Why is the field called Field of Blood? Because the priests bought it with the blood money (Matthew 27:8) Because of the bloody death of Judas therein (Acts 1:19)

Historical and Linguistic Background

Throughout the New Testament, the place known as the "Field of Blood" appears under its Aramaic designation “Akeldama.” According to the Berean Standard Bible, this name is introduced primarily in connection with Judas Iscariot and the aftermath of his betrayal of Jesus. Two specific passages, Matthew 27:3–10 and Acts 1:18–19, describe how this field came to be associated with blood. Notably, the New Testament writers, though referencing slightly different reasons for the name, do so in a way that complements, rather than contradicts, one another.

Biblical References to the Field of Blood

1. Matthew 27:7–8: “So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day.”

• Chief priests and elders took the silver coins Judas attempted to return.

• They purchased the field as a burial ground with this “blood money.”

• The phrase “blood money” aligns with the guilt surrounding Jesus’ innocent blood being betrayed.

2. Acts 1:18–19: “With the reward for his wickedness, Judas bought a field. There he fell headlong, and his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem; so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.”

• Though the priests technically conducted the transaction, the text describes the field’s purchase as Judas's purchase by proxy, since it was done with the silver he had gained through betrayal.

• Judas’s death was gruesome, and news spread quickly through Jerusalem.

• The place’s ominous name memorialized both the “blood-money” origins and the bloody manner of Judas’s demise.

The Apparent Dual Reasoning

The scriptural narrative offers two overlapping explanations for why the site bears its name, neither of which invalidates the other:

1. Purchased with Blood Money

The blood money exchange refers directly to funds paid for the betrayal of Jesus (Matthew 26:14–15). Even though Judas returned the silver coins to the priests, the guilt of this transaction kept it stained as blood money. When the priests used those coins to buy the potter’s field, the field itself came under that same association, leading to the name “Field of Blood.”

2. Site of Judas’s Death

Acts 1:18–19 attributes the name to the ghastly circumstance of Judas’s death on that very land. Judas’s final act and subsequent demise added another layer of association, reinforcing the field’s notorious reputation among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Geographical and Archaeological Considerations

Historically, early Christian writings and subsequent traditions suggest that Akeldama was located on the southern edge of Jerusalem, in or near the Valley of Hinnom.

• Early church historians, like Eusebius in his “Onomasticon,” identified it near the potters’ workshops, where clay was readily available.

• Archaeological studies have located ancient burial sites in that vicinity, consistent with Matthew’s mention of a burial ground for foreigners.

• The name in Aramaic, “Haqel Dama,” translates literally to “Field of Blood,” mirroring the combined testimony in Matthew and Acts.

Harmony of Matthew and Acts

Some readers might question why Matthew attributes the purchase to the chief priests while Acts speaks of Judas’s role. In first-century legal customs, money could retain implicit ownership even if physically out of one’s hands. Because the priests only used Judas’s thirty pieces of silver, it can be considered an extension of Judas’s own act—hence Luke’s statement (in Acts) that the field was bought “with the reward for his wickedness.” Both versions align to highlight the shame of Judas’s betrayal and the tragic end to which it led.

Theological Significance

1. Illustration of the Consequences of Sin

Judas’s downfall and the purchase of a field with tainted silver underscores a key moral truth: efforts to rid oneself of sin’s guilt (like Judas’s attempt to return the money) cannot erase the consequences of sinful actions. This field stands as a perpetual physical reminder of betrayal’s harm—“the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

2. Fulfillment of Prophecy

Matthew 27:9–10 references prophecies from Jeremiah and Zechariah regarding the potter’s field, suggesting a deeper divine orchestration behind Judas’s betrayal and the use of the silver. Scripture’s cohesive account reinforces that these events were neither random nor contradictory, but were part of a larger redemptive plan.

3. Symbol of Redemption’s Reality

Even though this piece of land became infamous, it also highlights the gravity of what Christ’s “innocent blood” (Matthew 27:4) accomplished. Betrayal, death, and blood money culminated in the selfless sacrifice of the Messiah, through which salvation is offered.

Practical Application for Studying the Field of Blood

• When reading biblical passages such as Matthew 27 and Acts 1, keep in mind the cultural context regarding property transactions and the concept of guilt by association.

• Note that the “Field of Blood” can serve as a solemn reflection on personal accountability and the devastating impact of sin.

• Recognize the scriptural unity: both Matthew and Luke (in Acts) convey the same central lesson—no detail in Scripture is contradictory or unaccounted for; it all coheres within God’s sovereign plan.

Conclusion

The “Field of Blood,” or Akeldama, is recognized for two intertwined factors: the blood money used by the priests to secure the plot (Matthew 27:8), and the gruesome death of Judas there (Acts 1:19). Both aspects of its naming converge seamlessly when viewed through the historical, cultural, and theological lens of the New Testament. It stands as a sobering monument to the weight of sin, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the cohesive nature of Scripture.