Acts 5:1

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11) BUT A CERTAIN MAN NAMED ANANIAS, WITH SAPPHIRA HIS WIFE, SOLD A POSSESSION....

1.Those things which Luke hath reported hitherto did show that that company, which was gathered together under the name of Christ, was rather a company of angels than of men, Moreover, that was incredible virtue, that the rich men did despoil themselves of their own accord, not only of their money, but also of their land, that they might relieve the poor. But now he showeth that Satan had invented a shift to get into that holy company, and that under color of such excellent virtue; for he hath wonderful wiles of hypocrisy to insinuate himself. This way doth Satan assault the Church, when as he cannot prevail by open war. But we must specially in this place have respect unto the drift of the Holy Ghost. For in this history he meant to declare, first, how acceptable singleness of heart is to God, and what an abomination hypocrisy is in his sight; secondly, how greatly he alloweth [approves...

1-11 The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was, that they were ambitious of being thought eminent disciples, when they were not true disciples. Hypocrites may deny themselves, may forego their worldly advantage in one instance, with a prospect of finding their account in something else. They were covetous of the wealth of the world, and distrustful of God and his providence. They thought they might serve both God and mammon. They thought to deceive the apostles. The Spirit of God in Peter discerned the principle of unbelief reigning in the heart of Ananias. But whatever Satan might suggest, he could not have filled the heart of Ananias with this wickedness had he not been consenting. The falsehood was an attempt to deceive the Spirit of truth, who so manifestly spoke and acted by the apostles. The crime of Ananias was not his retaining part of the price of the land; he might have kept it all,...

CHAPTER V. _The hypocrisy of Ananias and his wife Sapphira, and their_ _awful death_, 1-11. _The apostles work many miracles, and the Church of God is_ _increased_, 12-16. _The high priest and the Sadducees, being incensed against the_ _apostles, seize and put them in prison_, 17, 18. _The angel of God delivers them, and commands them to go to the_ _temple, and proclaim the Gospel_, 19, 20. _The high priest, having gathered the council together in the_ _morning, sends to the prison to have the apostles brought_...

BUT A CERTAIN MAN - In the previous chapter the historian had given an account of the eminent liberality and sincerity of the mass of early Christians, in being willing to give up their property to provide for the poor, and had mentioned the case of Barnabas as worthy of special attention. In this chapter he proceeds to mention a case, quite as striking, of insincerity, and hypocrisy, and of the just judgment of God on those who were guilty of it. The case is a remarkable instance of the nature of “hypocrisy,” and goes to illustrate the art and cunning of the enemy of souls in attempting to corrupt the church, and to pervert the religion of the gospel. Hypocrisy consists in an attempt to “imitate” the people of God, or to assume the “appearance” of religion, in whatever form it may be manifested. In this case religion had been manifested by great self-denial and benevolence. The hypocris...

EXPOSITION ACTS 5:1 ANANIAS (Ἀνανίας) In Nehemiah 3:23 the Hebrew name היָנְנַעֲ (God covers or protects) is thus rendered in the LXX. But the name occurs nowhere else. The very common name היָנְנַהֲ_, Hananiah _(God is gracious), is also rendered in the LXX. Ananias (Ἀνανίας), and is doubtless the name meant here and in Acts 9:10; Acts 23:2, etc. SAPPHIRA does not occur elsewhere. It is either derived from the Aramean הרָיפָשַׁ, beautiful, or from the Hebrew ריפִסַ, a sapphire. A POSSESSION (see...

BUT A CERTAIN MAN NAMED ANANIAS,.... A name common among the Jews, the same with Hananiah, Jeremiah 28:1 it signifies not the humility of the Lord, or the affliction of the Lord, or the answer of the Lord, as say some, as if it was derived from ענה; but the grace of the Lord, or the Lord's gracious one, coming from חנן: there is no dependence on names; though this man's name signified one that was in the grace and favour of God; he was not so, but a graceless person, as appears by what follows. It is very likely he was a minister of the word, since the account of him follows upon that of Barnabas, and is opposed to it; it may be he was one of the hundred and twenty, on whom the Holy Ghost fell on the day of Pentecost; and yet, though he had great gifts, had no grace. This shows there are hypocrites among men of the greatest names and characters, and in the purest churches; this first and...

CHAPTER 5 _ 1. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1)._ 2. Signs and wonders by the Apostles (Acts 5:11). 3. The second arrest of the Apostles and their Deliverance (Acts 5:17). 4. Before the Council (Acts 5:26). 5. Gamaliel's Advice (Acts 5:34). 6. The Apostles beaten and dismissed (Acts 5:40). With this chapter the scene changes. Beautiful is the ending of the previous chapter, Barnabas having sold his land, laid the money at the feet of the Apostles. He

ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA. Barnabas-' unworthy counterpart is Ananias, who, in league with his wife, was unwilling to part with all his property, but anxious to appear to have done so. Their crime was that they tried to deceive the Church and God by keeping back part of what was dedicated and belonged to God, and so insulting and wronging the Church. Peter feels the attack as directed against the Spirit, therefore a monstrous one which could only proceed from Satan, the first liar. No compulsion, he says, was applied to anyone to part with his property, nor, when it was sold, with the price of it; this shows the statements of Acts 2:45; Acts 4:32 to be exaggerated; but to pretend to dedicate a property to the community and to keep back part of the price, that was to lie to God who dwelt in the community. The death of Ananias

A man called Ananias, together with his wife Sapphire, sold a bit of ground he had, and surreptitiously kept back part of the price, and his wife knew about it. He brought some part of the price and laid it at the feet of the apostles. Peter said to him, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart so that you have deceived the Holy Spirit and kept back part of the price of your ground? While it remained yours did it not remain your own, and after it had been sold was it not entirely at your disposal? Why did you put this business into your heart? It is not to men you have lied but to God." As Ananias listened to these words, he collapsed and breathed his life out. Great awe came upon all who heard it. The young men rose and bound him up and carried him out and buried him. After an interval of about three hours his wife came in and she was not aware of what had happened. Peter said to her,...