Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 27:6

"And the chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood." — Matthew 27:6 (ASV)

Exactly where Judas threw the money is uncertain. He then went out and hanged himself. The chief priests refuse to allow the blood money to supplement the funds of the “treasury” (cf. Dt 23:18). Matthew again points out the propensity of the Jewish leaders for ceremonial probity even in the face of gross injustice (cf. 12:9–14; 15:1–9; 23:23; 28:12–13).

With this probity in view, the chief priests decide to buy the potter’s field to meet a public need. This field, used for burying foreigners, probably did not belong to “the potter” but was a well-known place, perhaps the place where potters had long obtained their clay. If depleted, it might have been offered for sale. Regarding the relationship of this passage to Ac 1:18–19, see comments in Acts.