Acts Chapter FIVE Commentary

 

This entry deals with Ananias and Sapphira, and perhaps the greatest recorded revival in the book of Acts. Feel free to read along with your Bible (not every verse is addressed).

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Verse 5: 1-2 “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet”

To give background to this, the believers (the NKJV 4:24 says “all”) were selling their lands and houses and laying the money at the feet of the Apostles. It was both a beautiful moment of spiritual unity and solidarity but possibly also a moment of recognition for those who were giving of their wealth. It does not seem that the Apostles demanded this money, but that people willingly came forward and gave it. Perhaps Ananias and Sapphira felt under pressure to do it as well or they were craving the public recognition of such a public offering.

--As someone mentioned to me a while back, this couple had probably been causing issues in the church before, and this was simply their latest scheme. Worth considering…

5:3 “Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?”

Whether by word or deed, Ananias had presented himself as having given ALL the money from the sale. Ananias and Sapphira were slain by God for lying to the Holy Spirit. Why did they die when other offenders in the Bible—Simon the sorcerer or Demas did not seem to meet the same fate? The verse comes to mind “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."

The slaying of Ananias and Sapphira goes against our modern sensibilities. However, God is setting a standard of respect and reverence in the New Testament Church. Modern Christianity often highlights love and grace without mentioning the severity of God (Romans 11:22), a kind of theological assurance that a believer can act however they choose with minimal commitments. But the same God who opened the blind eyes and healed the diseased is the same God who brought judgment.

Verse 5: 10 “Then the young men came in” Already in the church, you can see a new generation rising up, serving as helpers, and likely in the future, the leaders.

Verse 5: 10 “Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.”: A characteristic of an Apostolic church is a great fear or reverence for God and the things of God. People with divided hearts and mocking/lackadaisical attitudes got their hearts right.

Verse: 5:13 “No one else dared join them”

This is unclear since the very next verse says that their number of converts grew. It may mean that the judgment of Ananias and Sapphira had warned off all the gawkers, curiosity seekers, hypocrites, and otherwise mal-intentioned from joining the meetings. People got their hearts right or they stayed away. The people who came now were earnest seekers. This is important to know for the preceding verse… verse 12.

5: 12: “The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people.”

As seen in the ministry of Jesus, skeptical and unbelieving attitudes actually hinder the supernatural. It is possible, that --with these kinds of people either repenting, or leaving, that the power of God –the same power that slew the lying couple—now began to heal at a greater measure. It is an unprecedented level of the miraculous in the church as evidenced by verse 5:15.

Verse 10:14: “And believers were the more added to the Lord”: a new dimension of revival had begun. Notice how in the earlier chapters, the believers were numbered—3000, then 5000 converted (8000 altogether?) but now there is no number given. It was more than ever before, and the KJV simply refers to them as “multitudes.”

Verse 5: 15: “Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.” I’m convinced there are many other descriptive sentences the author could have used to describe this time in Jerusalem—specific conversions, events, healing and operations of the gifts of the Spirit. However, this comment—about people laying the sick in the streets so that Peter’s shadow might cross them—sums up well the scope and tenor of this revival. It’s happening even in the streets.

The preacher does not have to work to build up the people’s faith. Even the visitors are coming expecting something to happen.

“The porch of Solomon—that’s where they spoke from. The streets were full, they brought their sick, laid them in cots along the street and the shadow of Peter passing by healed them and the Bible said ‘and they were all healed.’ When we get to thinking we’ve reached the top, let's go measure ourselves by that statement—‘and they were all healed." –Rev Marvin D. Treece

https://i.pinimg.com/…/18/ed7218c2370f04b99790064ac546c184.…

Verse 5:16 “There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem”

It is possible that this is the height of the revivals in Jerusalem. People are hearing about what is happening and traveling to Jerusalem—bringing their sick and those oppressed by the devil. It reminds me of the Azusa Street revival in 1906. It affected not only Los Angeles, but attracted people from all over the world.

5:17 “Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees)”: these were the primary opponents of the early Christians in this chapter. The Sadducees were wealthier, culturally elite Jews who denied the resurrection while the Pharisees believed in the resurrection and were from more working-class backgrounds.

Verse 5:18 “And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison”: Instead of just Peter and John arrested, this time all 12 of the disciples seem to have been apprehended.

Verse 5:19 “But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth” The disciples are delivered by an angel of God and told to go evangelize.

5:21 “they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught.” The temple is one of the main areas for the spread of the gospel. It has spiritual, religious and cultural significance to both the Jewish Christians and the Jews and it is a area that received many visitors.

Verse 5: 24: “Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.” This miracle of the jail deliverance would have caused less hard-hearted men to believe and repent but these men were simply perplexed by what happened. The scripture comes to mind: “they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!”

Not everyone who sees the miraculous believes. Years after this supernatural event of the prison, Peter wrote about hearing a voice from heaven saying of Jesus: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” but then Peter writes “We have also a more sure word of prophecy…Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” In other words, Peter elevates the scripture above the miraculous. (2 Peter 1:19-21)

“Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence”: The temple enforcers do not want to draw the ire of the assembled crowd, afraid that they will be stoned to death. There was a delicate balance within the temple. The Apostles were held in great esteem by the people yet the officers are acting under orders from the religious leaders. These officers/guards were caught between a rock and a hard place.

Verse 5: 32 “and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” Peter and the others speak to the religious leaders. Once again, the book of Acts mentions the believers being given the Holy Spirit. What is the initial sign of receiving the Spirit? The book of Acts would point to speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. (Acts 2:1-4, Acts 10:44-47, Acts 19:6)

Verse 5:33 “When they heard that, they were cut to the heart”: this is similar to the reaction of the people on the day of Pentecost. However, in one situation, there was a massive conversion while in the other situation—the hearers desired to kill the disciples. People respond to conviction through either obedience or disobedience. “To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life.” 2 Corinthians 2:16

Verse 5:38: The great teacher Gamaliel (the teacher of Saul of Tarsus) was in the council that day. The following is sage advice and should be remembered even today. The teacher Gamaliel: “And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.”

Verse 5:40 “and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.” There is an escalating series of punishments against the Christians, which foreshadows the later stoning of Stephen and the house-to-house persecution of the Church. However, with greater persecution will come greater revival.

Verse 5:41 “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name”

The disciples understand the importance of the Name of Jesus. They may have seen the persecution as a vote of confidence in them: with greater dimensions come greater challenges. They had learned from the example of Jesus that no man is above his master. What Jesus went through, they must also go through similar experiences.

Jesus never said you would not be persecuted. Jesus once told His disciples: “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Verse 5:42 “And daily in the temple”: The believers went back to the temple again and again! What must the religious leaders have thought of this—it is unclear…but the next event of persecution will involve Stephen the first Christian martyr.

Verse 5: 42 “And daily in the temple, and in every house”: It’s possible that ministering in the temple was a broad push of evangelism, while the house ministry was directed to equipping the saints, and fellowship. However, I believe both were used to bring souls into the kingdom.