Acts Chapter 5 Verses 1-6

Acts 5:1 “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 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. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.” 

Anytime a sentence begins with the word, “but,” it is a contrast to what was said before.  By going back to the previous chapter we find that Barnabas having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.  This money was to be used for the benefit of the needy in the congregation of the church.  I am sure that the church looked at this as an unselfish act of love by Barnabas.  Ananias and Sapphira had sold a possession and wanted to appear to the church that they too had unselfishly given the entire price of the land to the church.  However, they had conspired to keep back part of the price, but not tell anyone so that they may appear to be like Barnabas.  However, their deed was known for the Holy Ghost had made it known to Peter. 

When Ananias brought he money and laid it at the apostles’ feet, Peter said, “Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?”  Instead of giving unselfishly, they were giving for self-acclaim and telling a lie while doing so. 

Peter went on to say to Ananias: “Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”  The sin here was not in keeping back part of the price, but rather the sin was in that they lied about it and said that it was the entire price for the land that they had given.  Moreover, Peter equated a lie unto the church was a lie to the Holy Ghost. 

“And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.  And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.” 

Verses 7-11 

Acts 5:7 “And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.”

In the above we see that Sapphira had conspired with her husband, Ananias, to lie to the church about the amount of money they had sold the land for and to say that they were giving the whole amount to the church, whereas they were only give a portion of the money to the church.  God’s penalty for both of them was death.  They died because of their lie to the church which was equated to a lie to the Holy Ghost.  Since the Lord is the head of the church, then to lie to the church is to lie to God.  The penalty for this was severe and when the members of the church heard this, then great fear came upon all the church.   

Verses 12-16

Acts 5:12 “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. 13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. 14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) 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. 16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.”

In Mark chapter 16 it was declared by the Lord concerning the apostles: 17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”  In the above passage we see the apostles using the gifts that Christ had given them before his ascension back to glory.  Notice, it was by the hands of the apostles that many signs and wonders were wrought among the people. 

Also, we notice that the people were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.  It is a great blessing for the Lord’s people to use the gifts that God has given them and for them to be in one accord is another great blessing. 

Moreover, we are told: “And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.”  These signs and wonders were being done by the apostles and no other man would dare join himself to the apostles to perform these signs and wonders and they had not these gifts, but the apostles only.  The people magnified the apostles because of the gifts the Lord had given them.

 “And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.”  This was a time of great joy to the people of God as they rejoiced not only in the sign gifts, but in the love of God being manifest and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The phrase, “added to the Lord,” did not mean that they became a child of God as a result, but rather they were added to the Lord’s church and became a disciple of the Lord. 

“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.  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.”  There was great rejoicing at the signs and wonders being manifest through the gifts God had given to the apostles and for the grace, mercy, and love of God who granted these miraculous works. 

Verses 17-25

 Acts 5:17 “Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. 21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, 23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. 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. 25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.”

“Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation…”  Were they filled with indignation because of the rejoicing of the people and the compassionate healing of those who were diseased and sick or for the miraculous works of God being manifest?  No their indignation was that they believed themselves to be in danger of losing their power and control over the people.  These, the high priest and the Sadducees, were indeed wicked people and manifest their wickedness by opposing the very plain work of God.

“And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.  But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”  The high priest and Sadducees laid hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison because of the amazing abundance of compassionate healings of the people.  They thought they had the power to stop the apostles; however, they were no match to the Lord as an angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth.  The high priest and Sadducees had power to put them in prison, but the Lord had power to loose them.  Being delivered from the prison, the angel told them “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”  That is they were to preach to the people, what the Lord hath done for them and how they should repent and be baptized and serve the Lord.  “And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught.”

“But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.”  Notice the number of enemies of the Lord’s people and church has grown to include not only the high priest and the Sadducees, but also the council and senate of the children of Israel. 

“But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.”  Notice that the keepers were standing before the doors.  The Lord can deliver out of a prison, without the keepers even realizing that they had been delivered out of the prison.  What an amazing and all powerful God we worship and serve. 

“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. 25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.”  While the apostles could have fled knowing the wrath of the high priest, Sadducees, council, and senate, yet they refused to do so but did as the angel told them and went into the temple and taught the people as they were instructed.