Acts 5:1-42
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick intoa the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
17 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,b
18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,
23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyedc him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyedd him, were dispersed.
38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Acts 5:3. Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost. These words not only indicate that Ananias was a minister of the word, but that he for once had yielded his heart to the unclean spirit. Castellio reads, Ut spiritum Sanctum falleres. Ananias spake as though the Holy Spirit had uttered the deception. Now, the gentiles seem agreed, that the virgin or pythoness who should deliver a falsehood as the oracle of a god should suffer death. Ananias was speechless, after hearing the solemn charge exhibited against him.
Acts 5:6. They carried him out, and buried him. In hot countries they still bury the dead on the day they die, if it can conveniently be done.
Acts 5:11. Great fear came upon all the church. They might advert to the sentence of God against king Ahaziah, 2 Kings 1.; and to the sentence of death pronounced against Hananiah, the false prophet. Jeremiah 28. Christ has in the church a sword with two edges; and she must be sanctified by the strokes of his rod.
Acts 5:12. They were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. See the notes on John 10:23.
Acts 5:16. There came a multitude out of the cities round about bringing sick folks. Thus was fulfilled the words of Christ, Greater works than these, in point of number, shall ye do, because I go to the Father, and endue you with power.
Acts 5:17. Then the highpriest rose up, and all the sadducees who composed the council, being filled with indignation. The infidels taking a lead in this persecution, indicates that political reasons were assigned for the rigorous proceedings against the church. This was the second storm that arose in quick succession, and which the angels, for the present, warded off, that the young converts might acquire stability in the faith.
Acts 5:20. Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. Faint not in the battle, God is on your side; confute the sadducees your persecutors, who deny a future state. The gospel especially demonstrates immortality and life. God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 1 John 5:11. So are all the succession of promises. “Because I live, ye shall live also. He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life.” John 3:36.
Acts 5:31. Him hath God exalted a Prince and a Saviour. Peter is careful here to use the words of the prophets. Messiah is the Prince: Messiah is the Saviour: Messiah is coëqual with the Sire, because the Father hath called him, and not any angel, to sit at his right hand. Christ is exalted as the dispenser of grace, to give repentance, a broken and a contrite heart to rebels, even to those that crucified him, and the joys of remission in all the comforts of the Holy Ghost. This is the grace and truth which came by Christ.
Acts 5:34. Gamaliel, a doctor of the law. He was successor in the chair to the great Hillel, a man of extensive learning. Some say that he and his son Abibon became christians. Gamaliel is said to be the son of Simeon, who took our Saviour in his arms, at the time of his presentation in the temple. Luke 2:35.
Acts 5:36. Before these days rose up Theudas, against the Roman power, who was slain, and his men dispersed. Josephus's Antiq. lib. 10. cap. 1. After him, Judas of Galilee raised an army to oppose the poll- tax, mentioned in Luke 2. He also perished, and his forces were dispersed. Therefore, if this work be of men, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it. So said Gamaliel, and truly wisdom is better than might.
REFLECTIONS.
This chapter opens with a dark cloud, after the finest sunshine of grace. It discovers the dormant mystery of iniquity which began to work in the church. The sale of houses and lands, which went on as the church had need, was very popular, and discovered a godlike charity. Ananias, supposed to be one of the hundred and twenty, sold a possession, and brought only a part of the price. His pride wished to retain the whole of the honour, while his covetousness retained a part of the price.
Here we see the dreadful sin of a cool and deliberate lie; for when a man tells an untruth through mistake, his heart is innocent, and he can reproach himself with nothing but inattention, and with the hurt which his mistake may do. God is truth: his works are the image of truth. The sun does not lie to the morning, but rises at the appointed time; and he is faithful to the seasons of the year. Why then should man in the face of the sun lie to his brother.
Equivocation is in God's account the same as a palpable falsehood. Ananias had indeed sold the land for so much, but he had also sold it for more. This neither diminished his sin nor mitigated his punishment: it rather added craft to guilt.
It was a most grievous lie, being the effect of counsel, and of an agreement to tempt the Lord. The man and his wife were equally guilty, and equally punished by an instantaneous death. How tremendous are the judgments of heaven. May they teach us righteousness, and sanctify us by fear unto all generations. This purifying stroke of God would show his immediate care to sanctify the church. Had Ananias only died, physicians, who seek a physical cause for every consequence, might have said, it was apoplexy occasioned by excitement, but the same event falling on his wife and at the distance of three hours, shows the hand of God. These strokes would give proper alarm to hypocrites, and to all false brethren.
It ought also to be remarked, that after the ratification of a covenant and the promulgation of a law, God has often inflicted immediate punishment on the first presumptive transgressors. Adam and Eve lost their glory, and became mortal for the first offence. Nadab and Abihu were burnt for offering strange fire. Likewise the first blasphemer, and the first sabbathbreaker were both stoned for daring to offend; and though providence frequently reserves the punishment to the last, the sinner shall not fare the better for a long contempt of mercy.
Instances of flagrant apostasy are often marked, even in these later times, with awful expressions of divine displeasure. I have noticed some sad cases of rebels, who have presently died under the censure of the church; and charity would induce me to hope that the punishment fell on the body only. But in regard to providence, men often die in the immediate act of crime. In the year 1789 I read an inscription of this nature in the marketplace of Devizes, concerning Ruth Pearce, but the inscription is now removed. And the venerable Richard Pearce, of Bradford, Wilts, gave me the following account of that visitation. Four poor women joined to buy a load of wheat on the marketday. The price was seventeen shillings; each woman gave her money into the farmer's hand. On counting it he said, I have but sixteen shillings and nine-pence. I gave four shillings and threepense said one; and I gave four shillings and threepense said the second, and so said the third. Then Ruth, said one, it must be you. She rejoined And, if I did not give four shillings and threepense, I wish I might drop down dead. It is awful to add, she instantly fell dead on the spot, and the threepense was found in her hand! The parishioners very laudably erected a monument to deter all persons from the heinous sin of lying.