Peter: “Ananias, why has Satan tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Spirit and by fraud keep back part of the price of the land? …Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God.”
And Ananias hearing these words, fell down and expired. And great fear came upon all who heard it.
About three hours later his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.
Peter to Sapphira: “Tell me, did you sell the land for so much?”
Sapphira: “Yes, for so much.”
Peter to Sapphira: “Why have you agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of those who have buried thy husband are at the door, and they will carry thee out.”
And she fell down immediately at his feet and expired. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard this.
I am fearful of that judgment too! Back in those days being in Jesus’ church meant giving up everything of value, everything! This is the New Testament too; post Jesus; human life preaching love and forgiveness, not harshly applying the letter of the Law.
Confused a bit; but certainly in a spiritual sense there can be none higher than God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit.
Now by the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people… so they carried the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and pallets that, when Peter passed, his shadow at least might fall on some of them… bringing sick and those troubled with unclean spirits, and they were all cured.
…The Party of the Sadducees, and being filled with jealousy seized the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison and led them out, and said:
“Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”
Officers to the Sanhedrin: “The prison indeed we found securely locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but on opening it we found no one inside.”
Someone to the Sanhedrin and the officers: “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”
Then the captain went off with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people lest they should be stoned.
Sanhedrin: “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
Peter and the apostles answered: “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you put to death, hanging him on a tree. Him God exalted with his right hand to be Prince and Savior, to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to all who obey him.”
Gamaliel to the rest of the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do to these men. For some time ago there rose up Theodas, claiming to be somebody… but he was slain, and all his followers were dispersed and he was brought to nothing. After him rose up Judas the Galilean…he was perished, and all his followers were scattered abroad. So I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone. For if this plan or work is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it. Else perhaps you may find yourselves fighting even against God.”
And the Sanhedrin agreed with Gamaliel and calling in the apostles and having them scourged, they charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then let them go…
So the apostles departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And they did not for a single day cease teaching and preaching in the temple and from house to house the good news of Jesus as the Christ.
I think this is the tipping point moment for the Apostles; the opposite of Pandora coming out of the box; the Holy Spirit, through the Disciples coming into the world and never to be contained again!
“Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”
Powerful, all the words of this life… what are the words of my life, your life?
“Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”
Interesting, back in the days when government administration was ‘ministration,’ perhaps ‘mini’ in size… though with problems too!
There arose a murmuring among the Hellenists against the Hebrews that their widows were being neglected in the daily ministration.
The Twelve to the multitude of disciples: “It is not desirable that we should forsake the word of God and serve at tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, that we may put them in charge of the work. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
And the plan met the approval of the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man of faith and of the Holy Spirit and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch.
These they set before the apostles, and after they had prayed they laid their hands upon them. And the word of the Lord continued to spread, and the number of the disciples increased rapidly in Jerusalem: a large number also of the priests accepted the faith.
Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. But there arose some… disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit who spoke. Then they bribed men to say they had heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God.
And they brought forward false witnesses to say:
Then all who sat in the Sanhedrin, gazing upon him, saw his face as though it were the face of an angel.
After they had prayed they laid their hands upon them.
Powerful, and tender—an angel in court, imagine that!
The fear is lessening as I continue to read, understand and grow in Scriptures—The Word of God!
Day 112: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; A Great Fear Came Upon All Who Heard This & Me Too!
Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 5-6.
Bible Notes:
Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome
Acts Chapter 5: Ananias punished for lying; Sapphira, his wife, also dies; Miracles; Apostles arrested and liberated; Apostles again seized; Sanhedrin questions the Apostles; Peter’s answer; Gamaliel defends the Apostles; Apostles scourged and released.
A man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of land and by fraud kept back part of the price of the land, with the connivance of his wife, and bringing a part only, laid it at the feet of the apostles.
Connivance—tacit encouragement or assent (without participation) to wrongdoing by another; the consent by a person to a spouse’s conduct, especially adultery, that is later made the basis of a divorce proceeding or other complaint.
Peter: “Ananias, why has Satan tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Spirit and by fraud keep back part of the price of the land? …Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God.”
And Ananias hearing these words, fell down and expired. And great fear came upon all who heard it.
About three hours later his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.
Peter to Sapphira: “Tell me, did you sell the land for so much?”
Sapphira: “Yes, for so much.”
Peter to Sapphira: “Why have you agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of those who have buried thy husband are at the door, and they will carry thee out.”
And she fell down immediately at his feet and expired. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard this.
Now by the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people… so they carried the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and pallets that, when Peter passed, his shadow at least might fall on some of them… bringing sick and those troubled with unclean spirits, and they were all cured.
…The Party of the Sadducees, and being filled with jealousy seized the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison and led them out, and said:
“Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”
Officers to the Sanhedrin: “The prison indeed we found securely locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but on opening it we found no one inside.”
Someone to the Sanhedrin and the officers: “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”
Then the captain went off with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people lest they should be stoned.
Sanhedrin: “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
Peter and the apostles answered: “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you put to death, hanging him on a tree. Him God exalted with his right hand to be Prince and Savior, to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to all who obey him.”
But there stood up one in the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law respected by all the people, and he ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.
Gamaliel to the rest of the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do to these men. For some time ago there rose up Theodas, claiming to be somebody… but he was slain, and all his followers were dispersed and he was brought to nothing. After him rose up Judas the Galilean…he was perished, and all his followers were scattered abroad. So I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone. For if this plan or work is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it. Else perhaps you may find yourselves fighting even against God.”
And the Sanhedrin agreed with Gamaliel and calling in the apostles and having them scourged, they charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then let them go…
Scourge—a whip or lash, especially for the infliction of punishment or torture; to whip with a scourge; lash.
So the apostles departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And they did not for a single day cease teaching and preaching in the temple and from house to house the good news of Jesus as the Christ.
Acts Chapter 6: The seven deacons; Bribing Stephen’s accusers; Stephen arrested.
There arose a murmuring among the Hellenists against the Hebrews that their widows were being neglected in the daily ministration.
The Twelve to the multitude of disciples: “It is not desirable that we should forsake the word of God and serve at tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, that we may put them in charge of the work. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
And the plan met the approval of the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man of faith and of the Holy Spirit and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch.
Proselyte—a person who has changed from one opinion, religious belief, sect, or the like, to another; convert.
These they set before the apostles, and after they had prayed they laid their hands upon them. And the word of the Lord continued to spread, and the number of the disciples increased rapidly in Jerusalem: a large number also of the priests accepted the faith.
Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. But there arose some… disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit who spoke. Then they bribed men to say they had heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God.
And they brought forward false witnesses to say:
“This man never ceases speaking words against the Holy Place and the Law: for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the traditions which Moses handed down to us.”
Then all who sat in the Sanhedrin, gazing upon him, saw his face as though it were the face of an angel.
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