The Acts of the Apostles
Acts Chapter 5
At the end of chp. 4 it told of a man who sold a piece of land. He brought the money and gave it to the disciples. The money was to be used to help buy the things needed for the disciples and their families.
As this chapter begins, there is a couple Man–Ananias Woman- Sapphira who sold some land they had and they brought part of the money to disciples.
The verses say that they agreed together to keep back part of the money for themselves.
Peter asked them why they were telling a lie about the price of the land. These verses do not tell us all that was said. It seems that Peter knows they are telling a lie.
It could be that the Holy Spirit gave Peter a “word of knowledge” (see I Corinthians 12:1-11) When the Holy Spirit gives a word of knowledge to a person , the person has a feeling a knowing about something.
It could be that something that Ananias said gave Peter the information that Ananias was not telling the truth about the price of the land.
However Peter knew he asked Ananias why he lied. Peter said that the land was their land to do with it as they wanted. They could have kept it. They could have sold it.
They could have sold it and kept part of the money, or all of the money.
But it seems that Ananias has let the disciples believe that they were bringing all the money that they got for the land.
Maybe they wanted to have people think they were “generous” and it was their pride
that made them want to “show off” how generous they were.
They wanted the disciples to think that they were giving them all the money they got for the land.
They were not being truthful. Peter knows it. He asked them about it. Peter told him that the “lie” was not only to man, but it was a “lie” to God.
After Peter said that the man fell down dead on the floor.
God judged him and the man died.
About 3 hours later, the man’s wife came to the disciples. She did not know that her husband had already come to the disciples.
Peter asked her if she sold the land for so much. She said yes. But it was not true.
Peter said, Why have you and your husband agreed to lie about this? The same thing will happen to you that happened to your husband. The men who carried his body out, will carry your body out. The woman fell down dead.
Vs. 11 Much fear came upon all the people in the church of the believers.
That was a fast and hard judgment! For telling a lie before God and to his chosen leaders.
We do not see that kind of hard judgment happen in any other part of the New Testament. So maybe it was a warning from God for these new believers to respect and honor God and his chosen leaders.
However, we do need to remember that telling a lie is a sin. Liars will go to hell. (See Revelation 21:8) God is serious about lying.
Verses 12-14 The disciples did many miracles by God’s power on them. They were often at a place a part of the temple called Solomon’s Porch and there they preached and prayed for people. The disciples were greatly respected and honored.
Many men and women believed in Jesus after hearing them preach.
Vs. 15-16 God’s power was on the disciples so much that as Peter walked by and his shadow was on people they would get healed. People from all around came to Jerusalem to be healed even evil spirits were cast out of people.
Vs. 17 -18 The Jewish church leaders were very angry. The Sadducees—-the ones who did not believe in the resurrection—–are most angry. Because the disciples were preaching about Jesus coming back from the dead and that he lived again and was with them for 40 days then he went back into heaven.
The Sadducees did not want the disciples telling about this. So they put them in jail.
Vs. 19- But the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and told the disciples to go back into the temple and start preaching again.
Vs. 20 So the next morning the disciples went to the temple and began to preach.
The high priests and other leaders did not know that the disciples were in the temple preaching. They thought they were still in jail. They sent to the jail to get them.
But the men who went to get the disciples came back and said “They are not there!”
The jail doors were all locked. But when we asked the person watching them he said the disciples were not there.
The church leaders found it hard to believe. While they were talking about it—– someone came and told them that the disciples were in the temple preaching.
So the leaders went to get them but they were careful to be polite and ask them to come because they could see the people had great respect for the disciples.
When the disciples were standing before the group of church leaders they talked to them.
They said: We told you not to preach about Jesus. You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. And you plan to blame us for the death and blood of this man Jesus.
(They know they are the ones who made the decision to have Pilate kill him. Pilate did not want to kill him. It was because the church leaders kept yelling Jesus must die and saying that Jesus was a danger to the Roman king.)
Vs,29 Peter said we have to obey God more than man.
Vs. 30 Peter went on to tell them that they were to blame for Jesus death. God the Father has lifted Jesus up to be Prince, and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sin.
We are his witnesses so is the Holy Spirit. God has give the Holy Sprit to those who obey him.
Vs. 33 When they heard Peter say these things they became very angry and planned to kill all the disciples.
Vs. 34-39 A man much respected in the group of leaders Gamaliel stood up to speak. He told them to remember that in the past there was a man that everyone followed for awhile. But finally all of the is over. It all fell apart.
So do not do anything to the disciples. If this thing is of God we can not stop it. We do not want to be guilty of fighting against God. And if it is not of God the thing will just fall apart and stop by itself.
Vs. 40 So the other leaders agreed. They gave the disciples a beating. They told them not to preach in Jesus’ name. Then let them go.
Vs. 41, 42 The disciples left. They felt glad that they were thought of so much that they should suffer for Jesus’ sake. They kept on preaching every day in the temple and in houses.