CHAPTER 5

(A.D. 33)

ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA

¹But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession (the story of this man and his wife was placed here in graphic detail by the Holy Spirit as a warning),

²And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it(instantly proclaims the conception of this great sin and its deception in being carried out), and brought a certain part, and laid it at the Apostles feet (a detailed plan with a very wide application; it was done with a certain purpose in mind).

³But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled Your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit (presents two Gifts of the Spirit in operation: Discerning of Spirits, and A Word of Knowledge; how many millions of professing Christians are presently lying to the Holy Spirit?), and to keep back part of the price of the land? (This details their insidious plan.)

⁴While it remained, was it not your own? and after it was sold, was it not in your own power? (This means simply that God did not require of them to sell the land, or to give all the money received to the Work of the Lord.) why have you conceived this thing in your heart? (This proclaims to us where sin originates.) you have not lied unto men, but unto God (actually portrays the object of all sin; it is against God!).

⁵And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost (he was stricken dead on the spot): and great fear came on all them who heard these things (this is the type of healthy fear of God that all men should have).

⁶And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him(prepared him for burial).

⁷And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

⁸And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether you sold the land for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much (all of this seems to indicate that these were not strangers among the thousands who had gotten saved, but were fairly well known; she had an opportunity to tell the truth, but didnt!).

⁹Then Peter said unto her, How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? (Peters question concerning the tempting of the Holy Spirit seems to imply that the Spirit of God dealt with them greatly so, but to no avail. They pushed aside His Warnings.) behold, the feet of them which have buried your husband are at the door, and shall carry you out (seems to imply that the Lord had already told Peter what her reaction would be, and that the same young men who had attended her husband were waiting to do the same with her).

¹⁰Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost (presents the Judgment of God striking her exactly as it had stricken her husband): and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband (prepared her for burial).

¹¹And great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things (inasmuch as the Holy Spirit again makes the same statement as He had made in Verse 5, we are made to realize that God is to be feared as well as praised; also, if it is to be known, the same Judgment is happening presently, but not so dramatic; the Holy Spirit is the same, so the results have to be the same).

POWER

¹²And by the hands of the Apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people (the Church was founded on the Power of God, and is meant to continue by the Power of God); (and they were all with one accord in Solomons porch (portrays a roofed colonnade bearing Solomons name, which ran along the eastern wall in the Court of the Gentiles of Herods Temple).

¹³And of the rest does no man join himself to them (to the Apostles): but the people magnified them (they knew the Apostles were of the Lord and that the Lord was greatly using them, so they found no fault with them).

¹⁴And Believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) (It could have been as many as forty or fifty thousand, or even more.)

¹⁵Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches (evidently refers to two or three different streets on which Peter and the Apostles came to the Temple each day; the crowds were so large they could not all get into the Temple Court), that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them (implying that when this happened, healing resulted).

¹⁶There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks (proclaims the extent to which this Move of God had reached), and them which were vexed with unclean spirits (probably implying that much of the sickness was caused by demon spirits): and they were healed every one (delivered and healed).

PERSECUTION

¹⁷Then the High Priest rose up (either speaks of Annas or Caiaphas, which one is not clear), and all they who were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation (refers here to envy or jealousy),

¹⁸And laid their hands on the Apostles (refers to all Twelve), and put them in the common prison.

DELIVERANCE

¹⁹But the Angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors (should have been translated, an Angel; it was one of the many Angels who serve as Ministering Spirits to Believers [Heb. 1:14], and brought them forth, and said (brought them out of the prison),

²⁰Go, stand and speak in the Temple to the people all the words of this life (presents instructions directly opposite of those the religious leaders had given; these were Words announcing Eternal Life to dying men).

²¹And when they heard that, they entered into the Temple early in the morning, and taught (proclaims it was the night before that they were released by the Angel). But the High Priest came, and they who were with Him, and called the Council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel (the entirety of the Jewish Sanhedrin, the ruling body of Israel), and sent to the prison to have them brought (they were in for quite a surprise).

²²But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told (presents a scenario which is absolutely unbelievable, but yet totally true!),

²³Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety (presents the fact that nothing seemed unusual, and that the locks had not been tampered with), and the keepers standing without before the doors (presents the fact that the guards had no idea what had happened): but when we had opened, we found no man within (what must these jailers have thought?).

²⁴Now when the High Priest and the Captain of the Temple and the Chief Priests heard these things (imagine their surprise!), they doubt ed of them whereunto this would grow (they were thoroughly perplexed; no one could explain what had happened or where it would stop!).

ON TRIAL

²⁵Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the Temple, and teaching the people (they obeyed exactly what the Angel had said do).

²⁶Then went the Captain with the officers, and brought them without violence (means they did not bind them, but simply asked that they follow): for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned (they feared the people, but they did not fear Him Who manifested His Power in opening the prison, for their hearts and consciences were hardened with hatred against Him and His followers).

²⁷And when they had brought them, they set them before the Council (implies the full Sanhedrin of seventy-one members, plus onlookers): and the High Priest asked them,

²⁸Saying, Did not we straitly Command you that you should not teach in this Name? and, behold, You have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine (proclaims the success of their Preaching and Teaching), and intend to bring this Mans blood upon us (seems to now seek to avoid their own imprecation, having previously prayed that His Blood might be on them and on their children [Mat. 27: 25]).

²⁹Then Peter and the other Apostles answered and said (represents their answer being instant and unequivocally clear), We ought to obey God rather than men (in this brave reply there was neither pride nor self-will; there was faithfulness, subjection to Truth, and intelligence in the Scriptures; Hervey said, The rule is a golden one for all men, all circumstances, and all time).

³⁰The God of our fathers raised up Jesus (Peter links Jesus with the Patriarchs and Prophets of old, as well with God), Whom you slew and hanged on a tree (places the responsibility of the murder of Christ squarely on the shoulders of the Sanhedrin).

³¹Him has God exalted with his Right Hand (refers to the fact that the Power of God not only raised Jesus from the dead, but as well has seated Him at His Own Right Hand in the Heavenlies [Rom. 8:34; Eph. 1:20])to be a Prince and a Saviour (as Prince, He is the Titular Leader of Israel and the Church; as Saviour, He is the Deliverer, and there is no other), for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins (tells us that not only is the Lord Jesus the Medium of Forgiveness and Life, but He is the Dispenser of both; as well, He Gives, not sells!).

³²And we are His witnesses of these things (in effect, says that their Doctrine was not a mere philosophy, but rather eyewitness accounts); and so is also the Holy Spirit, Whom God has given to them who obey Him (the witness of the Holy Spirit in the hearts and lives of Believers guarantees the veracity of all that Christ has done at the Cross).

³³When they heard that, they were cut to the heart(Peters words were said with powerful conviction), and took counsel to slay them (is the reaction which normally comes from the world of religion).

GAMALIEL

³⁴Then stood there up one in the Council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a Doctor of the Law, had in reputation among all the people (constitutes one of the most celebrated and honored Jewish Rabbis; He was Grandson of Hillel and succeeded as President of the Sanhedrin on the death of His Father, Rabbi Simeon, son of Hillel), and commanded to put the Apostles forth a little space (in order that his word of wisdom may be given to the members of the Sanhedrin);

³⁵And said unto them, You men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do as touching these men (evidently, the Holy Spirit moved upon him to take this position).

³⁶For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody (evidently concerns a particular insurrection led by this man, which had recently taken place); 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 (refers to those who were dupes of this self-pronounced Messiah, or some such).

³⁷After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him (another insurrectionist): he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed (proclaims these as coming to the same end as those under Theudas).

³⁸And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone (in effect, Gamaliel was saying, let them alone, Rome will handle the problem): for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought (in this case, such advice was correct):

³⁹But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it (presents a great Truth as given by Gamaliel); lest haply you be found even to fight against God (presents the very worst position in which anyone can find themselves).

PERSECUTION

⁴⁰And to him they agreed (at least about not killing them): and when they had called the Apostles, and beaten them(presents a cruel and brutal punishment which was cowardly and unjust), they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus, and let them go (presents the second command not to Preach in this Name [Acts 4:17-18]).

REJOICING

⁴¹And they departed from the presence of the Council (proclaims that from which the Lord had long since departed), rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name (presents the first sharp stroke of persecution; it was bitter and painful to the flesh, but caused rejoicing in the spirit; shame is Glory if suffered for the Name).

⁴²And daily in the Temple (presents them boldly and properly disregarding their illegal Judges, as they kept on preaching that Jesus was the Promised Messiah), and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ (tells us that the Churches then were in houses for the most part, if not altogether).