Are the accounts of Matthew Chapter 27 verse 5 and Acts Chapter 1 verse 18 a contradiction?

Answer 1

Matthew 27:5; speaking of Judas Iscariot: "...he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself."

Acts 1:18; also Judas: "...this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out."

The grisly nature of "hanging oneself" results in one not being discovered for a lengthy period of time [if at all]. What ensues is, the dead body decomposes and fills with "gases." If left hanging long enough... the sheer weight of the decomposing "gas bag" becomes supported solely by the segmented neck vertebrae, which is unable to take the weight.

And when the body falls... the putrified liquid and gases in the human gas bag "burst asunder"... and the bowels therein "gush out."

The accounts aren't contradictory. They are, taken together, a complete and gruesome description of this type of suicide.