Acts 5

Acts 5:1-11 . ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA.

"The first trace of a shade upon the bright form of the young Church. Probably among the new Christians a kind of holy rivalry had sprung up, every one eager to place his means at the disposal of the apostles" [OLSHAUSEN]. Thus might the new-born zeal of some outrun their abiding principle, while others might be tempted to seek credit for a liberality which was not in their character.

2. kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it--The coolness with which they planned the deception aggravated the guilt of this couple.
brought a certain part--pretending it to be the whole proceeds of the sale.

3-6. why hath Satan filled--"why . . . fill--"why hast thou suffered him to fill"
thine heart--so criminally entertaining his suggestion? Compare Acts 5:4 , "why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?" And see John 13:2 John 13:27 .
to lie to the Holy Ghost--to men under His supernatural illumination.

4. While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?--from which we see how purely voluntary were all these sacrifices for the support of the infant community.
not lied to men but God--to men so entirely the instruments of the directing Spirit that the lie was rather told to Him: language clearly implying both the distinct personality and the proper divinity of the Holy Ghost.

5. Ananias . . . gave up the ghost . . . great fear came on all that heard these things--on those without the Christian circle; who, instead of disparaging the followers of the Lord Jesus, as they might otherwise have done on the discovery of such hypocrisy, were awed at the manifest presence of Divinity among them, and the mysterious power of throwing off such corrupt matter which rested upon the young Church.

6. the young men--some of the younger and more active members of the church, not as office-bearers, nor coming forward now for the first time, but who probably had already volunteered their services in making subordinate arrangements. In every thriving Christian community such volunteers may be expected, and will be found eminently useful.

7-11. Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much--naming the sum.

9. How is it that ye have agreed together--(See on Ac 5:2 ).
to tempt the Spirit--try whether they could escape detection by that omniscient Spirit of whose supernatural presence with the apostles they had had such full evidence.
feet of them that buried thy husband are at the door--How awfully graphic!

10. buried her by her husband--The later Jews buried before sunset of the day of death.

11. And great fear came upon all the church, &c.--This effect on the Christian community itself was the chief design of so startling a judgment; which had its counterpart, as the sin itself had, in Achan ( Joshua 7:1-26 ), while the time--at the commencement of a new career--was similar.

Acts 5:12-26 . THE PROGRESS OF THE NEW CAUSE LEADS TO THE ARREST OF THE APOSTLES--THEY ARE MIRACULOUSLY DELIVERED FROM PRISON, RESUME THEIR TEACHING, BUT ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE CONDUCTED BEFORE THE SAMHEDRIM.

12. Solomon's Porch--(See on Joh 10:23 ).

13-16. of the rest durst no man join himself, &c.--Of the unconverted none ventured, after what had taken place, to profess discipleship; but yet their number continually increased.

15. into the streets--"in every street."
on beds and couches--The words denote the softer couches of the rich and the meaner cribs of the poor [BENGEL].
shadow of Peter . . . might overshadow some of them--Compare Acts 19:12 , Luke 8:46 . So Elisha. Now the predicted greatness of Peter ( Matthew 16:18 ), as the directing spirit of the early Church, was at its height.

17-23. sect of the Sadducees--See on Ac 4:1 for the reason why this is specified.

19. by night--the same night.

20. all the words of this life--beautiful expression for that Life in the Risen One which was the burden of their preaching!

21. entered into the temple, &c.--How self-possessed! the indwelling Spirit raising them above fear.
called . . . all the senate, &c.--an unusually general convention, though hastily summoned.