# 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:** 6
**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, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/101 "2012-12-10T15:16:53Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > 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? 30 pieces of silver is a lot to pay an informant for common knowledge, isn’t it? All a soldier would have to do is put on his civvies, go up to the group, and say “Where’s this Jesus bloke? I’ve got this pain in the ass I’m trying to get rid of.” ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/102 "2012-12-10T15:42:07Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > 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? I gather that the Judean authorities wanted to know when they could catch him without a mob of followers present (other than his immediate circle). ---
**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, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/103 "2012-12-10T15:47:40Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > I gather that the Judean authorities wanted to know when they could catch him without a mob of followers present (other than his immediate circle). A couple of authorities in civvies would be a lot less conspicuous than a group of soldiers, and he wasn’t exactly in hiding at that time. Identifying him would be as simple as going out to Dr. Jesus’ Traveling Medicine Show during the day to see what he looks like, then picking him up later at the Olive Garden. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/104 "2012-12-10T15:51:02Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > A couple of authorities in civvies would be a lot less conspicuous than a group of soldiers, and he wasn’t exactly in hiding at that time. Identifying him would be as simple as going out to Dr. Jesus’ Traveling Medicine Show during the day to see what he looks like, then picking him up later at the Olive Garden. After all, that centurion with an ailing servant back at the house didn’t seem to have any trouble finding the guy. ---
**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, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/105 "2012-12-10T19:20:35Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > …then picking him up later at the Olive Garden. from where the story of the unlimited freshly baked breadsticks morphed into the fish and loaves story. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/106 "2012-12-11T22:34:55Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > A couple of authorities in civvies would be a lot less conspicuous than a group of soldiers, and he wasn’t exactly in hiding at that time. Identifying him would be as simple as going out to Dr. Jesus’ Traveling Medicine Show during the day to see what he looks like, then picking him up later at the Olive Garden. If you believe the story, Judas hatched the bargain with only the chief priests, and they seemed willing to bide their time prior to the arrest. But once the arrest occurs the subsequent trial was a hasty affair. One possible interpretation was that the priests–representing a minority “anti-Jesus” faction of the Sanhedrin–had to time events such that they could be sure of a majority in the lesser court. For example, the Gospels note that Jesus was initially held at the houses of the high priests, and that they had to make arrangements for friendly witnesses–both of which imply the use of some political leverage to get things to go their way. In this context, it would be helpful to have Judas at your beckon call, ready to betray Jesus at the most politically advantageous moment. ---
**Author:** ![GhostofNavigator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/48db29/32.png) [@GhostofNavigator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GhostofNavigator)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/107 "2016-04-26T23:05:58Z")
Judas killed himself because of the shame he felt. ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/108 "2016-04-27T16:34:04Z")
Seems obvious to me that Judas killed himself so he could come back as a zombie. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/109 "2016-04-27T16:40:51Z")
> [@Mithrander](#): > > Seems obvious to me that Judas killed himself so he could come back as a zombie. no - that was Jesus job. ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/110 "2016-04-27T16:55:11Z")
> [@simster](#): > > no - that was Jesus job. Jesus wasn’t a zombie, he was a lich. [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/UsfyDu6.jpeg "For those joking "Happy Zombie Jesus Day!" I feel the need to correct you.") ](https://imgur.com/gallery/UsfyDu6) ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/111 "2016-04-27T17:16:04Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > … then picking him up later at the Olive Garden. > [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > from where the story of the unlimited freshly baked breadsticks morphed into the fish and loaves story. Easy for the centurions to find Jesus then, should be among the help or in the kitchen… …what? 😉 (Hispanic here, hold the rotten tomatoes…) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/112 "2016-04-27T17:28:07Z")
Recognizing this is a zombie, but from my reading I seem to remember that -30 pieces of silver wasn’t a lot of money (could buy you a nice weekend, but wasn’t going to change your life) -it was mandatory that it be paid to an informant. I know that the Talmud condemns informants ([defined](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesirah) as Jews who inform on Jews to an outside authority). Does anybody know if this was already the case in the first century? ---
**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:** [April 27, 2016, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/113 "2016-04-27T18:06:14Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Recognizing this is a zombie, but from my reading I seem to remember that > > -30 pieces of silver wasn’t a lot of money (could buy you a nice weekend, but wasn’t going to change your life) > > -it was mandatory that it be paid to an informant. From my reading it seems that 30 pieces of silver was enough to buy a plot of land. Where did you get your information that it wasn’t a lot of money, and that it was a minimum amount to pay an informant? If it was, there would have been no beggars. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/114 "2016-04-27T18:14:59Z")
> [@GhostofNavigator](#): > > Judas killed himself because of the shame he felt. Who registers to a random message board just for that? Seriously, the hell? ---
**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:** [April 27, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/115 "2016-04-27T18:21:16Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Who registers to a random message board just for that? Seriously, the hell? True Believers who think that there are people who will respond “Where does it say that?” “The B_I_B_L_E!” “The Bible? What is this Bible you speak of?” You know-people that learned how to preach from reading Chick Tracts. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/116 "2016-04-27T18:26:05Z")
Or the Watchtower. Got a PM last year I think from someone who registered apparently just to witness one-on-one. I actually would have enjoyed the conversation, but he either got banned or just decided not to respond. I wondered at the time if the JayDubs get credit for that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/117 "2016-04-27T18:39:42Z")
> [@GhostofNavigator](#): > > Judas killed himself because of the shame he felt. If you chose to ‘resurrect’ this thread, could you explain what would motivate an apostle whose deeds were flawless for years to suddenly become a turncoat? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/118 "2016-04-27T18:55:41Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > From my reading it seems that 30 pieces of silver was enough to buy a plot of land. > Where did you get your information that it wasn’t a lot of money, and that it was a minimum amount to pay an informant? If it was, there would have been no beggars. [Here’s one source](http://progressivechristianity.org/resources/affirmations-and-confessions-of-a-progressive-christian-layman-judas-iscariot-by-ed-taylor/). This is not where I read it, but I don’t have access to my books at the moment. “[A]cceptance of thirty pieces of silver was mandatory under the laws of the Sanhedrin, because it indicated that the person had revealed his knowledge, or in this case identified the person to be arrested, in good faith – refusal of the money made them suspect the person’s truthfulness.” [The wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_pieces_of_silver#Identity_of_the_coins) states that since it does not specify what kind of coin it was, it could be anywhere from about 1 month to 4 months wages for a laborer. Doesn’t have a cite, but should be available. Assuming it was a few weeks wages, that’s not likely to make somebody betray somebody you’ve followed for years out of pure greed. No idea what land prices were in the greater Jerusalem area at the time, but since Jerusalem was a city with one of the world’s most expensive building projects and whose population literally multiplied for a time every year during Passover I would doubt 30 pieces would buy prime real estate anywhere close to its walls. If the stories not completely apocryphal it was probably very worthless land and not much of it. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/119 "2016-04-27T19:38:52Z")
… ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619/120 "2016-04-27T21:10:56Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I know that the Talmud condemns informants ([defined](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesirah) as Jews who inform on Jews to an outside authority). But was it an outside authority? I seem to remember that it says Judas went to the Chief Priests, and they were the ones to get the Romans involved. Which seems reasonable to me – after all, would your average Roman officer send out a troop of soldiers to arrest someone on the unsubstantiated word of a random Jewish teenager? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619.md?page=7)