5
Ananias and Sapphira
1 Now a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession 2 and kept back part of the price for himself, his wife also being party to it; bringing a certain part he placed it at the Apostles' feet. 3 So Peter said: “Ananias, on what basis* has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold was it not yours, and once sold was it not in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You did not lie to men but to God.”† 5 Well upon hearing these words Ananias fell down and expired! (Great fear came on all who heard these things.) 6 So the young men got up and wrapped him, and carrying him out they buried him.‡
7 Now after an interval of some three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.§ 8 So Peter addressed her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” So she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 Peter said to her: “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!” 10 So she immediately fell down at his feet and expired! So upon entering the young men found her dead, and carrying her out they buried her beside her husband.* 11 So great fear came on the whole assembly and on all who heard these things.†
The Apostles distinguish themselves
12 Now many signs and wonders were being performed among the people by the hands of the Apostles; and they were all in Solomon's Porch with one purpose.‡ 13 None of the rest dared to join them,§ but the people were magnifying them. 14 Believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,* 15 to the point that they kept carrying the sick into the streets, placing them on cots and pallets, so that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.† 16 Further, the multitude from the surrounding cities also kept coming into Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.‡
Sadducees X Apostles
17 Then the high priest rose up, and all those with him (being the sect of the Sadducees); they were filled with jealousy§ 18 and laid their hands on the Apostles and put them in the common prison. 19 But, during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, and leading them out he said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”* 21 So upon hearing it they entered the temple about daybreak† and started to teach.
Then the high priest and those with him arrived and convened the Sanhedrin, even all the council of elders of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 Well, upon arriving the operatives did not find them in the jail, so they returned and reported, 23 saying: “We certainly found the prison securely locked, and the guards standing in front of the doors, but upon opening them we found no one inside!” 24 Now when the high priest,‡ the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were really perplexed as to what the implications might be.§
25 But someone came and told them, “Hey, the men whom you put in the jail are standing in the temple and teaching the people!” 26 Then the captain went with the operatives and brought them without violence, because they were afraid that the people might stone them. 27 So bringing them they set them before the Sanhedrin; and the high priest addressed them 28 saying: “Did we not emphatically command you not to teach in this name? Just look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood on us!”*
Apostles infuriate Sadducees
29 So in answer Peter and the Apostles said: “One must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand as Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.† 32 And we are witnesses to these statements about Him, as also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those obeying Him.”‡
Gamaliel counsels Sadducees
33 Well upon hearing it they became infuriated and started plotting to kill them. 34 But someone in the council stood up§ (a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law respected by all the people) and commanded to put the Apostles out for a bit. 35 He then said to them: “Men, Israelites, take heed to yourselves concerning these men, as to what you are about to do. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody; with whom about four hundred men joined up; who was killed, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37 Later Judas the Galilean rose up, in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. 38 So now I say to you, keep away from these men and leave them alone; because if this counsel or this work should be of men, it will be abolished; 39 but if it is of God,* you will not be able to overthrow it—lest you even be found to be fighting against God!”†
Sadducees beat and threaten Apostles
40 Well they were persuaded by him,‡ and summoned the Apostles; after beating them they commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 So they went out rejoicing§ from the presence of the council, in that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of the Christ.* 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.†
* 5:3 The familiar ‘why’ is not adequate here; Satan needs no reason for attacking us. But by asking ‘because of what’ Peter is saying that Ananias gave Satan an entrance into his life (which evidently is not a very good idea). So what sort of thing gives Satan an entrance? One way is to harbor an attitude contrary to God's will and character. † 5:4 As the context makes clear, the problem was that Ananias lied. He wanted the credit for doing like the others, but he was hedging his bet. If he had honestly stated that it was only a part, he would have lived on. He evidently figured it was only a little ‘white’ lie that would not do anybody any harm (no victim)—it did not occur to him that he was really challenging God. ‡ 5:6 Apparently they did not have a coroner. The two were buried without ceremony and without mourning. Was there no family? § 5:7 She was probably looking for him, wondering why he had not come home. * 5:10 There are times when ‘togetherness’ is not all that good an idea. † 5:11 Really. Can you imagine if this sort of thing started happening in our churches today? ‡ 5:12 I take it that the primary reference is to the Apostles; they were holding court, as it were, in Solomon's Porch where there was plenty of room. § 5:13 The Eleven had a stature that set them apart; no one else was pretending to be an Apostle. * 5:14 After Pentecost we find the expression ‘both men and women’—the participation of women in the Church is overtly stated. † 5:15 Well now, the Lord Jesus recuperated Peter with a vengeance. This would appear to be one of the “greater things” of John 14:12, since we have no record of Jesus using His shadow. Evidently people kept getting healed in this way, and once healed their places would be taken by new arrivals. The local residents had the first chance, and if they were all healed it would be the ones from outlying areas that maintained the flow. ‡ 5:16 This is reminiscent of the Lord's ministry, when all who came were healed. Should we be able to do this today, or is this a ‘special occasion’ sort of thing? How about when we introduce the Gospel to a new area or culture? Would not overt demonstrations of God's power speed up the process? § 5:17 They were being upstaged, and how, and did not like it—the true merits of the case were beside the point. * 5:20 That is what the Text says, “this Life”. To belong to Jesus not only means spiritual life in the place of spiritual death, but it means a way of life—a system of values, a set of presuppositions, a worldview. † 5:21 From the prison they went ‘home’, for a little refreshment. During the night there would be no one to teach. ‡ 5:24 Some 9% of the Greek manuscripts omit “the high priest” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). § 5:24 Come now, the only possible explanation was supernatural intervention. There is no one more blind than he who refuses to see. * 5:28 Those very men had said, “His blood be upon us, and upon our children!” But of course, a good memory is not always convenient. However, in this case the priest was just being perverse. Well, actually, having committed the unpardonable sin he was under satanic control. † 5:31 I was tempted to render, “to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel”, but the Text does not have that order (though it could have), perhaps so as not to limit the forgiveness of sins to Israel. ‡ 5:32 The Apostles are impressive—no fear, no apology, no toning down. “You murdered Him!” “God raised Him!” “He is Prince and Savior!” “The Holy Spirit exists!” All these affirmations were things they absolutely did not want to hear, as their reaction attests. Many in our day do not want to hear that the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God. § 5:34 I gather that Gamaliel just took over, and something about his demeanor made the high priest let him do it. * 5:39 The conditional clauses are not the same—the first is a condition of doubt, the second is a condition of fact. Gamaliel makes clear that he personally thinks it is of God. † 5:39 Of course they were fighting against God, and presumably knew it, but Gamaliel gives them the benefit of the doubt. ‡ 5:40 Up to a point—they did not kill them, but still beat and threatened them. They had known all along that they were in fact fighting against God, but for some reason they decided to humor Gamaliel. § 5:41 The impression I get is that they started rejoicing right there in the council. What do you suppose the effect was upon the members? * 5:41 I here follow what I consider to be the best line of transmission, albeit making up only some 35% of the manuscripts, at this point. But the evidence is badly split: 35% have ‘of the Christ’, 14% have ‘of Jesus’, 10% have ‘of the Lord Jesus’, 20% have ‘his’, and 21% omit. † 5:42 It bears repeating: the Apostles are impressive.