CHAPTER 5
. 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 , "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 Acts 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 (), while the time—at the commencement of a new
career—was similar.
. 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
).
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 (Luke 8:46), as the directing spirit of the early Church, was at its
height.
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.
17-23. sect of the Sadducees—See
on Acts 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.
17-23. sect of the Sadducees—See
on Acts 4:1 for the reason why
this is specified.
23. the prison . . . shut . . .
keepers . . . before the doors, but . . . no man within—the
reverse of the miracle in ; a similar contrast to that of the nets at the miraculous
draughts of fishes (Luke 5:6;
John 21:11).
24-26. they doubted—"were
in perplexity."
26. without violence, for they
feared, &c.—hardened ecclesiastics, all unawed by the
miraculous tokens of God's presence with the apostles, and the fear
of the mob only before their eyes!
. SECOND
APPEARANCE AND TESTIMONY
BEFORE THE SAMHEDRIM—ITS
RAGE CALMED
BY GAMALIEL—BEING
DISMISSED, THEY
DEPART REJOICING,
AND CONTINUE THEIR
PREACHING.
27, 28. ye have filled Jerusalem
with your doctrine—noble testimony to the success of their
preaching, and (for the reason mentioned on ) to the truth of their testimony, from reluctant lips!
28. intend to bring this man's blood
upon us—They avoid naming Him whom Peter gloried in holding up
[BENGEL]. In speaking
thus, they seem to betray a disagreeable recollection of their own
recent imprecation, His blood be upon us," &c. (), and of the traitor's words as he threw down the money, "I
have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood" ().
31. Prince and a Saviour—the
first word expressing that Royalty which all Israel looked for
in Messiah, the second the Saving character of it which they
had utterly lost sight of. Each of these features in our Lord's work
enters into the other, and both make one glorious whole (compare
Acts 3:15; Hebrews 2:10).
to give—dispensing as a
"Prince."
repentance and remission of
sins—as a "Saviour"; "repentance" embracing
all that change which issues in the faith which secures "forgiveness"
(compare Acts 2:38; Acts 20:21).
How gloriously is Christ here exhibited; not, as in other places, as
the Medium, but as the Dispenser of all spiritual
blessings!
32, 33. we are his witnesses . . .
and the Holy Ghost—They as competent human witnesses to facts,
and the Holy Ghost as attesting them by undeniable miracles.
33. cut to the heart and took—"were
taking."
counsel to slay them—How
different this feeling and the effect of it from that "pricking
of the heart" which drew from the first converts on the day of
Pentecost the cry, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
(Acts 2:37). The words used in
the two places are strikingly different.
34. Then stood up . . . Gamaliel—in
all probability one of that name celebrated in the Jewish writings
for his wisdom, the son of Simeon (possibly the same who took the
infant Saviour in his arms, ), and grandson of HILLEL,
another celebrated rabbi. He died eighteen years before the
destruction of Jerusalem [LIGHTFOOT].
35-39. Theudas—not the same
with a deceiver of that name whom JOSEPHUS
mentions as heading an insurrection some twelve years after this
[Antiquities, 20.5.1], but some other of whom he makes no
mention. Such insurrections were frequent.
37. Judas of Galilee—(See on
, and ) [JOSEPHUS,
Antiquities, 13.1.1].
38. if . . . of men, it will come to
naught—This neutral policy was true wisdom, in the then temper
of the council. But individual neutrality is hostility to Christ, as
He Himself teaches (Luke 11:23).
35-39. Theudas—not the same
with a deceiver of that name whom JOSEPHUS
mentions as heading an insurrection some twelve years after this
[Antiquities, 20.5.1], but some other of whom he makes no
mention. Such insurrections were frequent.
40-42. beaten them—for
disobeying their orders (compare ).
41. departed . . . rejoicing that
they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name—"thought
worthy by God to be dishonored by man" (Matthew 5:12;
1 Peter 4:14; 1 Peter 4:16)
[WEBSTER and WILKINSON].
This was their first taste of persecution, and it felt sweet
for His sake whose disciples they were.
42. in every house—in private.
(See on Acts 2:46).
ceased not to preach Jesus
Christ—that is, Jesus (to be the) Christ.
CHAPTER 5
. 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 , "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 Acts 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 (), while the time—at the commencement of a new career—was similar.
. 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 ).
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 (Luke 8:46), as the directing spirit of the early Church, was at its height.
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.
17-23. sect of the Sadducees—See on Acts 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.
17-23. sect of the Sadducees—See on Acts 4:1 for the reason why this is specified.
23. the prison . . . shut . . . keepers . . . before the doors, but . . . no man within—the reverse of the miracle in ; a similar contrast to that of the nets at the miraculous draughts of fishes (Luke 5:6; John 21:11).
24-26. they doubted—"were in perplexity."
26. without violence, for they feared, &c.—hardened ecclesiastics, all unawed by the miraculous tokens of God's presence with the apostles, and the fear of the mob only before their eyes!
. SECOND APPEARANCE AND TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SAMHEDRIM—ITS RAGE CALMED BY GAMALIEL—BEING DISMISSED, THEY DEPART REJOICING, AND CONTINUE THEIR PREACHING.
27, 28. ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine—noble testimony to the success of their preaching, and (for the reason mentioned on ) to the truth of their testimony, from reluctant lips!
28. intend to bring this man's blood upon us—They avoid naming Him whom Peter gloried in holding up [BENGEL]. In speaking thus, they seem to betray a disagreeable recollection of their own recent imprecation, His blood be upon us," &c. (), and of the traitor's words as he threw down the money, "I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood" ().
29, 30. Then Peter, &c.—(See on Acts 2:22, and Acts 2:22, &c.).
31. Prince and a Saviour—the first word expressing that Royalty which all Israel looked for in Messiah, the second the Saving character of it which they had utterly lost sight of. Each of these features in our Lord's work enters into the other, and both make one glorious whole (compare Acts 3:15; Hebrews 2:10).
to give—dispensing as a "Prince."
repentance and remission of sins—as a "Saviour"; "repentance" embracing all that change which issues in the faith which secures "forgiveness" (compare Acts 2:38; Acts 20:21). How gloriously is Christ here exhibited; not, as in other places, as the Medium, but as the Dispenser of all spiritual blessings!
32, 33. we are his witnesses . . . and the Holy Ghost—They as competent human witnesses to facts, and the Holy Ghost as attesting them by undeniable miracles.
33. cut to the heart and took—"were taking."
counsel to slay them—How different this feeling and the effect of it from that "pricking of the heart" which drew from the first converts on the day of Pentecost the cry, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37). The words used in the two places are strikingly different.
34. Then stood up . . . Gamaliel—in all probability one of that name celebrated in the Jewish writings for his wisdom, the son of Simeon (possibly the same who took the infant Saviour in his arms, ), and grandson of HILLEL, another celebrated rabbi. He died eighteen years before the destruction of Jerusalem [LIGHTFOOT].
35-39. Theudas—not the same with a deceiver of that name whom JOSEPHUS mentions as heading an insurrection some twelve years after this [Antiquities, 20.5.1], but some other of whom he makes no mention. Such insurrections were frequent.
37. Judas of Galilee—(See on , and ) [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 13.1.1].
38. if . . . of men, it will come to naught—This neutral policy was true wisdom, in the then temper of the council. But individual neutrality is hostility to Christ, as He Himself teaches (Luke 11:23).
35-39. Theudas—not the same with a deceiver of that name whom JOSEPHUS mentions as heading an insurrection some twelve years after this [Antiquities, 20.5.1], but some other of whom he makes no mention. Such insurrections were frequent.
40-42. beaten them—for disobeying their orders (compare ).
41. departed . . . rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name—"thought worthy by God to be dishonored by man" (Matthew 5:12; 1 Peter 4:14; 1 Peter 4:16) [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. This was their first taste of persecution, and it felt sweet for His sake whose disciples they were.
42. in every house—in private. (See on Acts 2:46).
ceased not to preach Jesus Christ—that is, Jesus (to be the) Christ.