Acts 5:1,2

The Episode of Ananias and Sapphira, 1-11.

Acts 5:1-2. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price. In striking contrast to the entire self-abnegation of some of the richer brethren, of whom Barnabas was an example, appears the conduct of another of the wealthier converts, Ananias. ‘The history of the infant Church has presented hitherto an image of unsullied light; it is now for the first time that a shadow falls upon it. We can imagine that among the first Christians a kind of holy emulation had sprung up all were eager to make over their superfluous wealth to the Church. This zeal now seems to have carried away some, in whose hearts still lingered a love for earthly things. Such an one was Ananias, who secretly kept back part of the price he had received for property (which he had devoted to God's service). Vanity was the motive for the sale, hypocrisy the motive of the concealment. He coveted the reputation of appearing as disinterested as others, and yet could not let go his hold of mammon' (from Olshausen).

Special circumstances surround the sin of these two unhappy ones, whose guilt met with so prompt and terrible a punishment. We must remember that the early Church, strong and enduring as it proved itself to be, in those first days stood alone and defenceless, while the hands of all, seemingly, were against it. The secret of its strength lay in the faith of its members in the Risen One a faith which nothing could shake; in their perfect trust in the guidance and presence among them of the Holy Ghost; in the sure confidence that, though they as individuals might not, probably would not, live to see it, the triumph of their Master's cause was certain. Now Ananias partly, perhaps, persuaded that this new sect had before it a great future, and wishing to secure his own share in its coming prosperity; partly, perhaps, moved by genuine admiration for its pure saintly life voluntarily threw in his lot with these Nazarenes, and by a seemingly noble act of self-denial, claimed the position among them which was ever promptly given to those saintly men and women who had given up lands and gold for Christ's sake. In his heart, however, a lingering doubt remained whether perhaps, after all, the whole story might not be a delusion; so, while professedly stripping himself of his possessions, he kept back enough of his worldly wealth to secure himself in the event of the dispersion and breaking up of the communion of the Nazarenes.

Ananias knew he could deceive men; he believed so little in that Almighty Spirit who guided and inspired the little church of Christ, that he dreamed he could deceive, too, that Holy Ghost.