But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, Ver. 1. _With Sapphira his wife_] Her name signifieth beautiful, or spacious. She might be so on the outside, as those apples of Sodom, the Egyptian temples, or Jewish sepulchres; but her heart was rotten, and not right wit... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 2. _And kept back part_] Interverted, ενοσφισατο, purloined, nimmed it away. Here was a concurrence of hypocrisy, sacrilege, diffidence, and ambition; for he w... [ Continue Reading ]
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? Ver. 3. _Why hath Satan_] The first motion of selling his possession was of the Holy Ghost; but Beelzebub had soon putrified and corrupted it.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 4. _Was it not thine own_] Wicked men have a right to earthly things as their portion, Psalms 17:14. God... [ Continue Reading ]
And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. Ver. 5. _Fell down, and gave up_] So did Nightingal, parson of Crondal by Canterbury; who, on a Shrove Sunday, reading to the people the pope's bull of pardon sent into England... [ Continue Reading ]
And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried _him_ out, and buried _him_. Ver. 6. _And the young men arose_] Decent burial this hypocrite had, though he deserved it not. Temporaries enjoy many outward privileges _per consortium_ through prossessions.... [ Continue Reading ]
And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. Ver. 7. _Not knowing what was done_] And thinking to find her husband in highest honour among the apostles. "But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the gho... [ Continue Reading ]
And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Ver. 8. _Yea, for so much_] Sin had woaded an impudence in her face. How much better that brave woman in St Jerome, who being upon the rack said, _Non ideo negare volo, ne peream; sed ideo men... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 9. _To tempt the Spirit_] That is, to make trial of him whether he be omniscient and able to det... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 10. _Then fell she down_] Melancthon makes mention of a cursing woman, that had her neck writhed by the devil, as her mou... [ Continue Reading ]
And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. Ver. 11. _And great fear_] _See Trapp on "_ Act 5:5 _"_ _Laudo Venetos, apud quos unicum publicae pecuniae intervertisse denarium, non infame solum est, sed et capitale._ Among the Venetians, it is death to diminish a... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 12. _Were many signs and wonders_] Which were as so many sermon bells to bring men to the Church; and as so many wings to carry the gospel abroad the wo... [ Continue Reading ]
And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. Ver. 13. _Durst no man join himself_] None of the powerful enemies of the Church durst insinuate (for fear of the danger) as Sanballat and Tobiah would have done in Nehemiah's days; and as the Jesuits today have a pra... [ Continue Reading ]
And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Ver. 14. _And believers were the more added_] So little lost the Church by that dreadful doom that befell Ananias and Sapphira, Isaiah 26:9. Hypocrites are but the warts, or rather botches, of the Church. When God's j... [ Continue Reading ]
Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid _them_ on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. Ver. 15. _The shadow of Peter passing by_] Upon these stupendous miracles, as upon so many eagles' (or rather angels') win... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 16. _And they were healed every one_] Christ is Jehovah the Physician, Exodus 15:26. He hath a most happy hand, and w... [ Continue Reading ]
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, Ver. 17. _With indignation_] Gr. With zeal: but it was that bitter zeal, James 3:14, that grows not but in Satan's gardens.... [ Continue Reading ]
And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. Ver. 18. _Put them in the common prison_] Bocardo (when the good bishops were there in Queen Mary's days) was called a college of quondams (has beens): and almost all other prisons in England were become right Christian school... [ Continue Reading ]
But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Ver. 19. _But the angel of the Lord_] There was one Laremoth, chaplain to the Lady Anne of Cleves, a Scotchman, to whom, being in prison in Queen Mary's days, it was said, as he thought, once, twice, thric... [ Continue Reading ]
Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. Ver. 20. _Stand and speak_] Stand close to the work, stir not a foot, start not a hair's breadth.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 21. _They entered into t... [ Continue Reading ]
But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, Ver. 22. _But when the officers came_] As at a lottery, they came with heads full of hopes, but returned with hearts full of blanks.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 23. _We found no man within_] This might well have made them to desist. But what said the prophet long before? "Lord, when thy hand is lift... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 24. _They doubted of them_] _Conturbabantur, et ad angustias inexplicabiles detrusi haesitabant, _ they were at their wit's end, διηπορουν, and could... [ Continue Reading ]
Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. Ver. 25. _Behold, the men whom ye put in prison_] Surely there is neither wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord,Proverbs 21:30. God's mind is fulfilled b... [ Continue Reading ]
Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. Ver. 26. _And brought them without violence_] The apostles made no resistance, but showed themselves patient and peaceable, blameless amidst a perverse generati... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they had brought them, they set _them_ before the council: and the high priest asked them, Ver. 27. _They set them before the council_] Where the high priest might well have done, as the prolocutor here in the convocation held at London, A. D. 1553, did; he confessed that those dejected mi... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 28. _And intend to bring this man's blood upon us_] They pretend the doctrine, but this was the thing that most... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Peter and the _other_ apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Ver. 29. _We ought to obey God rather than men_] This is a principle granted and grafted in us by nature. I love and embrace you, O Athenians (said Socrates, in his Apology), but yet I will obey God rather... [ Continue Reading ]
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Ver. 30. _Ye slew and hanged on a tree_] Constantine the Great, in honour of our Saviour, took away by a law that custom of crucifying men, in use, till then, among the Romans: a lingering and cruel kind of death; as was lik... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 31. _To be a Prince and a Saviour_] Σωτηρα. _Hoc vero quantum est?_ saith Cicero (In Ver.) _Ita magnum, ut Latino uno verbo exprimi non possit. Is nimirum soter e... [ Continue Reading ]
And we are his witnesses of these things; and _so is_ also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. Ver. 32. _To them that obey him_] πειθαρχουσιν. The Syriac and Arabic have it, To them that believe in him, πιστευουσιν. It comes all to one pass; for neither is faith without obedi... [ Continue Reading ]
When they heard _that_, they were cut _to the heart_, and took counsel to slay them. Ver. 33. _They were cut to the heart_] They were so vexed as if they had been cut with a saw, διεπριοντο; or the gnashing of their teeth sounded as the reciprocation of a saw.... [ Continue Reading ]
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; Ver. 34. _Named Gamaliel_] Who was, say the Jews, the son of Simeon, Luke 2:25, the son of Hillel. See Acts 22:3 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. Ver. 35. _Take heed to yourselves_] Anger is an evil counsellor; do nothing rashly. Alexander slew those in his heat whom afterwards he would have revived with his life blood. Ambrose, absolvin... [ Continue Reading ]
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 obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. Ver. 36. _Rose up Theudas_] See Joseph. Antiq. xviii. 20; xvii. 12.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 obeyed him, were dispersed. Ver. 37. _Rose up Judas of Galilee_] Or Judas Gaulonites. It was the blood of his followers that Pilate mingled with their... [ Continue Reading ]
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: Ver. 38. _Let them alone, for if, &c._] Perilous counsel, but profitable to the Church; God so ordering it, as he doth all, for the best to his.... [ Continue Reading ]
But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. Ver. 39. _Ye cannot overthrow it_] Neither you, nor kings and tyrants to help you; so one ancient Greek copy readeth it. Diocletian laid down the empire in great discontent, because he could not, by any p... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 40. _And to him they agreed_] So did the enraged people to the elders, alleging the example of Micah the Morasthite, Jeremiah 26:18... [ Continue Reading ]
And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. Ver. 41. _Worthy to suffer shame_] That they were graced so to be disgraced for Christ, _Elegantissimum oxymorum, _ most elegant oxymoron saith Casaubon. So Philippians 1:29; "T... [ Continue Reading ]
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Ver. 42. _They ceased not_] _Crescit igitur animus cum adversis._ The more outrageous the one the more courageous the other party.... [ Continue Reading ]