Acts 5

Acts 5:1

5:1-4 When God is working in power, Satan is on hand to counterfeit, corrupt, and contend. But where there is real spiritual power, deceit and hypocrisy will be readily exposed. Ananias and Sapphira were apparently moved by the generosity of Barnabas and others. Perhaps they desired to receive the praise of men for some similar act of kindness, so they sold a possession and gave a portion of the proceeds to the apostles. Their sin was in professing to give all, while only giving some. No one had asked them to sell the property. After it was sold, they were not obligated to give all. But they pretended a total dedication, while actually they held some back. Peter charged Ananias with lying to the Holy Spirit and not just to men. In lying to the Holy Spirit, he lied to God, since the Holy Spirit is God.5:5, 6 At this point, Ananias fell down dead, and was carried out by the young men to be buried. This was a solemn act of God’s chastening hand on the early church. It does not at all affect the question of Ananias’ salvation, of his eternal security. Rather, it was a case of God showing His displeasure at this first eruption of sin in His church. As one commentator put it, quotes Richard Bewes, Either Ananias or the Spirit must go.

Such was the white-hot purity of that early Christian fellowship that a lie of that kind couldn’t live within it.5:7-11 About three hours later, when Sapphira appeared, Peter charged her with collaborating with her husband in putting the Spirit of the Lord to the test. He told her of her husband’s fate and predicted the same for her. Immediately she collapsed and died, and was carried out for burial. Peter’s ability to pronounce judgment on this couple is an example of the special miraculous powers given to the apostles. Perhaps it was a fulfillment of the Lord’s promise, If you retain the sins of any, they are retained (Joh_20:23). It is further seen by Paul’s ability to deliver an offending Christian to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (1Co_5:5). There is no reason to believe that this power continued after the time of the apostles. One can imagine the sense of awe that swept over the church, indeed over all who heard the news of these two deaths. 5:12-16 After the death of Ananias and Sapphira, the apostles continued to perform miracles as the people gathered around them in Solomon’s Porch. So vivid was the sense of God’s presence and power that men did not lightly associate with them or make glib professions of faith. And yet the common people esteemed them highly, many taking their place as believers in the Lord Jesus. The people carried their sick out into the streets on beds and mattresses so that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Anyone could see that there was reality and power in the lives of the apostles, and that they were channels through whom God was blessing others. From the suburbs came the sick and the demon-possessed, and they were all healed. It is clear from Heb_2:4 that miracles like these were God’s method of bearing witness to the ministry of the apostles. With the completion of the NT in written form, the need for such signs largely passed away. As far as modern healing campaigns are concerned, it should be enough to note that of those brought to the apostles, they were all healed. This is not true of so-called faith healers. 5:17-20 True Holy Spirit ministry invariably leads to conversion on the one hand and bitter opposition on the other. So it was here. The high priest (probably Caiaphas) and his Sadducean friends were furious that these fanatical disciples of Jesus were wielding such influence among the people. They resented any threat to their exclusive role as religious leaders, and especially despised preaching concerning bodily resurrection, which they, of course, utterly denied. Unable to cope with the apostles other than by force, they had them arrested and imprisoned. That night an angel of the Lord led the apostles out of the prison and told them to return to the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life. Luke records the miraculous intervention of the angel without any expression of surprise or wonder. If the apostles themselves were shocked, there is no indication in the narrative. The angel aptly referred to the Christian faith as this life. It is not just a creed or set of doctrines, but a Lifethe resurrection life of the Lord Jesus imparted to all who trust Him. 5:21 At daybreak the apostles were teaching at the temple. In the meantime, the high priest met in solemn conclave with the council (the Sanhedrin) and the senate (all the elders), and waited for the prisoners to be brought before them. 5:22-25 The bewildered officers had to report to the court that everything at the prison was in good orderexcept that the prisoners were gone! The doors were properly locked, and the guards were all at their stations, but the occupants were missing. A distressing report indeed! Where will it all end? mused the captain of the temple and the chief priests. How far will this popular movement go? Then their questions were interrupted by a messenger announcing that the escaped prisoners were back at their old stand in the templeteaching the people! We must admire their courage, and we must regain the capacity of the early church to suffer for our convictions at any cost. 5:26 The officers used no violence in bringing the apostles to the council. They feared the people would stone them if they were openly rough to these followers of Jesus, now held in high regard by many of the common people.5:27, 28 The high priest served as spokesman. Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? He purposely avoided using the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine. This was an unintentional compliment to the effectiveness of the apostles’ ministry. You intend to bring this Man’s blood on us. But the Jewish leaders had already done this when they cried, His blood be on us and on our children (Mat_27:25). 5:29-32 Previously the apostles had prayed for boldness to speak the word. Now with courage from above, they insist that their obligation is to obey God rather than men. They flatly declare that Jesus had been raised up by God, that Israel had murdered Him by hanging Him on a tree, but that God had exalted Him to His right handa Prince and Savior. As such He was willing to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. As a final thrust, the apostles add that they are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God gives to those who obey Him by believing on His Son. God raising up Jesus (v. 30) may refer to His Incarnation or His resurrection. The probable meaning here is that God raised Him up, in Incarnation, to be the Savior. 5:33-37 Deep conviction accompanied the words of these embodied consciencesso deep that the rulers of the Jews plotted to kill them. At this juncture Gamaliel intervened. He was one of the most distinguished of Israel’s rabbis, and the teacher of Saul of Tarsus. His advice does not indicate that he was a Christian or that he was even pro-Christian. It was simply worldly wisdom. After having the apostles taken from the room, he first reminded the Sanhedrin that if this movement were not of God, it would soon collapse. Two illustrations of this principle were offered: (1) Theudas, a self-styled leader with about four hundred revolutionaries, who was slain and whose men were scattered; (2) Judas of Galilee, another fanatic, who stirred up an abortive sedition among the Jews, but who also perished, and whose followers were dispersed. 5:38, 39 If this Christian religion were not of God, the best thing would be to leave it alone, and it would soon fade out. To combat it would only make it more determined to survive. (This argument is not altogether true. Many godless institutions have flourished for centuries. In fact, they have gained more adherents than the truth. But the argument is true in God’s time, if not in man’s.) On the other hand, Gamaliel continued, if the movement were of God, they would not be able to overthrow it, and they would be found in the awkward position of fighting against God. 5:40 This logic appealed to the rulers, so they called for the apostles, ordered them to be beaten, forbade them to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The beating was senseless and unrighteous, the unreasonable reaction of bigoted hearts to the truth of God. The command that accompanied the beating was foolish and futile; they might as well have ordered the sun not to shine as to command the disciples to keep silent concerning the name of Jesus! 5:41, 42 The beating inflicted on the apostles had two unexpected results. First, it caused them deep joy that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name they loved. Second, it sent them forth with renewed zeal and persistence, daily in the temple and in homes, teaching and preaching Jesus as the Messiah. So once again Satan outwitted himself.

EXCURSUS ON THE CHRISTIAN AND GOVERNMENT As the early Christians moved forward with the gospel, it was inevitable that they would run into opposition from governmental authorities, especially from the religious leaders who at that time had considerable jurisdiction in civil affairs. The believers were prepared for this and reacted with poise and dignity. In general their policy was to respect and obey their rulers, since the latter are ordained by God and are servants of God to promote the common good. Thus, when Paul unknowingly rebuked the high priest, and was called to account, he immediately apologized, quoting Exo_22:28 : You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people (Act_23:5). However, when men’s laws ran afoul of the commandments of God, then the Christians’ policy was to disobey the government and suffer the consequences, whatever they might be. For instance, when Peter and John were forbidden to preach the gospel, they answered, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard (Act_4:19-20). And when Peter and the apostles were arraigned for continuing to teach in Christ’s Name, Peter replied, We ought to obey God rather than men (Act_5:29). There is no suggestion that they ever did or would join in any attempt to overthrow the government. In spite of persecution and oppression, they wished only good for their rulers (Act_26:29). It goes without saying that they would never stoop to any form of dishonesty to gain favors from the government. The governor, Felix, for instance, waited in vain to receive a bribe from Paul (Act_24:26). They did not consider it inconsistent with their Christian calling to use their rights of citizenship (Act_16:37; Act_21:39; Act_22:25-28; Act_23:17-21; Act_25:10-11). Yet they themselves did not engage in the politics of this world. Why? No explanation is given. But this much is clear: they were people of one purposeto preach the gospel of Christ. They gave themselves to this task without distraction. They must have believed that the gospel is the answer to man’s problems. This conviction was so strong that they could not be satisfied with subordinate approaches, such as politics.