Potters Field
( ; Vulg. ager figuli), a piece of ground which, according to the statement of Matthew (27:7), was purchased by the
priests with the thirty pieces of silver rejected by Judas, and converted into a burial-place for Jews not belonging to the city. In the narrative of the Acts (1:18, 19) the purchase is made by Judas himself, and neither the potter’s field, its connection with the priests, nor its ultimate application is mentioned. That Matthew was well assured of the accuracy of his version of the occurrence is evident from his adducing it (Rev. 1865:9) as a fulfillment of an ancient prediction. What that prediction was, and who made it, is not, however, altogether clear. Matthew names Jeremiah; but there is no passage in the book of Jeremiah, as we possess it (either in the Hebrew or Sept.), resembling that which he gives; and that in Zechariah, which is usually supposed to be alluded to, has not a very perfect likeness to it.
Mat 27:9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value, and gave them for the potters field, as the Lord appointed me. Zec 11:12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And Jehovah said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prized at by them! And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of Jehovah.
Even this coincidence is somewhat doubtful; for the word above translated potter () is in the Sept. rendered furnace, and by modern scholars (Gesenius, Frst, Ewald, De Wette, Herxheimer-following the Targum, Peshito-Syriac, and Kimchi) treasury or treasurer. Supposing, however, this passage to be that which Matthew refers to, several explanations suggest themselves:
1. That the evangelist unintentionally substituted the name of Jeremiah for that of Zechariah, at the same time altering the passage to suit his immediate object, in the same way that Paul has done in Rom 10:6-9 (comp. with Deu 8:17; Deu 30:11-14), 1Co 15:45 (comp. with Gen 2:7). See Jowett, St. Paul’s Epistles (Essay on Quotations, etc.).
2. That this portion of the book of Zechariah a hook the different portions of which have been thought by some to be in different styles and by different authors-was in the time of Matthew attributed to Jeremiah.
3. That the reference is to some passage of Jeremiah which has been lost from its place in his book, and exists only in the evangelist. Some slight support is afforded to this view by the fact that potters and the localities occupied by them are twice alluded to by Jeremiah. Its partial correspondence with Zec 11:12-13, is no argument against its having at one time formed a part of the prophecy of Jeremiah; for it is well known to every student of the Bible that similar correspondences are continually found in the prophets. See, for instance, Jer 48:45, comp. with Num 21:27-28; Num 24:17; Jer 49:27, comp. with Amo 1:4. For other examples, see Dr. Pusey’s Commentary on Amos and Micah.
4. The name Jeremiah may have been added by some later hand. This is the most probable view. SEE JEREMIAH, BOOK OF.
There are several potteries now in Jerusalem, as there seem always to have been. On the present spot shown as the Potter’s Field, SEE ACELDAMA.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Potters field
the name given to the piece of ground which was afterwards bought with the money that had been given to Judas. It was called the “field of blood” (Matt. 27:7-10). Tradition places it in the valley of Hinnom. (See ACELDAMA)
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Potter’s Field
Mat 27:7. (See ACELDAMA; POTTERY.)
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Potter’s Field
POTTERS FIELD.See Akeldama.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Potter’s Field
See Aceldama
Fuente: The Poor Mans Concordance and Dictionary to the Sacred Scriptures
Potter’s Field
poterz. See ACELDAMA.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Potter’s-Field
[ACELDAMA]
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Potter’s Field
The field that was bought with the thirty pieces of silver paid to Judas for the betrayal of the Lord is thus called. Mat 27:7-10. It is added, “then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet.” Nothing is found in Jeremiah corresponding to the words quoted; but there is something similar in Zec 11:12-13. Jeremiah is said to have spoken the words; the reference therefore may be to something he had said, and not to what he had written. Or it is possible that as the Jews anciently placed Jeremiah at the beginning of the Book of the Prophets (Ezekiel, Isaiah, and the twelve minor prophets following), ‘Jeremiah’ may have been a sort of heading for the whole. Zechariah is quoted in the N.T. but never named there. See ACELDAMA.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Potter’s Field
the land that was bought with the money for which Judas sold our Saviour, Mat 27:7; Mat 27:10, and which he returned. See ACELDAMA.