The Book of Acts Chapter 5

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The Book of Acts Chapter 5

Text from https://www.bible.com/bible/111/ACT.5.NIV

Establishing the Early Church

Ananias and Sapphira

1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. (As Joseph Barnabas did. 3:36)

2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. (They didn't give the full but a part. But they might wanted to make their names known to the people.)

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? (Peter came to know the lie by the spiritual connection.)

4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? (All we have belong to God.) What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” (Lying to God indicates lack of truthfulness of the action. God examines deeper motivation. 1Co. 4:5)

5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. (The death as a result of lying seems like too much but it happened for the purity of the newly born church.)

6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.

8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” (The wife Sapphira also lied.)

9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” (Peter knew her lie is the same with her husband so the same penalty.)

10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. (She also died and buried.)

11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. (As a result, the fearable authority of the church and leaders has been established.) (1, The death of Ananias and Sapphira)

The Apostles Heal Many

12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade.

13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.

14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.

15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.

16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed. (While cleansing the church, the leaders ministered many miraculous healings and proclaim the Gospel with the spiritual power.)

The Apostles Persecuted

17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees(2), were filled with jealousy. (The existing authority began to be shaken among people by newly launched church. It was a danger for those traditional leaders.)

18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. (So they jailed the disciples.)

19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.

20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.” (An angel released them at night and ordered to keep preaching. Do you believe the existence of angel even nowadays? My answer is Yes.)

21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. (So the disciples did in spite of the persecution.)

When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin- the full assembly of the elders of Israel- and sent to the jail for the apostles.

22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported,

23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” (Checking the jail they found that the disciples were not in the jail but in the temple courts.)

24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.

25 Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” (3, Physically impossible things happened.)

26 At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.

27 The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. (The disciples were summoned again.)

28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” (Sanhedrin insisted their established authority upon the disciples.)

29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! (But disciples argued that they have superior authority of God to obey.)

30 The God of our ancestors (Jewish) raised Jesus from the dead- whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.

31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. (Peter proclaims Jesus is the God-sent Messiah whom Jews have been waiting for a long time.)

32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” (So the disciples say there is nothing else to do except obey God and follow Jesus and the Holy Spirit, whose presence is clear.)

33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. (The leaders wanted to kill those who denying their power.)

34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. (The renowned teacher Gamaliel who also taught Saul- later Paul, stepped out to say. 22:3)

35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.

36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.

37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.

38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.

39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” (Gamaliel says that those who rise by man's intension will be soon diminished as like some incidents. So, leave Christians to God so God will decide.)

40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. (They were persuaded by his logic, but still released the disciples after beating them. The disciples experienced beating without legitimate reason.)

41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. (The disciples were joyous being persecuted for the Name of Jesus. They were filled with "the Happy Hormone of the Holy Spirit.")

42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. (The Early Church was surely dynamic and powerful. It can be like that for us in these days.)

(1)The death of Ananias and Sapphira

The penalty of this couple seems too much comparing to the lie but necessary for the purity of newly established church. We see very similar incident in Old Testament; Achan who kept some of spoils of war against Jericho. Because of his sin, not only himself got killed but entire Israelites experienced unnecessary defeat against Ai, and lost many lives. One in the beginning of the church, the other in the beginning of the Nation.

(2)Sadducees: (Google AI)

The Sadducees were a powerful, aristocratic Jewish sect in ancient Israel (200 BC–70 AD) composed mainly of priests, who controlled the Temple in Jerusalem, emphasizing the written Torah, rejecting oral law, and denying resurrection, angels, and an afterlife, contrasting with the Pharisees; they lost influence after the Temple's destruction in 70 CE and largely disappeared.

(3)Physically impossible things happened.

According to some secular historians, the Rise of the Church was mostly credited to the Miraculous happenings that can't be explained by normal logics.