1No nejaký muž, menom Ananiáš, s manželkou Zafirou predal majetok, 2s vedomím manželky odložil si z utŕženej ceny a len čiastku priniesol a položil apoštolom k nohám. 3I povedal mu Peter: Ananiáš, prečo ti satan opanoval srdce, že si luhal Duchu Svätému a odložil si z utŕženej ceny za pole? 4Či by nebolo zostalo tebe, keby si ho nebol predal? A keď si ho predal, či nebolo tvoje? Ako ti len prišlo na um niečo také? Nie ľuďom si luhal, ale Bohu. 5Len čo Ananiáš počul tieto slová, padol a vypustil dušu. A prišla veľká bázeň na všetkých, ktorí počuli o tom. 6I vstanúc mladší z nich, vzali ho, vyniesli a pochovali. 7Asi o tri hodiny nato prišla jeho manželka, ktorá nevedela, čo sa stalo. 8Peter jej povedal: Povedz mi, či ste za toľko predali pole? Prisvedčila: Áno, za toľko! 9Peter jej odpovedal: Prečo ste sa dohovorili, že budete pokúšať Ducha Pánovho? Ajhľa, nohy tých, čo ti pochovali manžela, sú predo dvermi; vynesú aj teba! 10Hneď nato padla mu k nohám a vypustila dušu. Keď mládenci vošli, našli ju mŕtvu; vyniesli ju a pochovali k manželovi. 11Ale na celý cirkevný zbor a na všetkých, čo počuli o tom, prišla veľká bázeň. 12Rukami apoštolov diali sa medzi ľudom mnohé znamenia a zázraky. A všetci jednomyseľne bývali v sieni Šalamúnovej; 13z ostatných však nikto sa neodvážil pripojiť k nim, ale ľud ich zveleboval. 14A čím ďalej, tým viac pribúdalo veriacich v Pána, mnoho mužov a žien, 15takže aj na ulice vynášali chorých a ukladali ich na lôžka a na nosidlá, aby, keď Peter pôjde tade, čo aj len jeho tieň padol na niektorého z nich. 16Aj z miest okolo Jeruzalema prichádzali v zástupoch, prinášali svojich nemocných a trápených nečistými duchmi - a všetci boli uzdravovaní. 17Tu povstal veľkňaz a všetci, ktorí boli s ním - bola to strana sadukajov - a, naplnení žiarlivosťou, 18položili ruky na apoštolov a vsadili ich do obecného väzenia. 19Ale anjel Pánov otvoril v noci dvere väzenia, vyviedol ich vraviac: 20Choďte, postavte sa a hovorte ľudu v chráme všetky slová tohto života. 21Keď to počuli, vošli na úsvite do chrámu a učili. Tu prišiel veľkňaz a tí, čo boli s ním, zvolali radu a všetkých starších zo synov izraelských a poslali do väzenia, aby predviedli apoštolov. 22Keď drábi prišli, nenašli ich vo väzení. Vrátili sa a oznámili to 23hovoriac: Našli sme väzenie dôkladne zatvorené, aj strážcov stáť pri dverách, ale keď sme otvorili, nenašli sme dnu nikoho. 24Keď veliteľ chrámovej stráže a veľkňazi počuli túto správu, prišli do veľkých rozpakov, čo sa stalo. 25Ale prišiel ktosi a oznámil im: Mužovia, ktorých ste vsadili do väzenia, ajhľa, stoja v chráme a učia ľud. 26Veliteľ ihneď odišiel s drábmi a priviedol ich, ale bez násilia, lebo sa báli ľudu, aby ich neukameňovali. 27Tak ich priviedli a postavili pred radu. I vypytoval sa ich veľkňaz, 28hovoriac im: Prísne sme vám zakázali učiť v tom mene. A hľa, celý Jeruzalem naplnili ste svojím učením a chcete uvaliť na nás krv toho človeka. 29Ale Peter a apoštolovia odpovedali: Boha treba viac poslúchať ako ľudí! 30Boh našich otcov vzkriesil Ježiša, ktorého ste vy zamordovali, keď ste Ho povesili na drevo. 31Toho Boh povýšil svojou pravicou za Vodcu a Spasiteľa, aby dal Izraelovi pokánie a odpustenie hriechov. 32A svedkami toho sme my a Duch Svätý, ktorého dal Boh tým, čo Ho poslúchajú. 33Ako to počuli, zúrili a chceli ich zabiť. 34Ale jeden z farizejov, menom Gamaliel, učiteľ zákona, ktorého si všetok ľud veľmi vážil, povstanúc v rade, kázal vyviesť na chvíľu apoštolov. 35A potom hovoril: Mužovia izraelskí, dobre si rozvážte, čo urobiť s týmito ľuďmi. 36Lebo pred nedávnom povstal Teudas, ktorý sa vydával za nejakého veľkého, a pripojilo sa k nemu asi štyristo mužov. Ale ho zabili a všetci, ktorí ho poslúchali, sa rozpŕchli a vyšli navnivoč. 37Po ňom, v dňoch popisu, povstal Judáš Galilejský a strhol so sebou ľud; aj on zahynul a všetci, ktorí ho poslúchali, boli rozprášení. 38Preto vám teraz hovorím: Dajte pokoj týmto ľuďom a nechajte ich. Lebo ak je z ľudí táto rada alebo toto dielo, rozpadne sa; 39ak je však z Boha, nebudete ich môcť zahubiť. Aby sa nedokázalo, že bojujete aj proti Bohu. A poslúchli ho; 40predvolali si apoštolov, dali ich zbičovať, prikázali im nehovoriť v mene Ježišovom a prepustili ich. 41Odišli teda z rady a radovali sa, že boli uznaní za hodných znášať potupu pre to meno. 42Ale neprestali deň čo deň učiť v chráme a po domoch a zvestovať evanjelium Krista Ježiša.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA. (
Acts 5:1-
Acts 5:11)
kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it--The coolness with which they planned the deception aggravated the guilt of this couple.
brought a certain part--pretending it to be the whole proceeds of the sale.
3 why hath Satan filled--"why . . . fill--"why hast thou suffered him to fill"
thine heart--so criminally entertaining his suggestion? Compare
Acts 5:4, "why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?" And see
John 13:2,
John 13:27.
to lie to the Holy Ghost--to men under His supernatural illumination.
4 While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?--from which we see how purely voluntary were all these sacrifices for the support of the infant community.
not lied to men but God--to men so entirely the instruments of the directing Spirit that the lie was rather told to Him: language clearly implying both the distinct personality and the proper divinity of the Holy Ghost.
5 Ananias . . . gave up the ghost . . . great fear came on all that heard these things--on those without the Christian circle; who, instead of disparaging the followers of the Lord Jesus, as they might otherwise have done on the discovery of such hypocrisy, were awed at the manifest presence of Divinity among them, and the mysterious power of throwing off such corrupt matter which rested upon the young Church.
6 the young men--some of the younger and more active members of the church, not as office-bearers, nor coming forward now for the first time, but who probably had already volunteered their services in making subordinate arrangements. In every thriving Christian community such volunteers may be expected, and will be found eminently useful.
7 Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much--naming the sum.
9 How is it that ye have agreed together--(See on
Acts 5:2).
to tempt the Spirit--try whether they could escape detection by that omniscient Spirit of whose supernatural presence with the apostles they had had such full evidence.
feet of them that buried thy husband are at the door--How awfully graphic!
10 buried her by her husband--The later Jews buried before sunset of the day of death.
11 And great fear came upon all the church, &c.--This effect on the Christian community itself was the chief design of so startling a judgment; which had its counterpart, as the sin itself had, in Achan (Jos. 7:1-26), while the time--at the commencement of a new career--was similar.
12 THE PROGRESS OF THE NEW CAUSE LEADS TO THE ARREST OF THE APOSTLES--THEY ARE MIRACULOUSLY DELIVERED FROM PRISON, RESUME THEIR TEACHING, BUT ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE CONDUCTED BEFORE THE SAMHEDRIM. (
Acts 5:12-
Acts 5:26)
Solomon's Porch--(See on
John 10:23).
13 of the rest durst no man join himself, &c.--Of the unconverted none ventured, after what had taken place, to profess discipleship; but yet their number continually increased.
15 into the streets--"in every street."
on beds and couches--The words denote the softer couches of the rich and the meaner cribs of the poor [BENGEL].
shadow of Peter . . . might overshadow some of them--Compare
Acts 19:12;
Luke 8:46. So Elisha. Now the predicted greatness of Peter (
Matt 16:18), as the directing spirit of the early Church, was at its height.
17 sect of the Sadducees--See on
Acts 4:1 for the reason why this is specified.
19 by night--the same night.
20 all the words of this life--beautiful expression for that Life in the Risen One which was the burden of their preaching!
21 entered into the temple, &c.--How self-possessed! the indwelling Spirit raising them above fear.
called . . . all the senate, &c.--an unusually general convention, though hastily summoned.
23 the prison . . . shut . . . keepers . . . before the doors, but . . . no man within--the reverse of the miracle in
Acts 16:26; a similar contrast to that of the nets at the miraculous draughts of fishes (
Luke 5:6;
John 21:11).
24 they doubted--"were in perplexity."
26 without violence, for they feared, &c.--hardened ecclesiastics, all unawed by the miraculous tokens of God's presence with the apostles, and the fear of the mob only before their eyes!
27 SECOND APPEARANCE AND TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SAMHEDRIM--ITS RAGE CALMED BY GAMALIEL--BEING DISMISSED, THEY DEPART REJOICING, AND CONTINUE THEIR PREACHING. (Acts 5:27-42)
ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine--noble testimony to the success of their preaching, and (for the reason mentioned on
Acts 4:4) to the truth of their testimony, from reluctant lips!
28 intend to bring this man's blood upon us--They avoid naming Him whom Peter gloried in holding up [BENGEL]. In speaking thus, they seem to betray a disagreeable recollection of their own recent imprecation, His blood be upon us," &c. (
Matt 27:25), and of the traitor's words as he threw down the money, "I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood" (
Matt 27:4).
29 Then Peter, &c.--(See on
Acts 2:22, and
Acts 3:13, &c.).
31 Prince and a Saviour--the first word expressing that Royalty which all Israel looked for in Messiah, the second the Saving character of it which they had utterly lost sight of. Each of these features in our Lord's work enters into the other, and both make one glorious whole (compare
Acts 3:15;
Heb 2:10).
to give--dispensing as a "Prince."
repentance and remission of sins--as a "Saviour"; "repentance" embracing all that change which issues in the faith which secures "forgiveness" (compare
Acts 2:38;
Acts 20:21). How gloriously is Christ here exhibited; not, as in other places, as the Medium, but as the Dispenser of all spiritual blessings!
32 we are his witnesses . . . and the Holy Ghost--They as competent human witnesses to facts, and the Holy Ghost as attesting them by undeniable miracles.
33 cut to the heart and took--"were taking."
counsel to slay them--How different this feeling and the effect of it from that "pricking of the heart" which drew from the first converts on the day of Pentecost the cry, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (
Acts 2:37). The words used in the two places are strikingly different.
34 Then stood up . . . Gamaliel--in all probability one of that name celebrated in the Jewish writings for his wisdom, the son of Simeon (possibly the same who took the infant Saviour in his arms,
Luke 2:25-
Luke 2:35), and grandson of HILLEL, another celebrated rabbi. He died eighteen years before the destruction of Jerusalem [LIGHTFOOT].
35 Theudas--not the same with a deceiver of that name whom JOSEPHUS mentions as heading an insurrection some twelve years after this [Antiquities, 20.5.1], but some other of whom he makes no mention. Such insurrections were frequent.
37 Judas of Galilee--(See on
Luke 2:2, and
Luke 13:1-
Luke 13:3) [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 13.1.1].
38 if . . . of men, it will come to naught--This neutral policy was true wisdom, in the then temper of the council. But individual neutrality is hostility to Christ, as He Himself teaches (
Luke 11:23).
40 beaten them--for disobeying their orders (compare
Luke 23:16).
41 departed . . . rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name--"thought worthy by God to be dishonored by man" (
Matt 5:12;
1Pet 4:14,
1Pet 4:16) [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. This was their first taste of persecution, and it felt sweet for His sake whose disciples they were.
42 in every house--in private. (See on
Acts 2:46).
ceased not to preach Jesus Christ--that is, Jesus (to be the) Christ.