Acts 5:1-11
Summary for Acts 5:1-11: 5:1-11 a Luke is fond of balancing a positive example with a negative example. He has just recorded the remarkable story of Barnabas (4:36-37 b). Now Luke presents the opposite conduct of Ananias and Sapphira, who were tempted by the desire to be held in high regard. Ananias had not been forced to sell his property or to give the proceeds away. The couple’s sin was in their pretense and deception.Summary for Acts 5:3-4: 5:3-4 c In lying about their property sale, Ananias was not just lying to others but to the Holy Spirit—that is, to God. His actions compromised the transparent sincerity, unity, and integrity of the church at its very foundation, and thus he fell under the direct judgment of God (cp. Lev 10:1-5 d; Josh 7:16-26 e).
5:11 f Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened: The sudden judgment on Ananias and then on Sapphira had a sobering effect on both the Christian community and those who heard about this incident (cp. Heb 10:31 g). Believers were forcefully reminded that they needed to be pure, and for non-Christians the believers’ integrity was reestablished, so that once again “all the people had high regard for them” (Acts 5:13 h). Yet it also made outsiders wary of joining a movement with such high standards (5:13 i). This divine “pruning” (see John 15:1-11 j) helped new growth to follow (Acts 5:14 k; cp. 6:5-7 l; 11:24 m; 21:20 n).
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