Act 5:7-9 | KingComments | STEP | After about three hours “his wife” came in, the wife who was given to him for help, but who supported him in his evil intent. As time passed and he did not come back, she may have become anxious and finally went to see for herself. All this time, no rumor of what happened has reached her. Sapphira knows nothing. Satan always keeps his slaves in darkness. Without reading that Sapphira asked Peter a question, we read that Peter responds to her. That seems to indicate that she has asked a question. Possibly she asked where her husband was. She did not see him with the company. Peter’s answer consists of a question, which he precedes with a commanding “tell me”. He calls her the amount her husband brought in as proceeds of the sale of the land and asks if this is indeed the amount for which the land was sold. This question is a direct appeal to her conscience. But it does not seem that her conscience has begun working. The absence of her husband does not make her think and the direct question of Peter does not make her repent. She gets the chance to confess honestly. However, she does not take advantage of this opportunity, but persists in the sin of hypocrisy. Not only does she say “yes”, but she affirms that it was the price that Peter mentioned as the sale price. Then Peter has no choice but to tell her the verdict. Before she falls dead, he tells her, and us, the reason for the verdict. Together with her husband, she has conceived the plan to test the Spirit of the Lord. To test is to do something out of a spirit of unbelief with the purpose of testing whether God is true in His words ( ; ). I must believe what God says because it is He who says it. Because Sapphira continues to support her husband in his faithlessness, she shares in his fate of faithlessness. There is a difference with her husband’s death. Ananias died immediately after the determination of sin, while Sapphira was given the opportunity to confess it. It shows that the husband is primarily responsible. There is fear both inside and outside the church in everyone who hears about it. God’s presence is in fact a serious matter, no matter how great its blessing. Here in this book the word “church” is used for the first time.

‏ Acts 5:7-9

The Deceit of Sapphira Judged

After about three hours “his wife” came in, the wife who was given to him for help, but who supported him in his evil intent. As time passed and he did not come back, she may have become anxious and finally went to see for herself. All this time, no rumor of what happened has reached her. Sapphira knows nothing. Satan always keeps his slaves in darkness.

Without reading that Sapphira asked Peter a question, we read that Peter responds to her. That seems to indicate that she has asked a question. Possibly she asked where her husband was. She did not see him with the company. Peter’s answer consists of a question, which he precedes with a commanding “tell me”. He calls her the amount her husband brought in as proceeds of the sale of the land and asks if this is indeed the amount for which the land was sold. This question is a direct appeal to her conscience.

But it does not seem that her conscience has begun working. The absence of her husband does not make her think and the direct question of Peter does not make her repent. She gets the chance to confess honestly. However, she does not take advantage of this opportunity, but persists in the sin of hypocrisy. Not only does she say “yes”, but she affirms that it was the price that Peter mentioned as the sale price. Then Peter has no choice but to tell her the verdict.

Before she falls dead, he tells her, and us, the reason for the verdict. Together with her husband, she has conceived the plan to test the Spirit of the Lord. To test is to do something out of a spirit of unbelief with the purpose of testing whether God is true in His words (Exo 17:2; Deu 6:16). I must believe what God says because it is He who says it.

Because Sapphira continues to support her husband in his faithlessness, she shares in his fate of faithlessness. There is a difference with her husband’s death. Ananias died immediately after the determination of sin, while Sapphira was given the opportunity to confess it. It shows that the husband is primarily responsible.

There is fear both inside and outside the church in everyone who hears about it. God’s presence is in fact a serious matter, no matter how great its blessing. Here in this book the word “church” is used for the first time.