Commentary by Ron Beckham

Verse 1.  "But a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,"

An innocent act – apparently.  And it may well have started out that way, but at some point, a very dangerous decision was made.  James points out there is a progression in sin.  "Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death" (James 1:14-16).  We should run away from ALL temptation (as did Joseph in Genesis 40:12 & context), because it will grow into sin, and then literally kill us (though we may walk around for awhile, after we are "dead").

Ananias and Sapphira wanted to seem to be something when they were not.   Some teachers have concluded that the sin in these people was in not giving ENOUGH to the church - Not true.  The sin was in PRETENDING to give ALL, when they only gave PART.  They were hypocrites. They saw others (such as Barnabas in Acts 4:36-37) give it all, and then heard people "ooh" and "aah" over such behavior, with comments like - "Isn’t he SPIRITUAL?"  They wanted some "oohs" and "aahs" too.  When we want OTHERS to look at US – watch out – we are headed for sin and ultimately - death!

Verse 2.  "and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife's full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles' feet."

Their sin was not in the selling of a piece of land for the money.  The sin was unbelief.  God "looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7) and those who have faith in Him, come to understand that He knows everything about us.  The reference was Samuel’s difficulty in deciding which boy should be anointed as king.   Samuel preferred Eliab, because of his "height", and Jesse did not even bring in his son David at first (verse 11), because he was the "youngest."   Our mere human perceptions are simply - insufficient.

Sometimes we give adequately in the service of God, and sometimes not.  True giving is from the heart, when the Holy Spirit leads us.  "Belief" in God, accompanies an understanding that I can never be worthy of Him (or do enough for Him), except in the grace given through His Son, Jesus Christ.  If I give none, or little, or much, or all – How much I give is less important than the honesty (or lack of it) in what is given.  Ananias gave something, not to bring glory to God, but to glorify himself.  This kind of sin is rampant in our midst today.

Verse 3.  "But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?"

In this verse we again see a truth presented often in Scripture – God knows everything about you and about me.  Ananias and Sapphira may well have given, proportionately, much more than you or I would consider necessary; but they lied to the Holy Spirit of God.  We are constantly given CONTRASTS in Scripture.  David is compared to Saul, Jacob to Esau, Moses to Pharoah (Romans 9), and Peter to Judas Iscariot.  The counterfeit is often very religious, and it is in these contrasts we see what it means to trust in God (or not).  And we see ourselves, in relation to these comparisons in Scripture.

Jesus cautioned us to "not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them; otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven" (Matthew 6:1).  He did not say this to "spoil our fun in giving" but to 1) protect us from what happened to Ananias and Sapphira, & 2) to give us something infinitely more than the praise of people.  Same with prayer (Matthew 6:5), with teaching, wisdom, knowledge --- as much as possible, give your life to the praise of God (and not to the fleeting adulation of people).

Speaking of "knowledge", note that Peter utilizes the "gift of knowledge" here, that we previously studied in 1^st Corinthians 12.   God not only knows everything about you, but He also shares that information with those in the body of Christ who have the gift of knowledge.  Our acts, our motives – everything is KNOWN, and therefore it is time we simply own up to what we really are.  We are little children, dressed up as adults; sinners saved by the grace of God.

Verse 4.  "While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own?  And after it was sold, was it not under your control?  Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart?  You have not lied to men but to God."

From one standpoint, our property is OURS.  We own it, and often have deeds that prove our ownership.  From another vantage point, all belongs to GOD, and our "ownership" is more like a "lease" – we are just given the USE of things for a time.  This property was in the name of Ananias and Sapphira – It was THEIRS.  Peter is very clearly saying it belonged to them, to do with as they wanted.  They had the right to sell it, and then they had the right to KEEP the money, if that is what they wanted.  They could keep PART of the money, if that pleased them.  All they did was give PART, and then PRETEND (intimate) that the whole was given.  They wanted to receive the praise of men.  They lied to the Holy Spirit of God.

A part of us looks for authentication by other people.  It does no good to anyone that we praise one another for the gifts we may think we have; for it is GOD who gives the gift.  The most dangerous temptation of all (because it seems so "good" to us), is that we want to DO something in life that has "purpose" and "meaning."  We want our lives to be WORTH something.  This is a big problem, for it is HUMAN values we are using to measure ourselves (and others).  Only God can make something worthwhile out of our lives, and we must look to Him.  We must be honest about who and what we are.

Verse 5.  "And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it."

Romans 6:23 is a verse we know, but it is well to look at it right now:  "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."   What befell Ananias is ample evidence that Romans 6:23 is true – sin is a killer and we can die from untruth.

Is this scary?  It certainly is, and the contemporaries of Ananias experienced a "great fear" at these events.  Jesus is "the truth" (John 14:6) and He expects us to be true in every way.  To the extent we are not, we must look to God and confess our sin.  "If I tell the truth, they won’t LIKE me," we lament. "If I tell the truth, I will hurt their feelings" we groan.  "If I tell the truth, I might go to jail" another says.  And all that may well happen.

The Holy Spirit prompted Paul to warn us that we must be "speaking the truth in love," but He NEVER prompts us to do the difficult or the impossible – alone; for He is with us.

By the way, go look at Ephesians 4:14, for in this verse, where we are to speak truth "in love," it also teaches that truth in love is the way to "grow up" in Him.  Verse 16 continues the thought:  truth is the pathway to growth in the body "for the edifying of itself in love."  Why is there so much division in the body of Christ?  Partly because we are not honest with ourselves, with one another, and with the Holy Spirit of God.

Verse 6.  "And the young men arose and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him."

Ananias was dead (in more ways than one).  But death does not have to be the end; it is actually more like the beginning, for those who love our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Ananias likely had a problem in that very area, for his actual intent was to glorify himself.

Since we have been in Ephesians 4 (see Acts 1:5), we should continue there for awhile - for it offers an excellent argument that we are to "put off the old man" (Ephesians 4:22, which is to say "reckon the old man dead") and "put on the new" (4:24), created in "holiness."  Within the concluding verses of that chapter, Paul includes in this process that we are to "put away lying," "labor with (our) hands," and so on – We are to be "kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you" (4:32).

There is a GOOD kind of dying, in Christ, where we let our sinful lives die, that we might come alive to goodness, justice, fidelity, and honesty in Him.  He offers wholesomeness in the Spirit of God, which is to say new life in Him.  The person, like Ananias, who just wants adulation from others because of his religion, is only fit for death, after which he is to be covered up, taken out, and buried.  Ananias knew NOTHING of new life in Christ.

By the way, J. Vernon McGee commented "If those who lied to God in our churches were to drop down dead, we would have a lot of funerals."  Very dangerous for us all, when we consider that the "wages of sin IS death."

Verse 7-8.  "Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.  And Peter responded to her, ‘Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?’  And she said, ‘Yes, that was the price.’"

Now, as stated, "the wages of sin is" indeed "death," but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).  Notice the opportunity that is extended to Sapphira.  Another way of handling this might have been, when she came in, to demand, "You lied about selling land for such and such a price, didn’t you?"  But no, Peter, as prompted by the Holy Spirit, extended the opportunity that she might tell the truth.  She did not tell the truth, by her own choice.

This is so important – God is continually offering us the time to acknowledge that we are sinners, in need of His grace.  And Sapphira, the person, is important for the Church, for she reveals to us, not only our opportunity to be honest with Him, but also our duty to be honest, for the sake of those around us.  If WE lie to one another (and to the Holy Spirit), others will know we have lied, and they may be drawn to sin also, as a result of our lapse in honesty.  The stakes are high and it affects us all.

Verse 9.  "Then Peter said to her, ‘Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test?  Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.’"

There must come a time when we no longer put the Lord to the test.  To rest content in Him, is to have true faith, and this is a continuous message in Scripture – Trust in Him.  Israel was commanded to "not tempt (test) the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 6:16).  And one of Satan’s most consistent lies is here.  He’ll intimate to us "take that drink" or do this or that (which we should not do), and he’ll have "good" reasons why we should.   But remember Jesus, when Satan tempted Him to jump from the Temple.  Our Lord quoted this Scripture (Deuteronomy 6:16) in response, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God" (Matthew 4:7).

Jesus said "Come unto Me" and the result will be "I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).  All too often we come to our worries instead of to Him, and we find depression, and then, much like Ananias and Sapphira, a death of the soul.  When I was as a teenager, I slept like a baby, and then I felt utterly rested.  I will never be a teenager again, but I now find that rest again – In Him.

 

The more profound and subtle death we receive from sin is the death of the soul, which allows us to walk around and be animated, but dead as a door-nail to God.  The Lord very carefully warned Adam and Eve (literal people – our earliest true ancestors), that "in the day that you eat of it (the tree of knowledge of good and evil) you shall surely die."  After a period of temptation, they gave in and ate.   Now, it’s not clear how long Eve remained "alive" after that incident, but she was around long enough to have a number of "sons and daughters" (Genesis 5:4).  Adam was here for 930 years (Genesis 5:3-4).   They breathed and bred but were not "alive" for they became severed from personal relationship with God.

To have life is to know God.  Sapphira was "dead" long before she "breathed her last."

Verse 11.  "And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things."

Psalm 111:10 --- "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

A lot of people mumble a few words, something about being "saved," and/or they go to Church sometimes, and that’s it; they’re OK now!  But these verses throw something of a scare into us.  Who are we – really?   We may give ten bucks in the offering plate, and glance around, hoping someone will notice how "good" we were.

At the same time, there’s someone in the next pew, with a very sad look on their face.  We look away quickly (gotta’ get home to the football game) and smile at the pastor (after we beat a couple of others to the line at the door).  "Great sermon, Reverend," and you’re out of there!  (The person in the other pew is forgotten – and the two hundred bucks is still safe in your wallet!).

1 Corinthians 13:5, is important because we are asked there to "examine" ourselves.  Why should we do that?  An answer is right here in these verses – because we often seem to be one thing, but we really are something else (even fooling ourselves).  God will not let hypocrites remain in that condition forever.   We should be moved with holy fear to examine ourselves and become what God has intentioned us to be.

Verse 12.  "And at the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's portico."

Solomon’s "portico" or porch, was an adjunct to the Temple in Jerusalem, and was the place (Acts 3:11) where the people ran to see the formerly lame man, who had been healed through Peter and John.  It appears to have been a regular meeting place, where the apostles taught.  The place must have been filled with Christians, because they were the only people around who "were all with one accord".

"Many signs and wonders were taking place."  I continue to wonder, where are the signs and wonders today?  One solution may be that such events were for the early church and not for us at all.  Actually, there are wonders occurring and I can personally testify to some, but I still wonder about the magnitude of the signs and wonders in the early church.

There is another ANSWER, right here is this verse: they "were all with one accord."  That we are NOT of one accord, dramatically reduces the possibility of the signs and wonders WE will experience.  I do not know to what extent God will move among us today, but I do know that self-absorption is the opposite of faith (and faith reaches out in love) and selfishness will quench the miraculous in our midst.   Let us examine ourselves before God and then reach out to our brother in love.

Verse 13.  "But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem."

This is our problem in the world and in the Church.  We often highly esteem those we perceive as religious.  We are especially impressed with great men of prayer (the ones who get answers).  Notable warriors in that arena, include Spurgeon and Mueller, who PRAYED and received ANSWERS.  Amazing.  We esteem them highly but often do not join them in a lifetime of prayer.  Why?  Because we rightly assume that we have to practically DIE to what we are, in order to become that kind of person.

Jesus said "all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).  Prayer is the response of love.   Why will "all" know that you are His disciples? – Because love is EVIDENT; it takes us right out of ourselves and makes us DIFFERENT from the selfishness of this world!  If we let the love of God fill us, then we will be CHANGED, and that will be the FIRST and most needed miracle, right here in our midst.

Verse 14.  "And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number,"

But in spite of the lack of daring by the religious leaders and the people (5:13), "believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women" (NKJV).  We have many fears, and we would not come to the Lord (on His terms), without His assistance.  His way is alien to us (WE in our sin are alien to Him Who is pure), for it isn’t climbing a mountain, it’s trusting in Him.   It’s not memorizing and applying philosophical principles, but rather His love, in dying for you and for me.

He is gentle and attractive, and we are drawn by the Touch of His Spirit.  To know the touch of God is to glimpse the peace we have sought, all this time.  Jesus deliberately picked men who were simple, uncomplicated, unlearned – it was obvious their excellence in debate did not come from themselves.  The miracles did not stem from them, either.  God chooses people like US, because we LACK qualities, so others will know it’s not you and me who draws them, but GOD.  (Note, however, as Mark Behrens pointed out, that Paul was a complicated man, and God chose Paul, as well – God’s choices are not limited by some kind of mere "formula" – but the idea is valid – It is God who works through people).

Verse 15.  "to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them."

Note that the shadow of a person does not heal anyone.  A shadow is nothing; God is everything.  Our hands do not heal.  If we lay hands on someone and they are healed, it is not our hands, it is the power of God.  Now, if a 50-pound child suddenly goes up into the air and travels from one room to another, without touching the floor, you aren’t surprised.  That’s because you know children don’t fly and so you look under the child and see he is being carried by his father.

The child cried out, "Carry me, Daddy," and he was carried.  God loves us more than any earthly father, and when we cry out, "Help me, Father," you can rest assured that He will.

The apostles had been sincere but ineffectual, just like you and me.  The Holy Spirit in them was strong and able to heal.  The sick came in droves, because the disciples truly BELIEVED in God, Who answered the need of each one.

Verse 16.  "And also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed."

And healed they were.  The Greek in this verse, strongly suggests REPEATED action.   The sick people kept on coming – repeatedly!  Those who were tormented by unlean spirits had been tormented – often!  "And they were all being healed."  These disciples were changed men and women.  Peter, John, and the others, had been much like US, before the resurrection of Christ, and before the fullness of the Holy Spirit, knocked away human resistance to the power of God in their lives.

They became like we should be – sold out to God.  That’s exactly what we need to do in life, is to become sold out to God.  It’s not that we come to God with preconceived notions about what we should be (or even whether miracles are for today or not), but that we are ABANDONED to Him.  It’s not that we want His power; but that we want HIM; and then we become His conduit, through which the power of God WILL flow.

Verse 17.  "But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy;"

God simply intends to help people, through people.  All are blessed in life, though few recognize His hand of mercy; His touch of love.  Often what He does is nothing "formal" as we would define "formality" in religious acts – it’s just God reaching out to you and to me.  The honesty and purity of His love makes the formalists very angry (as in this verse).  They can’t touch God in their anger, but often in history have shown a tendency to destroy God’s people.  (It would happen today, if it could be done with impunity).

The Greek here conveys jealousy, envy, and particularly strong resentment.  God does their job better than they do, and they don’t like it.

Verse 18.  "and they laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail"

You are not indestructible if you are a Christian.  That is, your body can be harmed, if God has a good purpose in allowing trouble to come to you.  (And His purposes ARE good, because He loves you).  You can be taken, and you can be harmed.   Those who teach that "if we have sufficient faith" no harm can come to us, or we will be rich, or never get sick – just do not understand the whole counsel of God.  YES, God protects us.  YES, He brings us through.  And YES, He responds to our faith in Him.

But He also has a much wider purpose in this world than our theology would often allow.   Here were the apostles, full of faith in God, with hands laid upon them, placed into a common prison, as though they had done something wrong.  In this case they would be delivered, but, set free in this life or not, we are already free in the next, if we simply are IN Christ Jesus.

Verse 19.  "But an angel of the Lord during the night opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said,"

Jesus sets us free.  Whether by an angel, a human, or the "clerical mistake" that released Corrie Ten Boom from prison – Jesus sets us free.   Once released from our prison, which may be a prison of illness, a career gone bad, or any kind of need for release.  When a spouse is gone, it may seem like life is over, but He is taking us into His arms, into Himself.

But remember, our freedom was "bought with a price."  Once released, we belong to Him anew.  In a way, we gain freedom but in another sense, we are bound with Him.  Often, we have only seen the latter – the "bound" part.  But my brother, my sister, we are FREE in Him.

As J. Vernon McGee said about the stone in front of the tomb of Jesus, "The stone wasn’t rolled away to let Jesus out; He was out before the stone was rolled away.   The stone was moved to let those on the outside come in.  The same thing happened here.  The doors did not need to be opened to let the apostles get out.   They were out long before the doors were unlocked."  God can take you through the sea, or right through the walls of a prison.  Our Lord can set us free.

Verse 20.  "Go your way, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life."

Here the apostles are released from the dank prison and then are commanded to go back to the Temple.  That is, they are ordered to go back to the very spot which led them to prison in the first place.

I went through years where I decided to avoid risks.  After years of apparent failure, I decided (unconsciously) to avoid trouble.  It did not work, for God was not only doing a work in MY life, but He also has intentions for those around us, as well.   By "opting out" of life and the risk of failure, I interfered with the will of God in our lives, and only made things worse.  Take the RISK – live for Him.  And be willing to speak of Him, as HE leads.

Remember Jesus, "Who endured the cross, despising the shame…lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls" (Hebrews 12:2-3).

Verse 21.  "And upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach.  Now when the high priest and his associates had come, they called the Council together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison house for them to be brought."

My body may be held for now.  I may be in a disagreeable job or marriage, which seems to go on forever.  I may be in prison, or in a paralyzed body, which is another kind of prison.  But by far the greatest freedom in life, is to SEE that the outward is only temporary –"If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).  And "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5).

As to the religious leaders, God will allow those who choose to be venomous, pompous asses, to become embarrassed.  At the very moment these proud leaders were sending to have the apostles brought out of prison, our guys were already busy, teaching again at the Temple.  The little birds were out of the snare, and there is no trap which can continue to hold those who are in Christ.

Verse 22-23.  "But the officers who came did not find them in the prison; and they returned and reported back, "saying, ‘We found the prison house locked quite securely and the guards standing at the doors; but when we had opened up, we found no one inside."

The prison was secure, the guards were at the door, but no one was inside!  So it is with us in Christ Jesus.  The enemy has locked us into circumstances that offer no escape (from a human perspective).  He (the enemy) is at our door, which is locked securely.  But we are not inside:  We are safe in Him, in Christ Jesus.

How often have demons reported to Satan about us, "Indeed we found the prison shut… and the guards… before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside"?  The answer is – often!  We have been released from many prisons created by the enemy (we tend to help build the walls of our own prisons).   BUT WE ARE NOT THERE, for we are in Christ, and we are safe indeed.

Verse 24.  "Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this."

There are many surprises in store for people, especially (as in this verse) for those who do not know the Lord.  To the extent we believe, really trust in Him, we expect God to deliver us, to do – the miraculous in our lives.  These men were perplexed, because they did not believe.

If we only knew even a part of the traps which are set for us (and then we go free), we would rejoice all the time!  We normally do not see the supernatural; we only see a portion of the intentions of people, for that matter, so we do not know.  But know this, there is an enemy who hates all mankind and would destroy us.  But also there is Christ, Who died for us, and has set us free.

Verse 25.  "But someone came and reported to them, "Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!"

Here was an even greater surprise.  Not only were they loose, but here they were, back in the Temple, teaching again!  You cannot stop God.  Now, you can stop men and women, but only as God allows.  You might be a diabetic, or have emphysema, or be in prison, and think, "My life is over; all is lost."  But it is not.   When I was in my early 30’s, I was ready to serve God, after years of running away.

I was ready, I thought, but He (God) was not ready at that time.  Now, I am in my 60’s, and after years of waiting, He is ready, but (secretly – I’ll tell you a secret) I am not so sure anymore, because I am "old").  But I will "go" because He knows what He is doing (even when I don’t).  The prison door will open for us, if not in this place, then in the next.  Will we go to the "Temple" (whatever  the place of service might be in our lives) and do as He commands?

Verse 26.  "Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for they were afraid of the people, lest they should be stoned)."

People will see the true work of God that is in you (as they saw Him in the apostles), and the officers were reasonably afraid they might be stoned, for the people of that time and place saw God in them. When we reject God (and we do, in many areas of our lives), we become afraid.  When I trust in God, I recognize nothing can happen to me, except God allows it for some better purpose in the lives of men (1 John 4:18).  He loves you and me.

Notice there was no violence, because God was in charge of all these events.  The events of our lives are like a winding river, filled with twists and bends and rapids, but it is secure for us, for God has created the river and the places in which it flows.   We can be taken by the "officers" of one trouble or another, but we are protected, for our God is with us.

Verse 27.  "And when they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. And the high priest questioned them,"

Now, the High Priest of all Israel was about to ask them a question, but notice it will not be the right question.  That is, the very first question I would ask, is "How did you get out of prison?"  I mean, they must have been "dying" to know what happened.  Why did they not ask? – Because they were afraid of the answer.

When I honestly look back at my life, I reasonably see many circumstances where I could not have continued, except God delivered me.  Yet, for a long time, I did not recognize Him as my Deliverer.  Why? – Because to honestly recognize Him (as for the priests to honestly recognize that God delivered these men), is to acknowledge my need of Him.

Verse 28.  "saying, ‘We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us"

Look at the anger of the men in this statement.  It is obvious in this verse that they were beginning to feel some conviction about the death of Jesus.  By denying their guilt in that manner, they were showing that they were guilty.  There was a legislator on the radio, the other day, and her responses were very much the same as those of this high priest.

Her vituperative "answers" were actually attacks directed at a questioner, who wanted to know when an unborn child becomes a person in her opinion, and thereby acquires protection as a citizen, under the law.  She viewed the questions as an "attack on women" and obviously did not wish to even think about the possibility that "unborns" are people.

Unborn children obviously really are people, innocent people, who need to be protected, not killed.  And the men in this verse really were (and still are, unless they turned to the Lord) guilty of murder, in relation to the Son of God.

Verse 29.  "But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’"

What a difference in the apostles!  Before, they were bold at the wrong times, and timid, when they should have been bold.  God had rendered them – completely His.   Oswald Chambers said. "Never choose to be a worker (for God), but when God has put His call on you, woe be to you, if you turn to the right hand or to the left.  He will do with you what He never did before the call came; He will do with you what He is not doing with other people.  Let Him have His way."

These men were now right on target with God.  We are commanded to obey civil authority, even when doing so, places us at risk, with one exception.  As J. Vernon McGee said, "except when it (the command of civil authority) comes in conflict with the commandment of God."  Then, "We must obey God rather than men."

Verse 30.  "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross."

The Holy Spirit of God, through Peter and the others, was directly accusing these religious officials of the murder of Jesus Christ.  He did not let up on them, and we do not get off the hook, either, until we accept the forgiveness which is in God the Son.   If we reject Him, we are guilty of His blood – For He died to save us.   There is no other reason for His death, except that He died for our sins.   When we reject Him, we pronounce His sacrifice to be of no value in our lives, and remain guilty of His death.  We decide His death for our sins has no meaning to us, and therefore we remain responsible for that death, in no lesser degree than this high priest, who also was guilty (as charged).

Verse 31.  "He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."

This Jesus, Who died such an ignoble death, is alive, for the Father raised Him, after we killed Him.  Whether we receive Him or not, He is at the Right Hand of the Father, as Prince and Savior, praying for you, and extending the offer of forgiveness to you.   In His death, we are given a true opportunity for repentance, for there is authentic forgiveness offered in Him.

Now, this was offered to the people of Israel, as stated in this verse, and this is good news for any Jewish person.  The bad news is that most of Israel has rejected their King.  But wait, there is even more good news (in two parts), for as Paul has stated in Romans 11, the failure of Israel 1) has allowed the Gentiles to be saved, and 2) the failure is only temporary – Israel will turn to the Lord.

Verse 32.  "And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."

Remember that in the Law, two witnesses were required in order to gain a conviction, and these disciples were on trial for their lives.  Though, the Holy Spirit, through them was so convicting, that the accusers themselves actually became more like the ones who were on trial.  The apostles were eye- witnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Their testimony is seen in the first letter of the apostle John (1 John 1:1), we "heard" Him, we have "seen" Him, we "looked upon" Him, and "handled" Him, "the Word of life."

Peter was testifying of what he had personally seen and heard – the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The second Witness is the Holy Spirit of God.   He is the one Who prompted Isaiah to prophesy that Messiah would be made (Isaiah 53:10) "an offering for sin" (He would be killed in our place, for our sins).   In the same verse in Isaiah, the Holy Spirit promised Messiah would then "see His seed and shall prolong His days."  Indeed He has, for we are His "seed" and He is ALIVE, at the right Hand of God the Father.

And the Holy Spirit is speaking inside of us, right now, stating, "Yes, all that is true."

Verse 33.  "But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and were intending to slay them."

They (the religious leaders) were "cut to the quick," which is to say, "wounded in the heart."  When we are hurt so deeply by words, that we cannot stand the pain of them, we will probably respond in one of two ways.  We will either listen to what is said, and wonder, "Is it true?"  Or (and more likely in most situations), the person who is hurt will want to kill the one who hurt them.

The religious leaders were at a crossroads, and they could only 1) receive Christ (for He truly is the Son of God, or 2) kill the messenger (the apostles).  They were choosing the latter, which meant the apostles were now in very great danger.  It’s interesting that what we are, is revealed by what we do, in circumstances like these.

Verse 34.  "But a certain Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time."

Gamaliel was the same man who educated the young Pharisee Saul.  This Saul was raised in Tarsus of Cilicia, but was educated in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3), and later came to be known as Paul the Apostle.  Gamaliel, by the way, is consider- ed to be one of the great Rabbans of all time, respected by all Israel.

Note that all the apostles had been put outside for a time, at the order of Gamaliel, and none of them were therefore able to hear and report the following words.  Who did report them?  It’s possible Gamaliel himself later turned to the Lord, and others in that assembly may have done the same.  They would have later told the Christian leaders about these events, and certainly the investigative reporter, Dr. Luke (author of Acts), was told.  Most likely, however, it was Paul, who told Luke about the words of Gamaliel.

Verse 35.  "And he said to them, ‘Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men.’"

We should be watchful about what we do to other people.  We should take care.   We may not commit actual murder, as was intended here, but there is a lot of gossip in our churches, and words can kill the reputation of another person.  Reputation is often more important than life, to the person who has lost his good name.  (But trust in Christ, for what He gives is greater than any temporary loss you might experience).

Verse 36-37.  "For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody; and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him.  But he was slain, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.  After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered."

It’s fascinating that throughout history, men have arisen who claimed they had some kind of relationship with God (but did not).  Gamaliel correctly pointed out that such men and their movements usually die out, after a time.  Often when the leader is killed, the followers will scatter.

Gamaliel’s application was much wider than it seems.  We are so focused on survival, and then when we understand how to do that, we aim for success.  We have ideas about career, marriage, children, fame, a healthy body, friends, and so on.  But none of that will last.  Just like Judas and Theudas in these verses, our human goals, though sometimes noble, die out, unless our goals are based in Christ.  In Him, is a wonderful surprise, for all our losses are merely temporary.  He will give us infinitely more than anything we might ever lose; more than we could ever dream. Just trust in Him.

Verse 38-39.  "And so in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be over- thrown;" but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God."

It is God Who builds and God Who overthrows.

Actually, I’m kind of a "fan" of Gamaliel, for I like his advice.   I also like it that he gave the apostle Paul such a great education.  It is not clear whether or not he ever received the Lord Jesus Christ (I hope he did).   This advice is good for us all, for we tend to be against so much, and for so little.  I still remember that in Nashville, when my son and I got there for his surgery (with only $30.00 left in my pocket), that Christians took us in – for over 30-days!  And they were not "our" denomination, either.  In fact, it was a denomination considered "suspect" by many.  Yet they took us in, asked no questions, gave us their home, let us use the Church van, fed us, and so on.

If those we don’t care for (in whatever religion) are not of the Lord, they will eventually be overthrown by Him.  And I can personally testify that many of those who have a "label" we don’t like, really do belong to Him, after all.  In the latter instance, if we attack them or gossip about them, we are really coming against our Lord.  I recommend that we be FOR Christ, and not worry so much about being against some of those who profess His Name.

Verse 40.  "And they took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak no more in the name of Jesus, and then released them.

They listened to Gamaliel and agreed with him.  Actually, they were inadvertently listening to God, for it was His Will that the apostles would live.  Gamaliel probably thought of himself as the independent thinker of his day, and his contemporaries would have agreed with him.  But it was actually was more like he was playing a part, ordained by God.  The apostles were to live, and in spite of what the religious leaders said, they would continue to speak of Christ.

Notice the apostles had listened to God, they followed Him, and they were beaten (flogged, actually) – God’s will is often not so easy, from an outward perspective.  A reading of Hebrews 11, is interesting in this context, because the chapter is full of men of faith.  And for some of them, the mouths of lions were stopped (11:33), whereas others were sawn in two (11:37).  Yet all who are of faith will be delivered, though for some deliverance will be in eternity, and not in this life.

Verse 41.  "So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name."

What wonderful men (God in them was certainly wonderful).  You can see about every flaw imaginable in them, before the resurrection, and prior to the baptism in the Holy Spirit, but the many shocks they had experienced had turned them into men of God.

They went rejoicing that they could suffer shame for the Name of Christ.   We don’t seek shame (or want it), but whatever comes in life, we should receive with courage, as men and women of God.  When we suffer, for whatever reason, people tend to become unhappy, and try to stop the suffering by any means possible.  Sometimes we bring suffering on ourselves, or God may be allowing a work to be done in us, and others cause us harm, but whatever the cause, protracted suffering is tough.  Our example is here, in this verse, for it is possible to rejoice in this life, even in times of suffering.  To be in the will of Christ, to KNOW you are in His will, even in suffering, to be on a path that leads to JOY.

Verse 42.  "And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."

When I was a boy, and was ordered to stand in the corner for some infraction or another, I recall feeling that inside I was not standing in a corner, even though my body was standing there.  In other words, I had a rebellious attitude, outwardly obeying, even though my heart continued to "fly the black flag of piracy" (a quote from a law book of many years ago).  This is NOT the kind of attitude being portrayed by the apostles.  They had been forced to choose between essentially three wills – God’s will, the religious leaders wishes, and these men had a will of their own.  They chose God.

There are times when we KNOW the will of God, and it becomes a JOY to serve Him.   Life takes on the freshness of the morning, and there is a lightness in all that we do.  But sometimes we are ordered to NOT do, that which we know is RIGHT in the sight of God.  It is then, after MUCH prayer and seeking of God, that we keep on preaching Him, even though we have been ordered to stop.  Corrie Ten Boom’s family is an excellent example of this – the Nazis were killing the Jews and God placed it on the hearts of the Ten Boom family to take Jews into their home and protect them.  What they did was against the law, but it was RIGHT in the sight of God.   After much prayer, they ACTED against law, on behalf of those in need, and within the will of the Lord.

Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org