Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 5:5
And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
5. And Ananias hearing these words fell down ] Smitten through the power of that Spirit whom he had intended to deceive. Here is no description of a death from apoplexy or mental excitement under the rebuke of the Apostle, but a direct intervention of the Divine power.
Terrible as this Divine judgment was, we cannot wonder that it should be inflicted, for it was so done to check that kind of offence which brought in all the troubles of the early Church, and which though they be not so punished now, when Christ’s Church has attained more firm hold on the world, yet would, if not terribly visited in these earlier days, have overthrown the whole work of the Apostles. Of a like character is the apparent severity of the penalty inflicted on Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, at the commencement of the Jewish priesthood (Lev 10:2); and the way in which Aaron and his family are forbidden to mourn for those whom God so punished may teach us what interpretation to put upon the judgment inflicted on Ananias and Sapphira. For they were of the members of the infant Church; they had presumed to come nigh unto God and in a wrong spirit. On them, we may conclude, some gifts had been bestowed, and in this they differed from Simon Magus (Act 8:20) and Elymas (Act 13:11), with whom they are sometimes compared, so that the words which God spake of Nadab and Abihu may be used of these offenders, “I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me.” We see what evils the spirit of greed and hypocrisy wrought in the Corinthian Church, even to the profanation of the Lord’s Supper (1Co 11:17-21). Every good institution would have been thus perverted and, as is said of some in later times (Judges 4), they would have “turned the grace of God into lasciviousness.” The very community of goods which here was instituted for a time, was in this way perverted and turned into an argument for a community of all things, which resulted in the vices for which the Nicolaitans (Rev 2:6; Rev 2:15) are so severely censured in the Scriptures. The death of Ananias and his wife is the finger of God interposed to save his Church from danger, just as He interposed to build it up by stretching forth His hand to heal, and that through the name of His Servant Jesus mighty works might be wrought by the first preachers.
and great fear came on all them that heard these things ] In the best MSS. these things is omitted. Read “that heard it.”
This fear would deter for a while all who were not thoroughly in earnest from making profession of Christianity, a profession which the favour that had been shewn towards the society (Act 4:33) might have induced many to make who would have been rather a hindrance than a help to the cause.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And Ananias, hearing these words … – Seeing that his guilt was known, and being charged with the enormous crime of attempting to deceive God. He had not expected to be thus exposed; and it is clear that the exposure and the charge came upon him unexpectedly and terribly, like a bolt of thunder.
Fell down – Greek: Having fallen down.
Gave up the ghost – This is an unhappy translation. The original means simply he expired, or he died. Compare the notes on Mat 27:50. This remarkable fact may be accounted for in this way:
- It is evidently to be regarded as a judgment of God for the sin of Ananias and his wife. It was not the act of Peter, but of God, and was clearly designed to show his abhorrence of this sin. See remarks on Act 5:11.
(2)Though it was the act of God, yet it does not follow that it was not in connection with the usual laws by which he governs people, or that he did not make use of natural means to do it. The sin was one of great aggravation. It was suddenly and unexpectedly detected. The fast that it was known, and the solemn charge that he had lied unto God, struck him with horror. His conscience would reprove him for the enormity of his crime, and overwhelm him at the memory of his wickedness. These circumstances may be sufficient to account for this remarkable event. It has occurred in other cases that the consciousness of crime, or the fact of being suddenly detected, has given such a shock to the frame that it has never recovered from it. The effect commonly is that the memory of guilt preys secretly and silently upon the frame, until, worn out with the lack of rest and peace, it sinks exhausted into the grave. But there have not been missing instances where the shock has been so great as to destroy the vital powers at once, and plunge the wretched man, like Ananias, into eternity. It is not at all improbable that the shock in the case of Ananias was so great as at once to take his life.
Great fear came … – Such a striking and awful judgment on insincerity and hypocrisy was suited to excite awful emotions among the people. Sudden death always does it; but sudden death in immediate connection with crime is suited much more deeply to affect the mind.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. Fell down, and gave up the ghost] , Falling down, he expired, breathed his last: “Gave up the ghost” is a very improper translation here. See Clarke on Ge 25:8, and See Clarke on Mt 27:50. Two things may be remarked here:
1. That the sin of this person was of no ordinary magnitude, else God would not have visited it with so signal a punishment.
2. That Peter must have had the power to discern the state of the heart, else he had not known the perfidy of Ananias. This power, commonly called the discernment of spirits, the apostles had as a particular gift, not probably always but at select times, when God saw it necessary for the good of his Church.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Fell down and gave up the ghost; expired and died. Some instances of Gods extraordinary judgments upon sinners were in the beginning of the Jewish church; as upon the man that gathered sticks on the sabbath day, Num 15:35, and upon Nadab and Abihu, Lev 10:1,2; and so here in the beginning of the Christian church; to be as marks to teach us to shun such sins, and to teach us that the God with whom we have to do is greatly to be feared. And this miraculous way of punishing notorious sinners in the church, was accommodated to such a time, in which magistrates were so far from defending the church, that they themselves were the greatest enemies unto it.
And great fear came on all them that heard these things: let others also hear, and fear, and do so no more.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. Ananias . . . gave up the ghost .. . great fear came on all that heard these thingson thosewithout the Christian circle; who, instead of disparaging thefollowers of the Lord Jesus, as they might otherwise have done on thediscovery of such hypocrisy, were awed at the manifest presence ofDivinity among them, and the mysterious power of throwing off suchcorrupt matter which rested upon the young Church.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Ananias hearing these words,…. Of Peter’s; by which he found his sin was detected, and by which he was convicted of it: and which set forth the evil nature of it, with its aggravated circumstances; and such power went along with them, and they cut so deep, as that immediately
he fell down and gave up the ghost; which is an instance of what the Jews call death by the hand of heaven: and this was done either by an angel; or rather by an extraordinary gift bestowed on Peter, being such an one as the Apostle Paul had, and used, when he smote Elymas the sorcerer with blindness, and delivered the incestuous person, and Alexander and Hymeneus to Satan.
And great fear came upon all them that heard these things; both upon the members of the church, and so was of service to make them careful of their words and actions, and cautious and circumspect in their lives and conversations; and upon those that were without, and might be a means of making them fearful of speaking against them, or mocking at them, or of joining themselves to them, without being thoroughly satistied that they should, and had a right, and were meet for it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Hearing (). Present active participle of , while hearing.
Fell down (). Second aorist active participle of , fell all of a sudden while listening.
Gave up the ghost (). First aorist active indicative of , late verb in LXX and Hippocrates, to breathe out, to expire. In the N.T. only here, verse Acts 5:10; Acts 12:23. It is needless to blame Peter for the death of Ananias. He had brought the end upon himself. It was the judgment of God. Physically the nervous shock could have caused the collapse.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Gave up the ghost [] . Used by Luke only. A rare word, occurring in the Septuagint, and in medical writers. See Eze 21:7, “Every spirit shall faint.” See, also, on failing, Luk 21:26.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And Ananias hearing these words,” Jakou non de ho Hananias tous logous toutous) “And when Ananias was hearing these words,” while these words still rang in his ears, judgement fell, Pro 29:1.
2) “Fell down and gave up the ghost:” (peson eksepsuksen) “Falling down he expired,” he died instantly, died by the visitation of God’s disapproval and judgement for his willful, presumptuous sin, 1Co 11:31; Heb 10:27-29; Peter did not inflict the punishment or perhaps even anticipate it. See also Act 5:10; Act 12:23 where a similar judgement fell on Herod.
3) “And great fear came,” (kai egeneto phobos mega) “And there came (to exist) great fear,” a great reverential awe and respect for honesty before God came like an heavy cloud, as on other occasions of Divine, miraculous intervention, Luk 1:65; Luk 7:15-16; Act 2:43; Act 5:11.
4) “On all them that heard these things,” (epi pantas tous akousontas) “Upon all those who had heard of these things,” the dishonesty of Ananias in his estate matters in comparison with the absolute integrity of Barnabas in the matter of his estate disposal, Act 4:36-37. See similar responses to Divine interventions, Act 19:13-17.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
5. When Ananias heard these things. The death of Ananias doth, indeed, declare and prove the force of the word, which Paul cloth highly extol; to wit, that it is the savor of death unto death to those which perish, (2Co 2:16.) He speaketh, indeed, of the spiritual death of the soul, but there was a visible sign in the body of Ananias of that punishment which cannot be seen with the eyes of men. He was not slain with sword, by force, nor hand, but was stricken dead with the only hearing of the voice. When we hear this, let the threatenings of the gospel terrify us, and humble us in time, lest we also feel the like effect. For that which is spoken of Christ,
“
He shall slay the wicked with the breath of his mouth.” (Isa 11:4,)
doth not only appertain to the head of the wicked, but also to every member. For those which refuse the salvation offered in his word, it must needs be deadly to them, which was naturally wholesome. But and if any man do think it an absurd thing that the apostle did punish Ananias bodily, first, I answer, that this was an extraordinary thing; secondly, that this was one of the gifts of the Spirit, as it appeareth by the 19 chapter of the First to the Corinthians, (verse 10.) After which sort we shall afterward see Elymas, the sorcerer, stricken with blindness by Paul, (Act 13:8.) Therefore, Peter did nothing which was impertinent to his function, when he did in time shoot that dart which the Holy Ghost had given him. And whereas some think that this was too cruel a punishment, this cometh to pass, because, weighing Ananias’ sin in their own and not in God’s balance, they count that but a light offense which was a most great and grievous crime, being full of such heinous offenses as I have already declared. Other some do think that this was nothing so, because they see many hypocrites escape scot free daily, which do no less mock God than did Ananias; yea, because they themselves being most gross contemners of God, are yet notwithstanding unpunished for their wickedness. But as God hath poured out visible graces upon his Church in the beginning, to the end we may know that he will be present with us by the secret power of his Spirit, yea, he showed that openly by external signs, which we feel inwardly by the experiment of faith; so he declared by the visible punishment of two, how horrible a judgment remaineth for all hypocrites, which shall mock God and his Church.
And there came great fear This was the Lord’s purpose, by punishing one to make the rest afraid, that they might reverently beware of all hypocrisy. And that which Luke saith, that they feared, doth appertain unto us also. For God meant to give all ages a lesson at that time, that they may learn to deal sincerely and uprightly with him. In the mean season, the punishment of this wicked person ought to have encouraged the godly hereafter to consecrate their goods more freely to God and the poor; because they might gather how precious alms was in the sight of God, seeing the profaning thereof was so punished. (242)
(242) “ Tam graviter,” so grievously, severely.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5) Ananias hearing these words fell down.It is to be noted that St. Peters words, while they press home the intensity of the guilt, do not contain any formal sentence. In such a case we may rightly trace that union of natural causation and divine purpose which we express in the familiar phrase that speaks of the visitation of God as a cause of death. The shame and agony of detection, the horror of conscience not yet dead, were enough to paralyse the powers of life. Retribution is not less a divine act because it comes, through the working of divine laws, as the natural consequence of the sin which draws it down. It was necessary, we may reverently say, that this special form of evil, this worst corruption of the best, should be manifestly condemned on its first appearance by a divine judgment. And we must remember that there is a silence which we may not dare to break as to all but the visible judgment. The dominant apostolic idea of such punishments was that men were delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (1Co. 5:5). St. Peter himself speaks of those who are judged according to men in the flesh, who yet live according to God in the spirit (1Pe. 4:6).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Fell down Not by any exertion of Peter’s power. The insulted Holy Spirit stepped in and gave an instance of his estimate of sin.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the life within him: and great fear came on all who heard it.’
The recognition that he had been exposed was too much for Ananias. His heart gave way and he breathed his last. He fell down dead before them all. If he had a weak heart the situation is quite understandable. But that we are certainly intended to see here a judgment of God comes out in what later happened to Sapphira. The point was made that God had struck him down. And the result was that all God’s people were filled with awe and recognised even more that God was not to be mocked (Gal 6:7).
There are certain times in history where particular sins were seen as having such vital importance that the only solution was the death of the perpetrator. One example is the sons of Aaron who at the very time of the institution of the priesthood offered false fire to the Lord (Lev 10:1-2). Another was Achan who on first entry into the land had ‘kept back’ (in LXX same verb as in Act 5:1 above) some of the booty of Jericho that had been specifically dedicated to the Lord (Joshua 7). In both cases instant death was the penalty. Those were times at the beginning of something new when an important lesson of obedience and respect for God had to be taught. The same was true here. All would now know that the new Kingly Rule of God was not something to be taken lightly.
But before we retire thankfully behind the misguided confidence that therefore God’s people today need not fear the same thing happening we should remember the words of Paul, ‘for this reason there are many sickly among you, and many sleep’ (1Co 11:30). God may not act in such a devastating way now as He did then, but He still does punish those who are careless about their behaviour, especially when it affects the wellbeing of the people of God. Much might be explained if we knew the hearts of men.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 5:5. And Ananias hearing these words, &c. This severity was not only righteous, considering that complication of vain glory and covetousness, of fraud and impiety, which the action contained; but was wise and gracious, both as it served to vindicate the honour of the blessed Spirit, so notoriously affronted by this attempt to impose on those, who had been so lately and eminently anointed by his extraordinary effusion; and farther, as it tended most effectually to deter any dishonestpersons from joining the Christians, merely for the sake of a present alms, to which, by a fraud like this, many might on easy terms have purchased a pretence, who would also, no doubt, have proved a great scandal to a profession taken up on such infamous motives. (Comp. Act 5:13.) This likewise was a very convincing attestation of the apostles’ most upright conduct in the management of the sums with which they were entrusted, and indeed of their divine missionin general; for none can imagine, that St. Peter would have had the assurance to pronounce, and much less the power to execute, such a sentence as this, if he had been at the same time guilty of a much baser fraud of the like kind, or had been belying the Holy Ghost in the whole of his pretentious to be under his miraculous influence and direction.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Act 5:5-6 . ] as in Act 12:23 ; elsewhere not in the N. T., but in the LXX. and later Greek writers. Comp. Act 20:10 . occurs in the old Greek from Homer onward.
] upon all hearers , namely, of this discussion of Peter with Ananias. For Act 5:6 shows that the whole proceeding took place in the assembled church . The sense in which it falls to be taken at Act 5:11 , in conformity with the context at the close of the narrative, is different. Commonly it is taken here as in Act 5:11 , in which case we should have to say, with de Wette, that the remark was proleptical . But even as such it appears unsuitable and disturbing.
] the younger men in the church, who rose up from their seats ( ), are by the article denoted as a definite class of persons. But seeing that they, unsummoned, perform the business as one devolving of itself upon them, they must be considered as the regular servants of the church , who, in virtue of the church-organization as hitherto developed, were bound to render the manual services required in the ecclesiastical commonwealth, as indeed such ministering hands must, both of themselves and also after the pattern of the synagogue, have been from the outset necessary. See Mosheim, de reb. Christ. ante Const . p. 114. But Neander, de Wette, Rothe, Lechler, and others (see also Walch, Diss. p. 79 f.) doubt this, and think that the summons of the to this business was simply based on the relation of age , by reason of which they were accustomed to serve and were at once ready of their own accord . But precisely in the case of such a miraculous and dreadful death, it is far more natural to assume a more urgent summons to the performance of the immediate burial, founded on the relation of a conscious necessity of service, than to think of people, like automata, acting spontaneously.
] means nothing else than contraxerunt eum . [165] Comp. 1Co 7:29 . We must conceive the stretched out limbs of him who had fallen down, as drawn together , pressed together by the young men, in order that the dead body might be carried out. The usual view: they prepared him for burial (by washing, swathing, etc.), confounds with (Hom. Od. xxiv. 292; Plat. Hipp. Maj. p. 291 D; Diod. Sic. xix. 12; Joseph. Antt. xix. 4. 1; Tob 12:14 ; Sir 38:17 ), and, moreover, introduces into the narrative a mode of proceeding improbable in the case of such a death. Others incorrectly render: they covered him (de Dieu, de Wette); comp. Cant.: involverunt . For both meanings Eur. Troad. 382 has been appealed to, where, however, means: they were not wrapped up, shrouded, by the hands of a wife with garments (in which they wrapped them) in order to be buried. As little is in Lucian. Imag. 7 : to be covered; but: to be pressed together , in contrast to the following ( to flutter in the wind ). The explanation amoverunt (Vulgate, Erasmus, Luther, Beza, and others) is also without precedent of usage.
[165] Comp. Laud.: collexerunt (sic); Castal.: constrinxerunt .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
Ver. 5. Fell down, and gave up ] So did Nightingal, parson of Crondal by Canterbury; who, on a Shrove Sunday, reading to the people the pope’s bull of pardon sent into England by Cardinal Pool, fell suddenly down dead out of the pulpit, and never stirred hand nor foot: witnessed by all the country round about. Philbert Hamlin, martyr, had instructed in the truth a certain priest his host, who afterwards revolted. Hamlin prophesied to him that nevertheless he should die before him. He had no sooner spoke the word, but the priest going out of the prison was slain by two gentlemen who had a quarrel to him. Whereof when Hamlin heard, he affirmed he knew of no such thing; but only spake as God guided his tongue. Whereupon immediately he made an exhortation of the providence of God, which, by the occasion thereof, moved the hearts of many, and converted them to God. Patrick Hamilton, a Scotch martyr, being in the fire, cited and appealed the black friar called Campbell that accused him, to appear before the High God as general Judge of all men, to answer to the innocence of his death between that and a certain day of the next month, which he there named. The friar died immediately before the day came without remorse of conscience, &c. The Judge of the earth keepeth his petty sessions now, letting the law pass upon some few, reserving the rest till the great assizes, 1Ti 5:24 . Some flagitious persons he punisheth here, lest his providence, but not all, lest his patience and promise of a general judgment, should be called in question. (Aug. in Psa 30:1-12 ) Very remarkable was God’s hand upon Mistress Hutchinson (that Jezebel of new England) and her family, all slain (some say burnt) by the Indians. One of her disciples falling into a lie, God smote him in the very act, that he sunk down into a deep swoon. And being by hot waters recovered, and coming to himself, he said, Oh God, thou mightest have struck me dead, as Ananias and Sapphira, for I have maintained a lie. a
And great fear came on all ] God takes some malefactors, and hangs them up in gibbets as it were; that others, warned thereby, may hear, and fear, and do no more so. Alterius perditio tua sit cautio. Cavebis autem si pavebis. Seest thou another suffer shipwreck? look well to thy tackling.
a Mr Weld’s Preface to his Story.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
5 .] The deaths of Ananias and Sapphira were beyond question supernaturally inflicted by Peter, speaking in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the only honest interpretation of the incident. Many, however, and among them even Neander, attempt to account for them on natural grounds, from their horror at detection, and at the solemn words of Peter . But, in addition to all other objections against this (see on , Act 5:9 ), it would make man and wife of the same temperament , which would be very unlikely. We surely need not require any justification for this judicial sentence of the Apostle, filling as he did at this time the highest place in the church, and acting under the immediate prompting of the Holy Spirit. If such, however, be sought, we may remember that this was the first attempt made by Satan to obtain, by hypocrisy, a footing among Christ’s flock: and that however, for wise reasons, this may since then have been permitted, it was absolutely necessary in the infancy of the church, that such attempt should be at once, and with severity, defeated. Bengel remarks: ‘Quod gravitati pn in corpore accessit, in anima potuit decedere.’
. . . … ] The can hardly be (Meyer) those present , who (De W.) not only heard , but saw: the remark is proleptical, and = that in Act 5:11 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 5:5 . , “as he heard these words” = , so Weiss, Blass, Rendall. : only found here, in Act 5:10 of Sapphira, and Act 12:23 of the death of Herod, in the N.T.; not found in classical writers, and only twice in the LXX, Jdg 4:21 where A reads it to describe the death of Sisera, but = a Hebrew word which may only mean to faint, to faint away; Eze 21:7 (12) where it translates a Hebrew word meaning to be faint-hearted, to despond, to be dim. But as Blass points out it is used by Hippocrates; indeed it would seem that its use is almost altogether confined to medical writers (Hobart, Zahn). It is therefore a word which may probably be referred to St. Luke’s employment of medical terms; Hobart, Medical Language of St. Luke , p. 37, for instances of its use not only in Hippocrates but in Galen and Aretaeus (Lumby refers to Acta Andr. et Matth. Apocr. , 19, where the word is also used of men suddenly falling down dead). In classical Greek ( ), or . absolutely is the term employed. There can be no doubt that the narrative implies the closest connection between the guilt of Ananias and his sudden death. It therefore cannot be regarded as a narrative of a chance occurrence or of the effect of a sudden shock caused by the discovery of guilt in St. Peter’s words. No one has shown more clearly than Baur ( Paulus , i., 27 33, especially against Neander) that all such explanations are unsatisfactory (see also Zeller and De Wette). In the early history of the Church, Origen, Tract. ix. in Matt. , had espoused the view that Ananias had died overcome by shame and grief at the sudden detection of his sin. But no such explanation could account for the death of Sapphira which Peter foretells as about to follow without delay. That the narrative is not without historical foundation is frankly admitted by Wendt, and also by Baur, Zeller, Overbeck, and most recently by Weizscker, Holtzmann, Spitta. But this stern condemnation of any attempt to lie unto God is a stumbling-block even to those who with Wendt recognise not only some historical fact underlying the narrative, but also the danger and culpability of the action of Ananias and his wife. It may however be justly observed that our Lord Himself had condemned no sin so severely as that of hypocrisy, and that the action of Ananias and Sapphira was hypocrisy of the worst kind, in that they sought by false pretences to gain a reputation like the Pharisees for special sanctity and charity; the hypocrisy of the leaven of the Pharisees had entered the Church (Baumgarten), and if such a spirit had once gained ground in the Christian community, it must have destroyed all mutual affection and all brotherly kindness, for how could men speak the truth, every one with his neighbour, unless their love was without hypocrisy? Rom 12:9 ; how could they claim to be citizens of a city, into which none could enter who “made a lie”? Rev 21:27 ; Rev 22:15 . The sin before us was not one sin but many (Chrys., Hom. , xii., on Act 5:9 ), and in its deliberateness it came perilously near that sin against the Holy Ghost which, whatever else it may mean, certainly means a wilful hardening against divine guidance. For further considerations on the necessity of this unhesitating condemnation of such a sin at the outset of the life of the Church, see St. Chrysostom’s remarks. We must guard against supposing that St. Peter had imprecated the death-penalty upon Ananias (as Porphyry asserted, see against such a view, Jerome, Epist. , 130). St. Jerome speaks of Ananias and Sapphira as not only deceitful, but also as timid stewards, keeping back a part of the price “through fear of famine which true faith never fears”. On his judgment that the avenging stroke was inflicted, not in cruelty to them, but as a warning to others, see below. . . ., i.e. , upon all who were present, as distinct from Act 5:11 but see Page’s note. Overbeck, with De Wette, regards the remark as proleptical, as if the writer hurried to describe the impression made but why should the words not include the judgment uttered by St. Peter? for the construction see Luk 1:65 ; Luk 4:36 . On the characteristic reference to as following upon the exhibition of divine miraculous power both in St. Luke’s Gospel and the Acts, see Friedrich, Das Lucasevangelium , p. 77, and above on Act 2:43 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
And = Now, or But.
words. App-121.
gave up tho ghost = expired. Only here, Act 5:10; Act 12:23. A medical word. Compare ekpneo. Mar 15:37.
great fear. Compare “great grace”, “great power”, in Act 4:33.
on = upon. App-104.
these things. The texts omit.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
5.] The deaths of Ananias and Sapphira were beyond question supernaturally inflicted by Peter, speaking in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the only honest interpretation of the incident. Many, however, and among them even Neander, attempt to account for them on natural grounds,-from their horror at detection, and at the solemn words of Peter. But, in addition to all other objections against this (see on , Act 5:9),-it would make man and wife of the same temperament, which would be very unlikely. We surely need not require any justification for this judicial sentence of the Apostle, filling as he did at this time the highest place in the church, and acting under the immediate prompting of the Holy Spirit. If such, however, be sought, we may remember that this was the first attempt made by Satan to obtain, by hypocrisy, a footing among Christs flock: and that however, for wise reasons, this may since then have been permitted, it was absolutely necessary in the infancy of the church, that such attempt should be at once, and with severity, defeated. Bengel remarks: Quod gravitati pn in corpore accessit, in anima potuit decedere.
. . . …] The can hardly be (Meyer) those present, who (De W.) not only heard, but saw: the remark is proleptical, and = that in Act 5:11.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 5:5. , having fallen down) The terror of Ananias is a specimen of the terror wherewith the ungodly shall be struck in the judgment, without being bereft of life, as he was.-, was deprived of life, gave up the ghost) By this verb a miserable death is denoted; Act 5:10; ch. Act 12:23, Herod; Jdg 4:21, Sisera, (in the Alex. MS. of LXX., , for ). You may ask why so heavy a punishment and so sudden a death was inflicted at this time of the New Testament, which was so full of grace? Comp. 9:55, 56, where Jesus rebukes John for desiring fire from heaven, The Son of man is come not to destroy mens lives, but to save them. The answer is, I. The disciples of their own accord had demanded fire to fall on the Samaritans: whereas in this case the Holy Spirit directs Peter. II. Jesus, in His then existing state of humiliation, had been unknown to the Samaritans, and was afterwards to be preached to them: Ananias and Sapphira had most evidently known the glory of Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit, and had had most abundant means of salvation afforded to them. III. Ananias and Sapphira sinned most heinously, most unscrupulously, and by mutual consent, and suddenly filled up the full measure of their sin. IV. At the beginning of that dispensation, a salutary example was given in their case to many, and fear was the result of it. V. What was added to the severity of the punishment in respect to the body, may have been taken off from it in respect to the soul.-, fear) Counteracting the force of the very bad example.- , them who heard) Not merely upon those who saw what was done. So in Act 5:11.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
hearing: Act 5:10, Act 5:11, Act 13:11, Num 16:26-33, 2Ki 1:10-14, 2Ki 2:24, Jer 5:14, 1Co 4:21, 2Co 10:2-6, 2Co 13:2, 2Co 13:10, Rev 11:5
great: Act 5:11, Act 5:13, Act 2:43, Lev 10:3, Num 16:34, Num 17:12, Num 17:13, Deu 13:11, Deu 21:21, Jos 22:20, 1Sa 6:19-21, 1Ch 13:12, 1Ch 15:13, Psa 64:9, Psa 119:120, 2Co 7:11, Rev 11:13
Reciprocal: Gen 25:8 – gave Exo 19:22 – break Exo 30:20 – die not Lev 10:2 – they died 1Sa 28:19 – and to morrow 2Ki 5:27 – leprosy Pro 21:11 – the scorner Ecc 7:17 – why Eze 11:13 – when Luk 1:65 – fear Luk 7:16 – a fear Act 19:17 – and fear Gal 5:12 – cut 1Ti 5:20 – that others 1Ti 6:9 – which Rev 11:11 – great
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Act 5:5. Hearing these words. Even a human court of justice does not sentence and execute a prisoner without first informing him of the crime laid against him. Hence it was just for Ananias first to hear the accusation he was under, after which he was stricken with immediate death. Great fear means that a profound feeling of awe came over all the people by the mighty demonstration of the Lord’s wrath against sin. Peter never as much as touched Ananias, yet at his words of denunciation of the shameful attempt to deceive the Lord, he fell down dead as if by a stroke of lightning. The crowd was thus made to know that the Lord had sent the punishment.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 5:5. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost. In considering the questions which cluster round this terrible death scene, we must put aside all such interpretations which ascribe the death to what is termed natural causes. It was no stroke of apoplexy, the result of sudden terror and amazement. It was occasioned by no shock to the nervous system; for even if the supposition could be entertained in the case of Ananias, it would at once break down when the circumstances attending the death of Sapphira were examined into. In both instances the end must be regarded as a direct Divine interposition, by which a speedy and terrible punishment was inflicted; and the same God who revealed to Peter the secret sin, enabling him to read the hearts of the two unhappy ones, now directed him to pronounce words which, in the case of Ananias, were immediately followed by deathwhich, in the case of Sapphira, were an awful prediction derived from the inspiration of the Spirit, that, as she too had committed a like deadly sin and persevered in it, her own death was at hand.
Much bitter criticism has been wasted on this gloomy incident from the days of Porphyry, sixteen centuries ago, to our time; the judgment pronounced and executed upon the unhappy pair has been condemned, now as a needless cruelty on the part of Peter, now as an inexplicable act of Divine revenge: the obligation to defend it has been stigmatized as one of the saddest duties of an apologist (comp. De Wette, Erklarung der Apostelgeschichte, pp. 69-71, 4th ed.; S. Jerome, Reply to Porphyry, epist. 97). Wordsworth observes how, on the first promulgation of Gods laws, any breach of them has been generally punished in a signal and awful manner, for the sake of example and prevention of sin, and for punishment of sin. So it was now in the case of Ananias on the first effusion of the Holy Spirit, and at the first preaching of the gospel. So it was in the case of Uzzah touching the ark when about to be placed on Mount Zion (2Sa 4:6-12). So it was in the case of the man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath day, at the first publication of the Decalogue (Num 15:32-36).
Had not Ananias and Sapphira been cut off from the congregation, had their gifts been accepted, and they as saints been admitted with respect and admiration into the congregation, a new spirit would have crept into the little Church. As the real history of the transaction began to be whispered abroad, a new-born distrust in the Holy Ghost, who had allowed the apostles to be so deceived, would have sprung up. The advantage of serving two mastersthe world and Christwould have dawned on the mind of many a believer as a possibility. The first fervour of the new-born faith would have become dulled, and that mighty strength in weakness we wonder at and admire with such ungrudging admiration in the Church of the first days would rapidly have become enervated, would in the end have withered away; and the little community itself might well have faded and perished, and made no sign, had not the glorious Arm been stretched out in mercy to the righteous and the guilty.
Now, did the punishment end here? Swept out of life, leaving behind them a name of shame, was this the close? Could the All-merciful take them to His home? or, fearful thought, was the death for eternity as well as for time? Such a question, perhaps, anywhere but in this solitary instance, when death was in a peculiar manner the judgment of the Almighty, would be presumptuous and worse than useless. Theologians have given varied opinions here. One, perhaps the greatest who ever lived, replies to the question, it seems, with words of great truth and beauty, arguing against the charge of extreme severity so often urged against the Almighty Head of that little Church. Augustine quotes St. Pauls words concerning offenders in the Corinthian Church, many of whom he said were weak and sickly, and many sleep, that is, die, thus chastened by the scourge of the Lord, that they may escape being condemned with the world. And something of this kind happened, said Augustine, to this man and his wife: they were chastened with death that they might not be punished eternally. We must believe after this life God will have spared them, for great is His mercy. One well worthy of being heard has echoed Augustines words in our own day: Will these two be shut out of heaven? We may hope even these may come in, though perhaps with bowed heads.
Ana great fear came on all them that heard these things. The great fear refers only to the first death, that of Ananias. It does not relate, as De Wette and Alford urge, to that general feeling of awe which came not only over the Church, but affected also many who were outside its pale. This statement simply speaks of the solemn feeling excited in the assembly of the faithful, where we know the judgment of God fell upon Ananias.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. The justice of the punishment inflicted upon Ananias for his sin; he is struck dead upon the spot for his sacrilege, covetousness, hypocrisy and lying: Doubtless it was a very heinous sin which God so severely punished, and it was the first sin of this kind under the New Testament. This was the first consecration of goods that ever was made unto Christ our Lord, after he was exalted at the right hand of God in heaven; and this was the first sacrilege: The first sin of this kind, and therefore the first persons that were found guilty of it met with this severity, in terrorem, to make all others afraid of it. The first transgressors in any kind have been made public examples. Thus the angels befoe the Jewish church; Nadab and Abihu at the beginning of the Jewish church; and here Ananias and Sapphira, at the beginning of the Christian church.
Observe, 2. How Sapphira, the wife’s, subjection to her husband, doth not excuse her from partaking in his sin, nor exempt her from the severity of the punishment.
God’s authority in commanding or forbidding, must be first observed and obeyed, otherwise we put the creature in God’s place, debase him and set up and idol, which the jealousy and holiness of God will never endure.
Observe, 3. How the same sin meets with the same punishment. Husband and wife had here agreed both what to do and what to say, and they that sinned together suffered together.
God is no respector of persons, male and female, Jew or Gentile, prince or subject, husband or wife; the soul that sinneth, it shall die; Then fell she down straightaway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost, Act 5:10.
Observe, 4. That this miraculous way of punishing offenders with immediate death by the apostles, was not common: This is the only instance in the New Testament of so severe a punishment inflicted by the mouth of the apostles for any sin whatsoever; and it seems accommodated and suited to that particular time, in which magistrates were so far from defending the church, that they furthered the persecution, and endeavoured the extirpation of it.
Observe lastly, The effect which this tremendous miracle had upon the whole church; it awfully affected them with fear and trembling; Great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
God’s extraordinary providences, either judgments or mercies, towards ourselves or towards others, ought to affect us with holy fear, and that fear which works righteousness, When his judgments are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness; Isa 26:9 that is, they ought to do so, and, if ever they will do it, they will do it then: Judgments work fear, and fear works righteousness.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Act 5:5-6. And Ananias, hearing these words While the sound of them was yet in his ears; fell down and gave up the ghost , expired. It does not appear whether Peter designed or expected this event to follow upon what he said, though it seems probable, from the sentence he denounced on Sapphira, (Act 5:9,) that he did. It is likely that Ananiass own conscience smote him with such horror and amazement at the sight of his guilt, that he sunk down and died at the sense of it. Or, perhaps, he was struck by an angel, as Herod was, Act 12:23. This punishment of his sin may seem severe, but we are sure it was just, considering that complication of vain glory and covetousness, of fraud and impiety, which, as several writers have proved, his action contained. It was also wise and gracious, being designed, 1st, To vindicate the honour of the Holy Spirit, lately poured out, in order to the erecting of Christs kingdom, and now grossly affronted by an attempt to impose on those who were so eminently endued with his influence. 2d, To deter others from such presumptuous conduct, now at the beginning of this new and divine dispensation. Simon Magus afterward was not thus punished, nor Elymas; but Ananias was made an example now at first, that, with the evident proofs given, what a blessed thing it was to receive the Holy Spirit, there might be also sensible proofs afforded of the awful consequences of resisting or doing despite to the Spirit. Thus the worshipping of the golden calf, and the violation of the sabbath day, were severely punished among the Israelites, when the law of Moses was newly given; as also the offering of strange fire by Nadab and Abihu, and the mutiny of Korah and his company, when the authority of Moses and Aaron was lately established. Add to this, that by this punishment of Ananias and Sapphira, hypocrites and dishonest persons were deterred from joining the Christians, merely for the sake of a present alms, or any temporal advantage, to which, by a fraud like this, many might, on easy terms, have purchased a pretence, who would also, no doubt, have proved a great scandal to a profession taken up on such base motives. This likewise was a very convincing attestation of the apostles most upright conduct in the management of the sums with which they were intrusted, and indeed, in general, of their divine mission; for none can imagine that Peter would have had the assurance to speak as he did to Ananias, and much less would such an awful sanction have been given to his words, if he had been, at the same time, guilty of a much baser fraud of the like kind, or had been belying the Holy Ghost, in the whole of his pretensions to be under his miraculous influence and direction. And great fear came on all that heard these things That heard what Peter said, and saw what followed: or upon all that heard the story of it: for, doubtless, it was much spoken of in the city. See on Act 5:11. And the young men Some, probably, appointed in the church to the office of burying the dead; or some that attended on the apostles, perceiving there was no room to hope for the recovery of one who was struck dead by such an immediate act of the divine power; bound him up, and carried him out to burial Without any further circumstance of mourning or delay.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
5. The exposure of Ananias was very surprising, but neither the audience, nor perhaps Peter, was prepared by it for the event which immediately followed. (5) “And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and expired. And great fear came upon all who heard these things.” There is no evidence that Peter had any will of his own in this matter; but it was an act of divine power exerted independent of the apostolic agency. The responsibility, therefore, attached not to Peter as an officer of the Church, but to God as the moral governor of the world. The propriety of the deed may be appreciated best by supposing that Ananias had succeeded in his undertaking. His success would not only have turned the most praiseworthy feature of the new Church into a source of corruption and hypocrisy, but it would have brought discredit upon the inspiration of the apostles, by showing that the Spirit within them could be deceived. Thus the whole fabric of apostolic authority, which was based upon their inspiration, would have fallen, and precipitated the entire cause into hopeless ruin. The attempt, therefore, presented a crisis of vital importance, and demanded some such vindication of their inspiration as could neither be mistaken nor forgotten. The immediate effect of the event was just the effect desired: “great fear came upon all who heard these things.”
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Peter identified Ananias’ sin, but God judged it (cf. Mat 16:19). Luke did not record exactly how Ananias died even though he was a physician. His interest was solely in pointing out that he did die immediately because of his sin. The Greek word ekpsycho ("breathed his last") occurs in the New Testament here and only where God strikes someone in judgment (Act 5:10; Act 12:23; cf. Jdg 4:21, LXX, where Sisera was the victim). Ananias’ sin resulted in premature physical death. It was a sin unto death (cf. 1Jn 5:16; 1Co 11:30).
We should not interpret the fact that God rarely deals with sinners this way as evidence that He cannot or should not. He does not out of mercy. He dealt with Ananias and Sapphira, Achan, Nadab and Abihu, and others severely when He began to deal with various groups of believers. He did so for those who would follow in the train of those judged to illustrate how important it is for God’s people to be holy (cf. 1Co 10:6). Furthermore God always deals more severely with those who have greater privilege and responsibility (cf. Luk 12:48; 1Pe 4:17).