Why did the chief priest refused to keep the money?

The chief priests refused to keep the money because it was considered "blood money," which they believed was tainted due to its connection to Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus. According to the Gospel of Matthew, they deemed it inappropriate to put the money into the temple treasury, as it was associated with a wrongful act. Instead, they used the funds to purchase a potter's field, creating a burial place for foreigners. This decision reflected their attempt to distance themselves from the moral implications of the money.