Acts 5:1
BUT THERE WAS A MAN NAMED ANANIAS. Side by side with the picture of love and fellowship in the 4th chapter, comes the selfishness and hypocrisy of this couple.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THERE WAS A MAN NAMED ANANIAS. Side by side with the picture of love and fellowship in the 4th chapter, comes the selfishness and hypocrisy of this couple.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT KEPT PART OF THE MONEY. It is important to see where the sin was. No one forced them to sell the property; and once sold, no one forced them to give the money; and in giving the money, no one required them to give all of it. Their sin was in lying about it to get the glory for something they had... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MAKE YOU LIE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. Peter points out the money had been his to do with as he pleased. Ananias wanted to receive the same honor Barnabas had, for giving the entire sum of money. But Ananias lied about how much it was, so he could keep part of it and still get honor for giving it all.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE FELL DOWN DEAD. It was not Peter, but the Holy Spirit who struck this man dead. The punishment seems more drastic than necessary, yet Satan was striking at the messianic community through this _lie,_ and it was a much more serious incident than it seems to be! Compare Uzzah's death for touching t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BURIED HIM. No weeping, no funeral! The body cannot remain inside the temple walls. Examples of such a quick burial are found in Leviticus 10:1-7; Joshua 7:16-26.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS WIFE CAME IN. It was strange, but not impossible, that his wife did not know what had happened.... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS THIS THE FULL AMOUNT? Here was her chance to tell the truth that would have saved her, but she tells the lie which she and her husband had agreed to tell.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE YOUNG MEN CAME IN. It had taken three hours to carry Ananias out of the city, bury him, and come back. This incident teaches, that while you can lie to men, you cannot fool God!... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE FILLED WITH GREAT FEAR. This incident showed the reality of sin! Neither sin nor salvation are "make-believe!" What these two did was blasphemy! [Not _fear,_ but _love,_ is the ULTIMATE MOTIVATION. See 1 John 4:18]... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY MIRACLES AND WONDERS. Note it is the apostles who are said to have this power. Not everyone was given the gift of miracles. MET TOGETHER IN A GROUP. See Acts 2:46; Hebrews 10:25. NOBODY OUTSIDE THE GROUP. This must speak of their enemies. See the next verse. WERE ADDED TO THE GROUP. A continuou... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SICK PEOPLE WERE CARRIED OUT. We are not told that any were healed by Peter's shadow. The point is the fame and popularity these things brought to the apostles. [Compare Acts 19:11-12.]... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE HIGH PRIEST. This would be Annas. See note on Acts 4:6. He was a Sadducee, and therefore strongly opposed to any thought of the dead being raised. See note on Acts 4:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND PLACED THEM IN THE PUBLIC JAIL. That is, they treated them like common criminals. [A small basement room, with a dirt floor and no sanitary facilities.]... [ Continue Reading ]
AN ANGEL OF THE LORD. God works through angels (Hebrews 1:14).... [ Continue Reading ]
GO AND STAND IN THE TEMPLE. They are instructed by the angel to go back to the temple and continue preaching the resurrection of the dead.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR A FULL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. Notice this was called for the trial of the apostles, and the Council sends to the prison to have the prisoners brought before them.... [ Continue Reading ]
22-23. WE FOUND IT LOCKED UP TIGHT. They cannot explain why the apostles were not in the prison.... [ Continue Reading ]
24-25. ARE STANDING IN THE TEMPLE TEACHING. This miracle was a source of fresh strength and faith to all the disciples. Those who knew of the arrest [i.e., all Jerusalem] would be curious. Also, this should have proved to the Sadducees that they could not hold back this Good News! Compare Acts 5:39.... [ Continue Reading ]
They DID NOT use FORCE. The power of public opinion!... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HIGH PRIEST QUESTIONED THEM. He charges they have: (1) defied the Council; (2) spread their teaching all over Jerusalem. YOU WANT TO MAKE US RESPONSIBLE. Read what they had said before (Matthew 27:25). They are not so eager to accept their guilt now! The people might rebel against them because t... [ Continue Reading ]
WE MUST OBEY GOD, NOT MEN. What other reason is needed??? Peter says: (1) God raised Jesus from death; (2) to his right side as Leader and Savior; (3) to give Israel the opportunity to repent; (4) "We are witnesses." WHO IS GOD'S GIFT TO THOSE WHO OBEY HIM. The obedience of faith (Romans 1:5; Acts 2... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY WERE SO FURIOUS. Their response to the Good News is to try to kill those who bring it!... [ Continue Reading ]
A PHARISEE NAMED GAMALIEL. [Pharisees believed man survives death.] Gamaliel was the most revered teacher of the Law. The Talmud speaks of him, and he was a grandson of Hillel [the most revered teacher of all]. Paul was his pupil (Acts 22:3).... [ Continue Reading ]
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO DO. Good advice! (1) Think! (2) Impostors will fail. (3) You cannot defeat God! [Theudas and Judas were well known to the Council, but we cannot accurately identify them. See notes on this in the Expositors Greek Testament.] BUT IF IT COMES FROM GOD. _Lipscomb_ says:... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY CALLED THE APOSTLES IN. The fact that most of the Council are Pharisees may have helped them decide to do what Gamaliel says. HAD THEM WHIPPED. The whip had bits of bone or stone tied in the end of the strands, and would tear the flesh. This was a common form of punishment.... [ Continue Reading ]
FULL OF JOY. James 1:2-4.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EVERY DAY. This shows how hard they work to spread the Good News of God's act in Christ to set men free!... [ Continue Reading ]