Chapter four ended with the good example of Barnabas, selling a field and giving the money to the apostles for distribution to the needy. This chapter begins with a similar example, but it serves as a negative due to the deceitful motives of Ananias and Saphira, to make themselves appear holy and generous, when in fact they were lying about their contribution and holding some back without acknowledging so. We also see in this chapter the continued church growth and escalation in the persecution of the early church leaders, Peter and John, and the other apostles. Finally, we hear Gamaliel’s famous speech before the Sanhedrin, urging the Jewish leaders to let this matter about the Christians go, or else find themselves fighting against God. Let’s take a look.
1) V1-11 – 1Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” 9Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
The selling of the property was not a mandate for wealthy believers; it was a voluntary act of generosity for the good of the community. The holding back part of the proceeds wasn’t truly the problem either; there was no requirement that all of the profit had to go to the apostles. The problem for Ananias and Saphira was their implied deceit and conspiracy to make it appear that they gave everything, when in fact they were keeping some (Proverbs 15:8). It would have been fine to keep all of the profit, or some of the profit, as Peter’s second question to Ananias implies in v4. The money was at his disposal (Luke 21:2). It appears he and his wife agreed to say, for example, that they sold the property for $100,000, and gave $100,000 to the apostles. But in fact, they sold it for $150,000, and gave $100,000, while secretly keeping the other $50,000 for themselves, making it appear that they were being more generous (from a percentage perspective) than they actually were. And beyond this deceitfulness, they lied about it – not merely to Peter, but to the Holy Spirit (v3), to God Himself (v4). That Peter knew and confronted him immediately must have been absolutely shocking to Ananias, such that the conviction killed him, as in a heart attack or stroke (Isaiah 11:4). In v5-6, everyone was afraid (of hypocrisy) when they had heard what happened to Ananias, and he was buried casually. When Saphira showed up three hours later, Peter confronted her in a question format, allowing her the opportunity to tell the truth, and she lied; she had no fear of God. His condemnation was felt equally harshly, as she too died – perhaps at the conviction, or maybe due to hearing the news that her husband had died. But like her husband, she was buried casually; and the whole church, and everybody “who heard about these events” became afraid.
The hand of the Lord brought this to pass in His sovereignty for the good of the church. But what about Ananias and Saphira? Were they sincere believers who sinned with their final act on the earth? Or were they the first tares growing up with the wheat? Are they in heaven now, forgiven and joyfully seated with Christ? Or are they in hell, forever regretting their false faith and deceitful effort to gain respect? Calvin points to the mention that Satan had filled the heart of Ananias, leaving no room for the Spirit of Christ. He says, “It came to pass by the certain providence of God, that the Church should see apart the obstinate wickedness and treacherous mind of them both.”
2) V12-16 – 12The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.
Luke turns his attention back to the growth of the church in light of the “miraculous signs and wonders” the apostles did among the people. Bold and/or long-time believers, highly regarded by the public, gathered in public, in Solomon’s Colonnade; but others, though many believed the gospel, remained afraid to join them in public worship of God through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Peter’s legend grew, as he healed those who even had his shadow fall on them. But in case we grow superstitious, Calvin says, “God did no less show forth his power in their shadow than in their mouth.” Miracles grew the church, because by them people believed. But it was the message that stuck. The gospel saves people, and thereby, the Holy Spirit works the greatest miracle in each believer.
3) V17-28 – 17Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20“Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.” 21At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin – the full assembly of the elders of Israel – and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, 23“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this. 25Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” 26At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. 27Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this Man’s blood.”
The Jewish leaders, notably Sadducees who denied the resurrection, were jealous presumably of the success of the apostles. They imprisoned them, but “an angel of the Lord” miraculously freed them from prison and told them to continue preaching the gospel in the temple courts. When the Jewish leaders found the apostles preaching and freed from jail, they were “puzzled.” They arrested them again, without force, for fear that the audience would rise up against them – even to the point of stoning them!
When the apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin, they were reminded that they were not supposed to teach in Jesus’ name. But the fruits of their labor were also mentioned: “You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching.” We also learn the motive for the Sanhedrin’s hatred of their message; they perceived that the apostles were trying to make them guilty of Jesus’ crucifixion. Of course, they were guilty! But the apostles were not so concerned with the Sanhedrin’s guilt; they wanted everyone to see their own sin as the reason Jesus died. And they wanted everyone to repent and believe that God raised Him from the dead for their justification and forgiveness (Romans 4:25).
4) V29-42 – 29Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! 30The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead – whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree. 31God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” 33When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” 40His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
The apostles, led by Peter, again declared their obedience to God over men, when the commands are mutually exclusive. And they added the fact of the resurrection and the fact that the crucifixion was due to their accusers. But they praised God for exalting Jesus “as Prince and Savior,” the One who grants repentance and forgiveness to Israel. First, notice that repentance is a gift (Acts 11:18; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 2 Timothy 2:25; 2 Peter 3:9), not something we contribute to the salvation equation. Second, notice the apostles’ emphasis on Jesus as Messiah for Israel. They’re not thinking about Gentiles yet, and many of the apostles wouldn’t think about Gentile salvation during their lifetimes. God set apart the apostle Paul for ministry to the Gentiles, and his time would come several years from this point in church history. Finally, notice in v32 that the apostles consider not only themselves as witnesses to the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus – as well as to His power unto forgiveness and repentance – but they also testify that the Holy Spirit is a witness to “these things” (John 8:18; 15:26; Acts 1:8,22; 2:32; 3:15; 10:39-41; 13:31; 22:15; Romans 8:16; Hebrews 10:15; 1 John 5:6).
In v33, we see the reaction of the Sanhedrin to the apostles’ remarks. Providentially, Gamaliel, an honored teacher, spoke up (v35-40) and persuaded the rulers with words of wisdom (akin to that which you might expect from a follower of the Jewish school of Hillel) to let the apostles go free (after a punishing flogging). Look at the apostles’ reaction to their experience in v41-42. They rejoiced for being counted worthy. Have you ever rejoiced at being worthy? The calling to live a life worthy is found throughout the New Testament (Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12), and it’s quite a challenge to consider yourself worthy of the gospel, or worthy of God, or worthy of eternal life. We are right to humble ourselves in light of our sin. But at the same time, we should see the value we have to God, considering ourselves worthy of eternal life (Acts 13:48), because of the great price God paid to grant it to us; we should strive to live for Him who died for us by dying to ourselves, crucifying our sin for holiness. The apostles went house-to-house and never stopped teaching and proclaiming the gospel. Jesus is the Christ!
Footnotes
- 5:16 Greek unclean
- 5:42 Or Messiah
Bible text from Gospelcom.net. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.