Acts 5:27 Kommentar

In this chapter we have, I. The sin and punishment of Ananias and Sapphira, who, for lying to the Holy Ghost, were struck dead at the word of Peter (Act 5:1-11). II. The flourishing state of the church, in the power that went along with the preaching of the gospel (Act 5:12-16). III. The imprisonment of the apostles, and their miraculous discharge out of prison, with fresh orders to go on to preach the gospel, which they did, to the great vexation of their persecutors (Act 5:17-26). IV. Their arraignment before the great sanhedrim, and their justification of themselves in what they did (Act 5:27-33). V. Gamaliel's counsel concerning them, that they should not persecute them, but let them alone, and see what would come of it, and their concurrence, for the present, with this advice, in the dismission of the apostles' cheerful progress in their work notwithstanding the prohibition laid upon them and the indignity done them (Act 5:41, Act 5:42).

But a certain man named Ananias,.... A name common among the Jews, the same with Hananiah, Jer 28:1 it signifies not the humility of the Lord, or the affliction of the Lord, or the answer of the Lord, as say some, as if it was derived from but the grace of the Lord, or the Lord's gracious one, coming from there is no dependence on names; though this man's name signified one that was in the grace and favour of God; he was not so, but a graceless person, as appears by what follows. It is very likely he was a minister of the word, since the account of him follows upon that of Barnabas, and is opposed to it; it may be he was one of the hundred and twenty, on whom the Holy Ghost fell on the day of Pentecost; and yet, though he had great gifts, had no grace. This shows there are hypocrites among men of the greatest names and characters, and in the purest churches; this first and pure church, which, in the preceding chapter, has such large encomiums, was not free from them: with Sapphira his wife; whether this is the same name with "Shiphrah", Exo 1:15 or "Zipporah", Exo 2:21 both which are by the Septuagint called "Sephora", or whether another, and may signify "beautiful", is not very material. Jerom (c) says, in the Syriac language this name signifies "beautiful"; though he first gives other explanations of it, as "narrantem, literatam, sive librariam", as though it was derived from the Hebrew word The precious stone called sapphire seems to come from the same root as this, and to be so called because of its beautiful azure colour. The name "Sappho", which was the name of a famous poetess, the inventress of a kind of verse called "Sapphic" verse, is said to be the diminutive of this name "Sapphira". Drusius observes, it may be read "Tzephira"; which comes near to "Zipporah", and among other things signifies a "she goat"; and it was usual to give women names taken from such creatures. So "Rachel", a "sheep", and "Tabitha", or "Dorcas", a "doe". But whatever her name or person were, her actions were disagreeable: sold a possession; which was their own. So the Arabic and Syriac versions read, "their own field", or "farm"; find the Ethiopic version, "their own vineyard": it might be his wife's dowry or jointure, and so her consent was necessary; or they might be jointly concerned in this sale, to show not only their concord and harmony among themselves; but that they agreed in their devotion and religious actions, and that being both filled with zeal for God, and love to the brethren, sold their estate to support the common cause. (c) De Nominibus Hebraicis, fol. 106. C.

Saying, did not we straitly command you,.... Or give you strict orders, with severe threatenings, that you should not teach in this name? the Ethiopic version reads, "in the name of Jesus"; which is what is meant, but was not expressed by the sanhedrim; see Act 4:17 and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine; they disregarded the council, and its orders, its commands and threatenings, and preached the doctrines of the Gospel; and particularly that concerning the resurrection of Christ, and through him the resurrection of all the dead; and with such success, that great part of the inhabitants of Jerusalem received it; at least there were great numbers in all parts of the city which attended to it, and embraced it: and this they represent as a novel doctrine, devised by the apostles, and peculiarly theirs; and which Moses, and the prophets, were strangers to: and intend to bring this man's blood upon us; by charging us with the murder of him, and representing us as guilty of shedding innocent blood, and so stirring up the people, and the Romans against us, to take vengeance on us for it: this, as if they should say, seems to be the intention and design of your ministry, particularly in asserting, that Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, is now risen from the dead, and was a holy, innocent, and righteous person, as his resurrection shows; and therefore, as we have been guilty in shedding his blood, the punishment of it will, one day or other, be inflicted on us; as it accordingly was, and as they themselves imprecated in Mat 27:25. It is to be observed, that they do not mention the name of Jesus, only by way of contempt, call him "this man", as it is usual with the Jews to do, when they speak of him. So a commentator (q) on Gen 27:39 says of some, "they believed in a man whom they set up for God; and Rome believed, in the days of Constantine, who renewed all that religion, and put upon his banner the form , "of that man":'' and so another of their writers (r) uses the phrase several times in a few words. Judah ben Tabai fled to Alexandria, "that they might not make him president, and in the way, with one disciple; as it happened to Joshua ben Perachiah, with , "that man"; and ye may receive it for a truth, that "that man" was his disciple--and the truth is, that "that man" was born in the fourth year of the kingdom of Jannai the Second.'' So an heretic is said to be one that confesses "that man"; and heretics are the disciples of "that man", who turned to evil the words of the living God (s). Thus blasphemously and contemptuously do they speak of Christ. (q) Aben Ezra, Vid. ib. in Dan. xi. 14. (r) Juchasin, fol. 16. 2. (s) Migdal Oz & Hagehot Maimoniot. in Maimon. Teshuba, c. 3. sect. 7.

And the high-priest, shameless, reckless, senseless, asked them, saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. What then say the Apostles? Again with mildness they address them; and yet they might have said, "Who are ye, that ye countermand God?"

Well, if they undertook to obey you, ye do well to call them to account: but if even at the very time they told you they would not obey, what account have you to call them to, what defence is there for them to make? And behold ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Mark the inconsistency of the accusations and the exceeding folly. They want to make it appear now, that the dispositions of the Jews are sanguinary, as if they were doing these things not for the truth's sake, but in the wish to be revenged. And for this reason too the Apostles do not answer them with defiance: for they were teachers. And yet where is the man, who, with a whole city to back him, and endowed with so great grace, would not have spoken and uttered something big? But not so did these: for they were not angered; no, they pitied these men, and wept over them, and marked in what way they might free them from their error and wrath.

For the deliverance by the angel of the prison proved to the apostles a comfort, and to the Jews a benefit. It deceived the Jews, so that first, as I said, they would be thrown into perplexity, and if they wished they themselves would also come to understand and be instructed that the power is divine. Yet they were so blinded that they did not even dare to use force to drag the apostles away from the temple, whom nevertheless they detested most of all. From which it is also clear that the herdlike crowd is wiser than the Jewish leaders, those ignorant ones of the law, these judges being drawn to salvation by divine signs sooner than they. Therefore the legal experts ask with much knowledge of the divine signs and assurance: "Did we not order you by command not to speak?" And yet if by command alone, what then is the custody and the great security? For attendants and guards were placed over the imprisonment, of whom there is no remembrance now as to the concealment of the angelic wonder. It remains to say: If to your command there had been added our consent in handing over to custody, the present examinations and inquiries upon the violation would be reasonable. But if not even these, the present calls for punishment as for transgression are those of fools.

Oh, the folly of those men! who indeed had recognized the carefulness of the mob by a hidden fear, and likewise of God, who plainly always snatches away his own with his hands as if they were birds: yet nevertheless they never wished to be adopted.

And the high priest questioned them, saying: Did we not strictly command you, etc. In the Greek it is more consistent: Did we not strictly command you? For it is more fitting for one questioning to speak thus.

But they say: "Did we not command you...?" So what if you did command? Now if the apostles had agreed with you then and decided to obey you, then your present demands would be justified; but since they said then that they would not obey, what is the point of your present demands?

The hypocrisy of Ananias and his wife Sapphira, and their awful death, Act 5:1-11. The apostles work many miracles, and the Church of God is increased, Act 5:12-16. The high priest and the Sadducees, being incensed against the apostles, seize and put them in prison, Act 5:17, Act 5:18. The angel of God delivers them, and commands them to go to the temple, and proclaim the Gospel, Act 5:19, Act 5:20. The high priest, having gathered the council together in the morning, sends to the prison to have the apostles brought before him, Act 5:21. The offers return, and report that they found the prison shut, and the watch set, but that the men had got out, Act 5:22, Act 5:23. A messenger arrives in the meanwhile, and says that the apostles are preaching in the temple, Act 5:24, Act 5:25. The captain and officers go and bring than before the council, who expostulate with them, Act 5:26-28. The apostles defend themselves, and charge the council with the murder of Christ; and assert his resurrection from the dead and ascension to the right hand of God, Act 5:29-32. The council are confounded, and purpose to slay the apostles, Act 5:33. Gamaliel gives them seasonable and prudent advice, Act 5:34-39. The council agree to it, but, before they discharge the apostles, beat them, and command them not to teach in the name of Jesus, Act 5:40. They depart rejoicing in their persecution, and continue to preach Jesus Christ, Act 5:41, Act 5:42.

ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA. (Act 5:1-11) 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.

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 Act 4:4) to the truth of their testimony, from reluctant lips!