Matthew 27:7
And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.
Matthew 27:7
Matthew 27:7 states that the chief priests “took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.” The field, bought with blood money, serves as a burial place for foreigners, highlighting social boundaries and the marginalized. In the First Century, potter’s fields were associated with unclaimed dead, the poor, and foreigners, reflecting a social geography of outsiders. The spiritual irony is acute: the money from a betrayal used to bury “strangers” outside the city walls—again showing how human sin can be repurposed into acts that still reveal mercy to the outsider. The decision by the priests demonstrates their continued concern with religious propriety over compassion, while the broader narrative shows God’s sovereignty in using even corrupted actions to accomplish his purposes.
This moment emphasizes God’s inclusive mercy—foreigners and outsiders receive burial in a field purchased with blood money, suggesting that God’s purposes extend beyond Israel’s insiders. It foreshadows the gospel’s widening of the covenant to the nations. The field becomes a symbol of vulnerability and welcome, a reversal of the very act that caused the initial betrayal. Theologically, this episode illustrates how human failures are not outside God’s redemptive plan; even the misuse of wealth can inadvertently serve the marginalized and point forward to Jesus’s universal invitation.
Practical reflections:
- Consider how communities treat outsiders or strangers. Do we offer welcome or establish barriers?
- Use resources wisely, especially when they originate from morally compromised contexts.
- Create systems that protect the vulnerable, including immigrants and the marginalized.
- See in difficult situations opportunities to model grace, welcome, and reconciliation.
In daily life, this could translate to welcoming new neighbors, supporting refugee families, or volunteering with programs that assist the marginalized.
Cross-References: Leviticus 25:23-34; Psalm 68:5; Luke 14:12-14; James 2:1-4; Galatians 3:28