Week 43 Acts 5
The Ananias & Sapphira story is alarming & provocative.
I usually think of it as a stand-alone episode but it’s really more a story of contrasts because it goes together with the story of Barnabas from chapter four.
There are similarities and differences between Barnabas and A&S.
Barnabas:
owned a tract of land…
sold it for cash…
gave it to the church.
A&S:
had a piece of property…
sold it for cash…
gave it to the church.
In the actual-visible-financial world of real estate transactions and charitable-giving Barnabas and A&S are exactly the same.
But in the world of what’s happening behind the actual-visible-financial world of real estate transactions and charitable-giving Barnabas and A&S are pretty dissimilar.
Peter revealed that A&S had:
colluded on a plan to deceive people…
lied to the apostles about how much money they kept…
lied to the Lord…
put the Spirit to the test.
(Peter doesn’t actually say it but it’s a safe guess that Barnabas didn’t deceive people or lie about his gift or put the Spirit to the test.)
I remember a couple of similar instant-reaction stories from the OT. In the totality of events I figure they’re rare. But their bolt-from-the-blue suddenness is electrocutive. They’re frightening & devastating & unexpected.
My guess is that people regularly lie deceive & put the Spirit to the test without any outcomes.
So A&S are tragic reminders.
Note: the story is in Acts 5:1-11