The sin of Ananias and Sapphira
5
📚But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 📚and kept back part of the money, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.3 📚But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the money for the land? 4 📚While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was the money not in your control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God”.
5:3-4 There was no requirement for them to sell their property and give any of the amount to the Church (Acts 2:44-45). Observe that the lie Ananias told came from Satan. See John 8:44. Satan suggested it and Ananias gave in to the suggestion. Notice too that to lie to God’s people is the same as lying to God. In fact, all we do to them is as if we did it to Him. See Acts 9:4-5; Matt 25:34-46; Mark 9:37. On lying see notes and references at Ex 20:16; Ps 5:6; 15:2; 51:6; Prov 6:16-19; 12:22; Eph 4:15, 25; Col 3:9; Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15. Let everyone who is tempted to lie take into account the above facts. Lying is a very foolish and wicked and dangerous thing.⚜
5 📚And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down, and breathed his last. And great fear 📖 came on all those who heard these things.
5:5 The death of Ananias was God’s judgment on him, not a result of anything Peter did. Lying and hypocrisy are like a deadly poison. Ananias’s sin was a serious threat to the life of the church, and the situation demanded a severe remedy.⚜
6 📚And the young men arose, wrapped him up, carried him outside, and buried him.
7 And it was about three hours later that his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 📚And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” And she said, “Yes, for so much”.
9 📚Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and will carry you out”.
5:9 God revealed to Peter that His judgment was going to fall on her also. Peter gave her an opportunity to change her story and repent, but she lied to his face. Observe that their sin was testing the Spirit of God. See Deut 6:16; Matt 4:7; Ex 17:7; Ps 95:7-11.⚜
10 📚Then she fell down immediately at his feet, and breathed her last. And the young men came in, found her dead, and carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 📚And great fear came on the whole church, and on everyone who heard these things.
5:11 When Christians are afraid to sin the church will be holy and surge forward in its work. In the very beginning of this era of grace and the Holy Spirit, God was revealing that grace does not mean that sin is something that should be overlooked and go unpunished. He has given here once for all an example indicating what He thinks of hypocrisy, deceit and lying in the church – in God’s eyes they are worthy of death. This does not mean that God put to death every person in the church who was guilty of these. One example was enough to put fear into the whole group of believers. It should be enough for us also. What else should be required for us to learn that God hates all lying and deceitfulness, and that anyone who practices such things is in grave danger?
At the giving of the Law God showed an example of what He considered was disobedience to the Law in Num 15:32-36. At the beginning of the conquest of Canaan also God set forth an example. See Josh 7. Sin tolerated in a local church is the greatest danger to that church. It is like cancer which can eventually kill the whole body.
The word “church” in this verse means the group of believers called out from the surrounding people to be the people of Christ. Note at Matt 16:18.⚜
Miracles of the apostles
12 📚And many miraculous signs and wonders were performed at the hands of the apostles among the people. And they were all together with one accord in Solomon’s Portico. 13 📚And among the rest no man dared to join them, but the people regarded them highly.
5:13 Verse 11.⚜
14 📚And more and more believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.
5:14 A holy, witnessing church will see sinners converted to Christ. After the judgment on Ananias and his wife the church moved forward again to new victories. Compare Joshua chapter 8.⚜
15 📚So then they brought the sick out into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the very least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.
5:15 Neither Peter nor his shadow had any power to heal (Acts 3:12). God chose this way to honor the apostles in the eyes of the people and to establish the truth of their teaching. Now their teaching has long since been established and the New Testament given to us. There is no longer any need to establish the truth again through someone else, or to give signs and wonders and miracles to do it.⚜
16 📚Also crowds came from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits 📖. And every one of them was healed.
5:16 Here the gospel of Christ begins to spread beyond Jerusalem.⚜
Jewish leaders persecute the apostles
17 📚Then the high priest and all those who were with him (who were of the sect of the Sadducees) 📖 rose up, filled with indignation, 18 📚and seized the apostles, and put them in the public prison. 19 📚But at night the angel of the Lord 📖 opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said, 20 📚“Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life”.
5:20 They were not delivered so that they could retreat in fear to their homes and keep quiet. Here the gospel is called “This life” – it brings new life to people (John 3:16; 5:24), and causes them to live in a new way (2 Cor 5:17).⚜
21 📚And when they heard that, they went into the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest, and those who were with him, came and called together the Council 📖 and all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
5:21 Obedience was the mark of their faith – obedience at any cost.⚜
22 But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, 23 📚saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the keepers were standing outside at the doors, but when we opened them, we did not find anyone inside”. 24 📚Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple guard, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered where this would lead.
25 Then someone came and told them: “Look, the men you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people”. 26 📚Then the captain with the officers went and brought them without using force; for they were afraid of the people, that they might throw stones at them.
5:26 Matt 21:46; Luke 22:2. These religious leaders still cared nothing for justice. They tried to rule but were ruled themselves by envy, hatred and fear.⚜
27 📚And when they had brought them, they placed them before the council, and the high priest asked them, 28 📚saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And, look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s 📖 blood on us”.
29 📚Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, “We ought to obey God rather than men.
5:1-2 God’s church was holy in conduct, filled with His Spirit and witnessing. Nothing could stop its work, its increase – nothing but sin. Here was an attempt by Satan to introduce sinful ways into the church. Evidently, Ananias and his wife told the apostles that they were giving the full amount they had received (v 8). They wanted the reputation for being generous without actually being generous. They wanted others to think they were more spiritual than they actually were. This is hypocrisy. Compare Matt 6:2-4; 23:5-7.⚜
5:29 See Acts 4:19. Here is a principle that should govern every believer in Christ when there is a conflict between God’s commands and men’s. Obedience meant for them persecution, imprisonment and, at last, death, but they held firm to this principle.⚜
30 📚The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
5:30 See Acts 2:23; 4:10. Peter uses “tree” for the cross (see also Acts 10:39; Gal 3:13; 3:29; 1 Pet 2:24). Compare Deut 21:22.⚜
31 📚God exalted him to his right hand as Prince and Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
5:31 See Acts 2:33-36. “Prince” here means “Leader” or “Head”. Observe again that repentance and forgiveness go together, and both are a gift Christ gives (Acts 2:38; Luke 24:47; 2 Tim 2:25).⚜
32 📚And we are his witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him”.
5:32 See Acts 1:8; 2:32; 3:15; 4:33. The Holy Spirit witnessed by doing miracles through the apostles, by giving the apostles authority and power in their witness, and by speaking to the hearts of those who heard it. Observe the connection between obedience and receiving God’s Spirit. In other places we are told the Spirit comes by asking (Luke 11:13), and by faith (Gal 3:14). Peter is speaking of the obedience of faith in the Lord Jesus. See John 6:29; Rom 1:5. To believe in Christ is to obey God’s will. Faith is not possible except when there is a decision to submit to Christ and a willingness to obey Him. Faith does not arise in a rebellious heart that will not yield to God. God gives His Spirit to those who believe and trust Him, to those who are devoted to Him and obey His commands. See also Matt 7:21; Rom 10:9-10.⚜
33 📚When they heard that, they were enraged and plotted to kill them.
5:33 This is the unreasonable reaction of men who loved darkness rather than light (John 3:19-20; 10:31; 12:10-11; 15:18-20).⚜
34 📚Then a man stood up in the council meeting, a Pharisee 📖 named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, respected by all the people, and gave an order that the apostles be put outside for a little while. 35 📚Then he said to them, “You men of Israel, take care to yourselves what you intend to do about these men. 36 📚For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all those who followed him were scattered, and it came to nothing. 37 📚After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all those who obeyed him were scattered.
5:36-37 These are events not recorded in the Bible.⚜
38 📚And now I say to you, withdraw from these men, and let them alone. For if their purpose or work is of men, it will come to nothing. 39 📚But if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it, and perhaps you will be found even to fight against God”.
5:38-39 God used this advice to cool the anger of the Jewish leaders and to free the apostles from death at that time. But actually Gamaliel was not right in his first statement. Many systems of human thought and religion, and many works of Satan go on for centuries, and seem to succeed and increase. But Gamaliel was right from the standpoint of eternity. Everything that has its source in mere man will eventually come to nothing (compare Isa 2:10-22). Gamaliel’s words in v 39 are always true, and he aptly described what many did then (and still do) – “fight against God”.⚜
40 📚And they agreed with him. And when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
5:40 This was a severe punishment. They gave them 39 lashes with a whip on their backs (Matt 27:26; 2 Cor 11:24).⚜
41 📚And they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
5:41 What a difference it makes to be right with God and to love the Lord Jesus Christ! Such people can count shame and disgrace as joy (John 16:33; Matt 5:11-12; Jam 1:2; 1 Pet 4:12-16). Here these apostles were beyond humiliation and the pride that brings the feeling of humiliation.⚜
42 📚And daily in the temple and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.