It is believed by many of the Fathers, that the resolution which the faithful made of selling their property, and laying the price at the feet of the apostles, implied a vow of reserving nothing for themselves, but giving all to the community; and that the crime of Ananias and Saphira consisted in t... [ Continue Reading ]
_By fraud kept part. [1] Ananias, and his wife Saphira, had make a promise or vow, to put into the common stock the price of what they had to sell. When they had sold the field, they resolved by mutual consent to keep for their private use part of the money, and to bring in the rest, as if they had... [ Continue Reading ]
_Why hath Satan tempted thy heart? [2] The present Greek copies, filled thy heart. (Witham)_ [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Tentavit. In all Greek copies at present, _Greek: eplerosen. But St. Epiphanius, Hær. lix. p. 500. reads Greek: epeirasen._... [ Continue Reading ]
Did it not remain to thee? That is, no one forced thee to make such a promise. --- And being sold, was it not in thy power, and at thy free disposal, before such a promise? but promises and vows must be kept. Thou hast not lied to men, but to God, by lying to the Holy Ghost. (Witham) --- Thou hast n... [ Continue Reading ]
Ananias... fell down and gave up the ghost. St. Augustine says,[3] this severe judgment was to strike a terror of such dissembling fraudulent dealings into the new Church. It was also to shew that St. Peter, and the apostles, had the gift of prophecy. (Witham) --- Origen thinks his death was occasio... [ Continue Reading ]
_Not knowing. Because no one durst tell her; so much did they honour, fear, and obey St. Peter. (St. John Chrysostom, hom. xii.) --- She came in; Peter did not call her, but waited, to afford her an opportunity of repenting. (\'8ccumenius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yea, for so much. That is, for the same sum as Ananias mentioned. This the wife said, not knowing what had happened to her husband. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Solomon's porch. This was outside the temple, open to all, Jews and Gentiles, pure and impure. They assembled here, because it was a large place, where they could speak to many assembled. Had it been within the temple, the priests would have interrupted them, and not have wanted pretexts to silence... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of the rest, no one durst join himself to them. That is, none of those that did not believe: yet the people praised them, and the number of the faithful increased. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
On... couches, meaner beds for the poorer sort. --- That Peter's shadow, &c. Thus was partly fulfilled what Christ had foretold, (John xiv. 12.) that his disciples should do even greater miracles than he had done. (Witham) --- St. Ambrose compares with these miracles wrought by St. Peter's shadow, t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then went the magistrate; [4] which by the Greek was a military officer. But he did not bind them like prisoners, for fear of a tumult, but desired them to go along with them to the sanhedrim. (Witham) --- Without violence. They persuaded them to appear willingly before the sanhedrim, thinking, per... [ Continue Reading ]
_Commanding, we commanded you. That is, charged you severely. --- You have a mind to bring the blood of this man upon us. You will make us pass for guilty of the murder of the Messias. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Peter answered boldly, _We ought to obey God, rather than men. And withal adds, that God had raised from death Jesus, the Prince and Saviour of mankind, by whose merits all might find repentance, and forgiveness of their sins; that they were witness of his resurrection, &c. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_They were cut to the heart; [5] exasperated to fury and madness, and were for killing them. (Witham)_ [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Dissecabantur. _Greek: dieprionto; which Arias Montanus translates furebant._... [ Continue Reading ]
Gamaliel. He that had been St. Paul's master, according to St. John Chrysostom, advised them to forbear, and do nothing rashly. [Ver. 38.] Meddle not with these men; literally, go from them. [6] For, saith he, if this be the work of men only, it will soon fall to nothing; but if it be from God, you... [ Continue Reading ]
Time, and the evident success of Christ's Church, prove it to be of God. No violence of the Jews, no persecution of heathen princes, no attempts of domestic adversaries, heretics, schismatics, or evil livers, have been able to prevail against it. Men of superior abilities have made violent attacks a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Rejoicing. The joy of the apostles on the present occasion, is one of the greatest miracles. Only the yoke of Jesus could make this sweet. But so the faithful servants of God have always found it. In tribulation, they abounded in inward peace and joy, which made them insensible of their exterior su... [ Continue Reading ]