• Home
  • About Us
  • Bible Study
  • Media
  • Giving
  • Knowing God
  • Are You Ready?

Acts study & commentary

Acts 5

By Doug Ford
Lying to the Holy Spirit;
Continuing Power in the Church;
Imprisoned Apostles Freed;
Apostles on Trial Again;
Gamaliel's Advice

Acts 5:1-11

Barnabas had just sold land and laid the money at the feet of the apostles.  That may have impressed some; it may have impressed Ananias and Sapphira.  They also sold a possession and wanted everyone to think they were laying the money at the apostle's feet.  It may have been the desire to be honored for their giving.  They implied they laid it all at the feet of apostles when they kept back part of it.  This is something they were in agreement over.  They were guilty of hypocrisy; presenting themselves as one thing when the reality was something entirely different.  The property was theirs.  They weren't required to sell it, nor were they required to give all of it if they did.  Their giving was not done truthfully or with the right motive. 

Ananias thought these folks were going to be impressed, then he heard the words plainly spoken; he had lied to God.  He probably hadn't thought of it that way.  We humans are so adept at justifying our actions.  Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote, "Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fits them all." Statistics tell us that the average woman lies from about 1 - 5 times a day. The average man lies from about 3 - 9 times a day (unless of course they lied while being polled!)

The lie was a tool of Satan that this couple deployed of their own free will.  Some say Ananias died of a heart attack or shock.  We don't know how God did it and it doesn't matter as long as we understand it was ordained by God.  Ananias was surprised but probably no more surprised than Peter. 

Just think how crazy Sunday mornings would be if God struck every hypocrite dead!  We are all guilty.  We've played the part of a worshiper, when we weren't worshiping.  We've played the part as a student in a bible study while our mind was on the last night or the race this afternoon.  We all deserve God's judgment, it's His grace and mercy that any of us are still here.

This was a critical time in the church.  They were being watched, checked out and God was being evaluated by those following him and proclaiming Him.  This was a time of great grace but it was also a time of holiness and seriousness.  The great fear they felt brought respect and reverence.  Great care should be used in our dealings.  Anyone can lie to me, but no one lies to God and gets away with it.

Satan is already defeated by Christ; all he can do is attempt to wreak havoc on the church.  He tried to work through his willing participants in threatening and arresting the disciples to silence the gospel.  That didn't work, so Satan attempted to harm the church from the inside. 

As every need was met and the power of the Holy Spirit and mega grace of God was showered on this early church, I wonder if people were starting to be attracted simply for what was available for the taking.  Simply put, I wonder if a great number were coming or beginning to come for the wrong reasons.  God certainly reminded everyone of the seriousness of serving Him.  Great fear came upon all who heard.   It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31).   Imagine how honest everyone was in this church!! 

Sapphira had a chance to change her story, to repent of this sin.  But she stuck the lie, seemingly without thought or hesitation, wearing the mask of hypocrisy, looking for the approval and maybe accolades of Peter and the others for selling their possession and giving the proceeds to the apostles.  Our sins will all be found out.  Un-confessed sin always comes to the surface.

In 3 hours time, these men had buried Ananias and returned just in time to pick up Sapphira.  Some may wonder if Ananias and Sapphira were really believers.  There is really no reason to believe they weren't.  They're sins were paid for, but the consequence of their sin reflects the importance of what was happening in their presence; a church was being born.  In fact, look at verse 11 again.  It sounds similar to the verse after Ananias died but another word is added: Great fear came upon all the church! 

It's interesting to note that this church went from a church of grace and peace to living in fear.  The effects of sin are quick to infect the things of God.  We so often are willing participants in the work of Satan to destroy from within.  We must know that it is only God's power can overcome this.  Is it safe to say that the church can only be damaged from the inside?  There is no example in scripture of the church being damaged from the outside.  The church was built on the confession of Christ and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 

(Hypocrisy was a sin that Jesus spoke out against many times - Matthew 23:13-31; John 8:18-59.)

You might find it interesting that Ananias means "God is gracious," and Sapphira means beautiful.   What they learned is that God is also holy.   They served as a witness to the consequences of sin. 

 

Acts 5:12-16

The apostles went back to Solomon's Porch at the temple.  They did not cower in fear.  They were of one accord; single minded, without dissent, on mission with the same mindset.  No one was trying to talk them out of going because they had been threatened by the Jewish leaders.  This took faith and courage but we shouldn't forget that this is where they had seen 2000 saved and a lame man walk.  They had seen God do awesome things. 

In the midst of all God was doing, there had to be temptation for spiritual arrogance among them.  People heard of the healings and all the miracles that were happening but they also heard of Ananias and Saphira.  The Apostles and their followers were highly esteemed but people didn't run to them without thought.  The Christians were respected, but the fear of the Jewish leaders and the years of tradition kept them at a distance.  For the hypocrite, the lesson of Ananias and Saphira may have keep them at bay. 

Please note that it doesn't say Peter's shadow healed anyone.  It may be a hope that Peter or the Apostles would stand over them, casting their shadow on them as they presented the gospel.  This desire of the people shows the overwhelming need for Christ.  It's the hunger and longing in every man and woman.  It's a need to feel cleansed, to be clean of shame and guilt.  It's a need for fellowship with our creator.  Peter became a representative of that. 

The multitudes came.  We can imagine the same multitude that once followed Jesus had gone home disappointed at His death.  Now, a renewed interest at the new of healings, at the news of a resurrected Savior, all drew the multitudes and their needs.

 

Acts 5:17-20

We see vitality and exuberance in this early church.  They didn't pray for easy street but to be used by God eternal.  In response and contrast to the power of the church, we see the indignation of the powers of the culture.  There was as jealousy, offended by others stealing what they saw as theirs alone.  The Jews showed their power and authority by locking up the apostles.  These guys have no idea what they've done.  They took the leaders of the church, called by God to testify to the world the greatest news of all time and document its spread.  They didn't just oppose the apostles, they stood in the way of God and His work!  This is not a good place to be. 

At night the angel freed them, opening the prison doors and telling them to:

  1. Go
  2. Stand in the temple.
  3. Speak the words of this life.

The word for 'life' in that verse is the word 'zoe'.  It means 'the condition of living; healthiness, happiness, vitality, exuberance, energy.'  This is real life.  It's the great adventure of the 'born again'.  Its new life found in Christ springing from the gospel.  It's resurrection life.  This word is always associated with life in Christ, He alone is the way to life.  It's life everlasting, it's life eternal, resurrection life; its reality and all else is a fake. 

 

Acts 5:21-25

The apostles did exactly as they were told.  How could they go wrong?  When the officers came to get them, they found the prison locked up with the guards still on duty thinking all was well.  However, when they opened the door, the cell was empty.  This was reported to the high priest and the chief priests and they wondered what the outcome would be.  After all, they had been made a fool of.  This wasn't something people did.  Most people feared them and respected them and gave them wide berth.  They were likely asking themselves what they had to do to get rid of these guys?  They just wanted things to return to normal.  But 'normal' was rife with sin and no longer represented the things of God.  We know some of those on the council wondered if the words the Apostles preached were true.  The leaders had to act quickly to keep the control of the council and then the people as well as keep Rome out of the picture. 

There were many people who saw the healings and miracles taking place and these leaders were trying to silence them or get rid of them.  This wouldn't go over well with the people if, or when, they found this out.  The Sanhedrin saw their authority and power over the people slipping away and they were trying to get it back.  It was a like a showdown at the temple; a ragtag batch of Jesus followers joyfully standing up to the Jewish leaders. As they said in the old west, that town wasn't big enough for the both of them.

 

Acts 5:26-32

The guard was careful in bringing them so as not to show any signs of violence.  It's as though the people were watching.  There was nothing like a good stoning by a mob to reset the order of things.  The very threat of it kept these power-hungry men in check.  It's fascinating they say 'this name' as they didn't even want to use the name of Jesus.  They were worried about their own skin.  Remember Peter had stood before them and said that they had crucified Jesus and God has raised Him up.  They weren't worried so much about the doctrine, but the idea that they were being accused of killing the messiah.  The council had commanded them and were used to their commands being headed.  They insisted the apostles obey them rather than God.

The Peter and the other apostles informed them they would be obeying God.  Peter reminded them again that they killed Jesus and that God raised Him up.  This had to incense many of those leaders.  This uneducated, uncultured lot was showing them up.  They preached Jesus and Him crucified and resurrected.  This is the very thing the leaders wanted stopped.  The apostles were simply reporting the truth. 

What the leaders really wanted was for this to quietly go away.  Its worth noting that they didn't ask them how they escaped; it's as if they didn't want to know, understanding God had done another miracle.  With every question, the answer turned toward Jesus.   The disciples testify that God exalted Jesus to His right hand and as Savior and Prince to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins.  This was a direct threat to the jobs of the priests he was speaking to.  Strangely enough, these priests were witnesses because they felt threatened by them.  Their reaction authenticated the work of the apostles and their message.  The priests never denied the miracles and the power or the Holy Spirit. 

 

Acts 5:33-39

The first thing that strikes me about this passage is that we know about it.  Somehow this private conversation between Gamaliel and the Sanhedrin became known to Luke.  It seems that even after the apostles were asked to leave that a disciple was still there; or one that would soon be a disciple was present. Maybe this was Joseph of Aramathea, or Nicodemus, or maybe it was Saul of Tarsus who heard the presentation of Gamaliel and later told this to Luke.

Gamaliel was a well-known teacher at that time.  They called him Rabbon, which was like a step up from a Rabbi.  He was a teacher of teachers.  Josephus said, "When Rabban Gamaliel the Elder died, the glory of the Law ceased and purity and abstinence died." 

Remember the Sadducees held the prominent seats in the council.  The Pharisees were there but were in the majority.  For the Sadducees to listen to Gamaliel, a Pharisee, was a show of respect.  Gamaliel was well known and respected in the nation.   Gamaliel at this point probably had Saul as a student.  He was a Pharisee and respected teacher of the law. 

While the majority wanted to rise up and kill these men, Gamaliel advised them to let it run its course.  He suspected they would fall by the wayside like so many other sects and cults that had risen up.  It seemed the official action of this council was consistently seasoned with hatred, threats and plots to kill.  They were thinking like men of pride who were threatened by every cloud that blew over.  These men were supposed to be men of God, the watchmen on the wall for a nation chosen by God.  They should have recognized their Messiah but their pride and religion got in the way. 

The advice of Gamaliel appeared wise.  Yet, his council dismissed the Son of God as just another cult or sect.  The wisest thing Gamaliel said was that if this was from God they might be found fighting against God.  Saul, Gamaliel's student, was probably one who would have been in agreement of gettivng rid of these men.  He was also one who would come to that understanding of what these apostles were all about very soon.

Gamaliel lived another 20 years.  He saw the church grow and flourish.  He saw Saul rise up as a disciple of Jesus.  Imagine the conversation between Gamaliel and Paul.

 

Acts 5:40-42

The Sanhedrin put the scourge to these Apostles.  They've upped the ante from the last time of just issuing threats and severe threats.  They are adding some physical violence to their message.  This is an exercise in authority and power to intimidate and silence the message.  It's the work of Satan to silence God's people.

In theory, the church is one generation from extinction.  If we are silent, if we refuse to speak of Jesus to the next generation, we will be the last of the church.  The church in theory would die out.  Now, that's just in theory because Jesus is the head of the church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.  The reason the church has continued is because of men and women of courage and conviction to testify in spite of the cost.

The apostle's rejoice in their beating.  The leaders had to be wondering, "What does it take to defeat these people?  How can they rejoice when they've been beat?  They seem to have joy in victory and joy in defeat?  It's as if they claim victory in spite of all the evidence of our eyes and ears." 

They went right back to the temple and right back to teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ!!

©2008, 2014, 2021 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater