Contemplative Bible Reading

Matthew 27:6 (New Living Translation)

The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.”

This is after the crucifixion. The leading priests are gathering the thirty pieces of silver from the floor. Why don’t they put the money in the Temple treasury?

It is blood money that was paid for a murder.

Who did the paying? Uh, oh, er, it was them. The leading priests are admitting that they had the Romans execute an innocent person, i.e., murder Jesus. There is no denial here. They know they had Jesus murdered.