What is the explanation for Judas hanging himself (Matthew 27:5) to falling headfirst and his intestines falling out (Acts 1:18)? I suppose it might be decomposition for the guts part, but what about the headlong aspect?
Quite a graphic question, not to mention the events themselves to which it refers! There are several possible harmonies, and I will leave it to you to work out the details. If you need some hints, see my book Compelling Evidence. And remember, hanging did not necessarily involve a rope in ancient times.
The fact that it is somewhat challenging to harmonize Matthew's and Luke's accounts is a testimony to the integrity of the early Christians, who chose not to "tidy up" the two accounts, but to leave them intact. Even in the newspapers today, firsthand accounts of identical events often include variations of detail and emphasis.
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