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Ananias and Sapphira
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. 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. 10Then 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.
King James Commentary
Verses 1-6
The account of Ananias and Sapphira occurs within the context of, and right on the heels of, the account of the generosity of Barnabas in sharing with other believers. As Barnabas has sold a possession and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet, so too this husband-and-wife team, Ananias and Sapphira, sold a possession. The difference between Barnabas and them, however, is seen in the second verse, And kept back part of the price. Ananias and Sapphira had apparently not learned the lesson that there is no such thing as secret sin. The psalmist David had to exclaim, “O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee” (Ps 69:5; see also Moses, Ex 2:11-14; and Achan, Josh 7:21-22).
When Peter confronted Ananias with whether or not Satan had filled his heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, the apostle made it abundantly clear that the practice of “common-ism” was definitely not communism. Peter asserted, While it remained, was it not shine own? What belonged to Ananias was indeed his and did not belong to the church, unless he gave it to them. Likewise, after he sold the land, Ananias could do with the money whatever he wished. If he shared it with the believers of Jerusalem who were less fortunate than he, it would be out of concern and love for them, not out of requirement. Since he chose to give it to the church in the same manner that Barnabas had given, he should not have attempted to lie to God and His servants by claiming that he had given his all. A lie to the servant of God was tantamount to lying to the Spirit of God Himself.
When Ananias learned that he had lied unto God, he fell down, and gave up the ghost. Ananias was struck dead for his sin against God, and the young men bound him in grave linen, carried him out, and buried him.
Verses 7-11
Unaware of what had happened to her husband, about three hours later Sapphira came before Peter and the other disciples. A similar question was asked her concerning the selling of her possession. Because she had conspired with her husband to lie to the Spirit of God, and attempted to increase her image in the eyes of the other believers, Peter predicted that the feet of those that carried out her husband would also carry out Sapphira.
Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost. As predicted, the men quickly came and bore her body away to be buried alongside her husband. Satan first attacked the church from without, persecuting it as a roaring lion. Now he has attacked the church from within, persecuting it as a serpent. But the end result is still the same: And great fear came upon all the church. All who had assembled as believers in Jerusalem were brought into a right relationship with God because of persecution. This not altogether unhealthy effect of persecution must have caused havoc in the dominions of darkness.
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. 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. 10Then 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.
King James Commentary
Verses 1-6
The account of Ananias and Sapphira occurs within the context of, and right on the heels of, the account of the generosity of Barnabas in sharing with other believers. As Barnabas has sold a possession and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet, so too this husband-and-wife team, Ananias and Sapphira, sold a possession. The difference between Barnabas and them, however, is seen in the second verse, And kept back part of the price. Ananias and Sapphira had apparently not learned the lesson that there is no such thing as secret sin. The psalmist David had to exclaim, “O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee” (Ps 69:5; see also Moses, Ex 2:11-14; and Achan, Josh 7:21-22).
When Peter confronted Ananias with whether or not Satan had filled his heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, the apostle made it abundantly clear that the practice of “common-ism” was definitely not communism. Peter asserted, While it remained, was it not shine own? What belonged to Ananias was indeed his and did not belong to the church, unless he gave it to them. Likewise, after he sold the land, Ananias could do with the money whatever he wished. If he shared it with the believers of Jerusalem who were less fortunate than he, it would be out of concern and love for them, not out of requirement. Since he chose to give it to the church in the same manner that Barnabas had given, he should not have attempted to lie to God and His servants by claiming that he had given his all. A lie to the servant of God was tantamount to lying to the Spirit of God Himself.
When Ananias learned that he had lied unto God, he fell down, and gave up the ghost. Ananias was struck dead for his sin against God, and the young men bound him in grave linen, carried him out, and buried him.
Verses 7-11
Unaware of what had happened to her husband, about three hours later Sapphira came before Peter and the other disciples. A similar question was asked her concerning the selling of her possession. Because she had conspired with her husband to lie to the Spirit of God, and attempted to increase her image in the eyes of the other believers, Peter predicted that the feet of those that carried out her husband would also carry out Sapphira.
Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost. As predicted, the men quickly came and bore her body away to be buried alongside her husband. Satan first attacked the church from without, persecuting it as a roaring lion. Now he has attacked the church from within, persecuting it as a serpent. But the end result is still the same: And great fear came upon all the church. All who had assembled as believers in Jerusalem were brought into a right relationship with God because of persecution. This not altogether unhealthy effect of persecution must have caused havoc in the dominions of darkness.
