:2 – _“And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him”_ – which presumably means there’s no reason the devil _ **wouldn’t** _ remove his influence once Judas has betrayed Christ, at which point Judas would be so filled with regret as to commit suicide? Sort of like the gypsies cursing Angelus with a soul, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Theophane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@Theophane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theophane)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/87 "2012-01-15T17:54:33Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Sort of like the gypsies cursing Angelus with a soul, huh? This has nothing to do with Angelus or gypsies. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/88 "2012-01-15T19:09:57Z")
Actually, Judas was a former wizard-emperor who used his pet dragons to avenge Jesus’ death. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/89 "2012-01-16T12:48:17Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I forgot to say, I mostly agree with **dorsk188** ’s critique of the NIV. But it’s still wildly more accurate than any of the 16th-century translations. > > **monavis** , those are sacred stories passed down orally for centuries before being written down, some of them having been written down 2500 years ago or more. You keep trying to make a point (that they’re not historical fact) that no one in this thread is refuting. > > By the way there is a difference between sacred oral tradition handed down over generations and “a made up story later on.” Neither is necessarily historical, but it’s more likely that the stories evolved over time before they were written, and not just created out of nothing by one person. I know about sacred traditions, but then it seems that traditions, land, and buildings are held as more sacred than the hmans. Look over the many centuriies and see the number of humans killed to keep the traditions, land, and buildings sacred. As for me I consider humans more sacred than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/90 "2012-01-16T14:39:48Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > I know about sacred traditions, but then it seems that traditions, land, and buildings are held as more sacred than the hmans. Look over the many centuriies and see the number of humans killed to keep the traditions, land, and buildings sacred. As for me I consider humans more sacred than anything else. Um, that’s kind of a non-sequitor, but FWIW I pretty much agree, although be careful about making sweeping general statements. I’d say that in _many_ places and _many_ times, religious groups are guilty of what you describe, but not universally. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/91 "2012-01-17T12:34:11Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Um, that’s kind of a non-sequitor, but FWIW I pretty much agree, although be careful about making sweeping general statements. I’d say that in _many_ places and _many_ times, religious groups are guilty of what you describe, but not universally. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule,but the killings still go on today and of course not all people (of any) persusion do not agree with their fellow believers. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/92 "2012-11-26T17:36:43Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Actually, Judas was a former wizard-emperor who used his pet dragons to avenge Jesus’ death. Another fan of George R.R. Martin’s great sf short story “The Way of Cross and Dragon”? Bravo. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/93 "2012-11-26T18:46:58Z")
And here I opened this old thread thinking that maybe someone had some new information… ---
**Author:** ![missyzilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9a28c/32.png) [@missyzilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missyzilly)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/94 "2012-12-04T12:48:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > In a previous thread on this topic, several posters subscribed to the idea that he attempted to hang himself, the rope broke or the limb broke, and he was dashed to the rocks and burst open. Do you believe in God? Are you just mad at him? Because you are teaching me about the bible in a way that I have never seen . I do not think that is your goal to teach me or anyone the bible . How do you know so much ? You read it so you can show how and why it is not real? I think you love God …He loves you more ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/95 "2012-12-04T13:20:47Z")
> [@Theophane](#): > > “Bought the farm” is a euphemism for death. > > I wonder if that phrase comes from the story of Judas buying the field called Haceldama with his dirty money after Jesus was crucified. Nah - it’s a soldier’s euphemism/sombre joke from WW2, though it’s not quite clear what it refers to at this point or where exactly it originated. There are three main theories: - when a soldier gets killed in action, his family is entitled some cash from the government and/or life insurance. With the proceeds from his death, they could pay off their mortgage. I’d rate this one most likely, it fits with the military humour I’m familiar with. - when an army pilot crashes on somebody’s property, they get to sue the government over the damages (and similarly pay off their mortgage). Hence, the crash bought the farm. That’s the most unlikely/contrived if you ask me, since I kinda doubt any government paid for war damages of any kind (at least not until after the war was over and through treaties & reparations). - my own favourite, even though it reeks of folk etymology : think of stereotypical, even cliché soldier talk along the lines of “when I go home from this mess, I’ll buy myself a farm, it’ll be like this and like that, then I’ll get a wife, have kids…” etc. When that soldier doesn’t come back from patrol and people wonder where he is, his mates could laconically answer that he’d gone and bought the farm he kept yakking about. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/96 "2012-12-04T15:41:09Z")
> [@missyzilly](#): > > Do you believe in God? Are you just mad at him? Because you are teaching me about the bible in a way that I have never seen . I do not think that is your goal to teach me or anyone the bible . How do you know so much ? You read it so you can show how and why it is not real? I think you love God …He loves you more What made you hate the Tooth Fairy? You used to leave your teeth under the pillow, and she _always_ respected your sincere donation by gifting you with money, but for no reason you stopped giving her your donations, and instead you would hatefully throw those donations in the garbage. If only you would start donating you would feel the love again-it doesn’t have to be on a regular basis, but when the tooth comes out, be ready to face it. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/97 "2012-12-04T17:17:48Z")
Great, now I feel bad for the way I treated the Tooth Fairy after all she’d done for me. ☹ Thanks a lot. ---
**Author:** ![missyzilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9a28c/32.png) [@missyzilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missyzilly)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/98 "2012-12-10T12:26:33Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What made you hate the Tooth Fairy? You used to leave your teeth under the pillow, and she _always_ respected your sincere donation by gifting you with money, but for no reason you stopped giving her your donations, and instead you would hatefully throw those donations in the garbage. If only you would start donating you would feel the love again-it doesn’t have to be on a regular basis, but when the tooth comes out, be ready to face it. I just seen this! I LOVE IT! If I posted about the tooth fairy and why I felt it was real I do not but if i did. You would pass over my post and think wow she is stupid. What you would not do is read every book on the tooth fairy learn every possible thought that the fairy had just to prove to me that it is not real. So if my question to you about God is as silly as the tooth fairy why bother? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/99 "2012-12-10T12:53:58Z")
> [@missyzilly](#): > > I just seen this! I LOVE IT! If I posted about the tooth fairy and why I felt it was real I do not but if i did. You would pass over my post and think wow she is stupid. What you would not do is read every book on the tooth fairy learn every possible thought that the fairy had just to prove to me that it is not real. So if my question to you about God is as silly as the tooth fairy why bother? How old are you? By the way you talk about God it seems as if all your Biblical information and enthusiasm comes from Vacation Bible School lessons. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/100 "2012-12-10T15:02:49Z")
Why’d they need to have Jesus betrayed at all? He wasn’t exactly hiding out, was he? They could have rounded up the whole gang and taken them to headquarters, where they could ID Jesus at their leisure and save themselves the 30 pieces of silver. BTW, how much is 30 pieces of silver in today’s currency? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619.md?page=6)