Acts 5:2, commentary and pictures

Ananias and Sapphira sold a possession together with full mutual agreement, kept back part of the price, and brought only a certain part to the apostles as if it were the whole. Their property was their own to keep or sell, and an honest smaller gift would have been accepted, so the guilt lay not in retaining means but in the deceitful pretense of giving all. They wanted both to hold wealth and to gain the esteem given to wholehearted givers, rooted in cherished covetousness, selfishness, love of money, vainglory and hypocrisy. Having solemnly pledged the proceeds to God, their withholding was breaking a sacred vow, robbing and defrauding God, and lying not to men but to the Holy Ghost. The Spirit revealed the hidden fraud, and both were struck dead, bringing great fear upon the church, checking pretense and guarding the young church from corruption. Though such immediate punishment is not generally repeated now, the sin remains just as heinous and will as surely be visited in the final reckoning.

The Act Described

Ananias and Sapphira sold a possession or land and acted together with full mutual knowledge and agreement, he keeping back part of the price with his wife also privy to it, and bringing only a certain part and laying it at the apostles' feet while presenting it as if it were the whole proceeds. They had agreed beforehand to give all yet secretly kept a large share for themselves, bringing the rest as the full amount into the common fund. Their joint plan was underhanded and deceptive, dissembling with an appearance of innocence while embezzling what they pretended to dedicate. It was lying to the Holy Ghost, lying not unto men but unto God, and tempting the Spirit of the Lord, standing in the same line as Achan in coveting and taking the accursed thing and stealing.

The property and its proceeds were their own to control, and no one compelled them to sell or to give all. God would have accepted an honest part faithfully given after a free choice to keep or give, and they were responsible only to fulfill faithfully what they had pledged. The sin was therefore not in retaining something for themselves but in the deceitful pretense that what they brought was all, deceiving others while seeking praise for generosity, liberality, self-denial and sacrifice although unwilling to give all.

The act took place in the early church when believers pooled means for the poorer believers and those who parted with possessions were held in high esteem, amid a rapid increase of professed Christians. Ananias and Sapphira wanted that esteem and also to draw their living from the common stock rated higher than true, and their bringing a certain part as if it were all was hypocrisy and falsehood, a dark stain in contrast to honest benevolence. The swift and terrible manifestation of divine judgment in their deaths was noticed by the Jewish leaders and increased their fear and hatred of the movement. The priests and rulers in council falsely accused the apostles of murdering Ananias and Sapphira, joining it to a charge of insurrection and of conspiring to deprive the priests of their authority and put them to death, hoping the mob would be excited to deal with the apostles as they had dealt with Jesus and that anger would turn from themselves for the murder of Christ.

Motives and Inner Roots

Ananias and Sapphira agreed together to sell a possession and pretend to lay the whole price at the apostles' feet for the poorer believers while secretly keeping back a large share for themselves. They had seen that those who parted with possessions were held in high esteem, and they wanted that commendation and reputation for generosity, liberality, self-denial, sacrifice and devotion while unwilling to give all. They hoped to be thought liberal and to be rated higher than true so as to draw their living from the common stock, gaining honor from believers while securing themselves. Their property and its proceeds were their own to control with no compulsion to sell or to give, so the wrong was not in retaining something but in bringing a certain part as if it were all.

The inward root was covetousness first cherished, which led to fraud and hypocrisy in breaking their pledge and lying to the Holy Spirit about their gift. It was selfishness, love of money, worship of mammon while professing to serve God, vainglory, hypocrisy, and a desire to deceive others while seeking praise. Hereditary and cultivated traits not yet cleansed remained even while the Holy Spirit was working with grace and power, and selfishness warped the character until they grudged what had been solemnly dedicated. Their shared deception was not forced giving but deliberate dissembling driven by love of money and covetous desire to keep what had been promised to God.

While under the direct influence and deep conviction of the Spirit through apostolic preaching they pledged certain lands to the Lord and released selfish hold on earthly possessions. When out from that heavenly influence they questioned, drew back, thought they had been too hasty, wished to reconsider, and regretted the promise. Ashamed to have brethren know their selfish souls grudged what they had solemnly dedicated, they talked it over together and deliberately decided to withhold part of the price while bringing a certain part. In that parley they opened the door for Satan to enter and control their minds, and Satan led them to lie to the Holy Spirit.

They illustrate a class always found in any great religious movement who are carried away by the current of feeling yet soon reveal selfishness and vainglory and can never be an honor to the cause they advocate. They professed godliness while secretly cherishing iniquity, pretending to make an entire sacrifice for God when they covetously withheld a portion for themselves. People not wholly consecrated to God can thus be led to do Satan's work while believing they serve Christ. Their presence among the early disciples as false brethren shows that unworthy members may be counted among followers, which the church must bear patiently rather than assume every character is fully revealed, yet it is no reason to doubt Christianity or become disheartened.

Nature of the Sin

Keeping back part of the price while bringing a certain part and laying it at the apostles' feet as if it were the whole was hypocrisy, dissembling, prevarication, falsehood, fraud and acting a lie. It was lying to the Holy Ghost, lying not unto men but unto God, and tempting the Spirit of the Lord. The husband acted with the wife fully knowing and agreeing together, selling a possession or land for more than was reported and secretly retaining a large share while claiming to offer all to the common fund for the poorer believers. No compulsion rested on them to sell or to give all, and the deception was chosen to gain the esteem given to wholehearted givers and to draw a living from the common stock on a false rating. That pretense checked by swift judgment stands as a dark stain against honest benevolence and a call to reverence, caution and self-examination of motives.

Because the proceeds had been pledged or vowed to God, withholding part while claiming to fulfill the vow was breaking a sacred vow, defrauding the Lord, robbing God, embezzling what belongs to Him, and sacrilege in taking for personal use what was consecrated to advance His work. The land and its proceeds were their own to control before the pledge, but after pledging under deep conviction of the Spirit through apostolic preaching they were bound to fulfill it faithfully. When out from that heavenly influence they questioned, thought they had been too hasty, wished to reconsider, grudged what had been solemnly dedicated, were ashamed to have brethren know their selfishness, talked it over together, opened the door for Satan to enter and control their minds, and deliberately decided to withhold part. Covetousness first cherished warped the character into selfishness, fraud and hypocrisy, and the instant death that followed was retributive justice guarding the rapidly increasing young church from demoralization and warning all who profess Christ to fear repeating such sins and to guard against the first approach of Satan. The same selfishness and fraud in withholding from God what He claims and robbing Him is still practiced, and a freely made vow to give a specified amount binds the giver to the consecrated portion so that withholding it while claiming fulfillment is fraud and hypocrisy rather than treating God's gifts as one's own with only a token offering.

A pledge to the cause, whether verbal or written before brethren, is a vow and contract with God, not with man, as binding as a written note or any legal bond for money and still more binding because made to God the giver of all favors. It is not less valid because it cannot be tried in courts of justice, it must be sacredly kept by one professing to be saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, and vows and actions are weighed in the balance of justice in the heavenly courts.

The sin is no slight evil but an enormity which a holy God hates and regards with abhorrence. God searches the heart, knows hidden motives and purposes and the exact truth, sees hidden sin, and cannot be deceived or mocked. False witness and concealment in complicity, even when done in belief that brethren will never know it, are accountable to Him, including withholding a portion of what God claims in the tithing system while appearing to give fully. Serving a religious cause does not make the deception acceptable, and the guilty couple are given as a warning to Christians of all ages to beware this sin to which human hearts are continually inclined.

God has not changed but is the same God in the gospel as in the time of ancient Israel. He showed His displeasure at dishonest practice by swift judgment in death upon both offenders, and the case is recorded that the whole world may have a testimony of how He regards coveting, stealing, embezzling what belongs to God, and dissembling with an appearance of innocence as in the sin of Achan. That responsibility bears especially on those in high positions of trust not to pass by sin and transgression in their midst but to guard righteousness and judgment and to separate hidden deception, falsehood and moral corruption from the camp, lest they be held equally responsible with open transgressors and lose the favor of God.

Exposure and Divine Judgment

The Spirit of truth made their real character and hidden wrongdoing known to the apostles, and Peter's stern dealing with them was directed by the Lord. Both husband and wife were struck dead in sudden, swift judgment as retributive justice for daring to sin against the Holy Spirit at the first departure from truthful dealing. Their sin was detected by the evidence of the Spirit of God, exposing hypocrisy driven by love of money and falsely professed devotion while the money had been entrusted for advancing God's cause.

Their deaths brought great fear and reverential awe upon all the church and upon as many as heard these things, and the case stands recorded that the whole world may have a testimony of how God regards dishonest practice. That signal manifestation of wrath was what Infinite Wisdom knew was needed as a check to keep the church from disgrace and to guard the rapidly increasing young church from becoming demoralized. From that time it produced greater caution and more thorough self-examination testing the motives of actions among the new converts and all believers. The judgments of God removed this foul blot and dark stain upon its purity to rid the church of hypocrites and evil-doers, leaving the church comparatively pure. This signal evidence of the discerning Spirit of Christ in the church was a terror to hypocrites, so that while trial and persecution continued only those willing to forsake all for truth desired to be disciples.

Such conspicuous immediate punishment is not generally repeated now, and repeating that sin now brings no visible stroke of displeasure. Yet fraud against God in withholding what has been pledged while pretending to fulfill obligations is no less serious when it brings no visible punishment, but remains just as heinous in the sight of God. It will as surely be visited on the transgressor in the day of judgment and final reckoning, and many feel the curse of God for it even in this life. Without repentance and reformation it costs both the life that now is and the life to come and excludes from heaven, while heeding the Holy Spirit's light and reproof would bring strength, growth in Christian experience, and a different record in heaven. A promise and pledge made to God is sacred and binding, and to take for personal use what was once pledged to advance His sacred work is sacrilege.

Links to Other Scripture

The keeping back of part of the price stands in the same line as the sin of Achan in coveting and taking the accursed thing, stealing and embezzling what belongs to God while dissembling with an appearance of innocence. Both cases show covetousness with fearful consequences, hidden wrongdoing exposed by God, dishonest practice as lying to the Holy Ghost, lying not unto men but unto God, and tempting the Spirit of the Lord. Their swift judgment in death was to give the whole world a testimony of how God regards dishonest practice and to bring great fear upon all the church and upon as many as heard these things. The judgment warns the church in every age that sins which brought God's wrath on ancient Israel can bring wrath on the church, and that Christian love does not replace faithful, patient correction of sin.

The same self-serving principle that kept back part of the price moved Judas to steal from the Lord's treasury while carrying the bag and to justify paying himself. The verse means covetousness expressing itself in unfaithful stewardship, appropriating money that belonged to God to supply a fancied deficiency in wages on the reasoning that labor for God was not sufficiently appreciated and it was right to pay oneself according to one's own ideas. Peter's stern dealing with this first departure from truthful dealing in the Christian church was directed by the Lord to prevent untold evil from this kind of self-justified taking. Concealed misuse of money entrusted to God's work, even when presented as though it were the whole gift by mutual agreement to deceive, is still known to God and corrupts character, while control by the Holy Spirit would have preserved integrity.

The verse defines the sin of withholding a portion of what God claims in the tithing system while appearing to give fully and thinking the brethren will never know it. Motives and purposes cannot be hidden from God, for God searches the heart, and the guilty couple are given as a warning to Christians of all ages to beware of this sin to which the hearts of men are continually inclined. More broadly, keeping back thought, devotion, talents, and influence from God while professing to give to Him is robbing Him. Neglecting the light and reproof given by the Holy Spirit leaves a person weak in faith and Christian experience and, without repentance and reformation, excludes that person from heaven, while heeding the reproof would bring strength in God, growth in Christian experience, and a different record in heaven.

Warnings for Today

The account stands as a warning to the early church and to Christians in every age against fraud and unfaithfulness in vows. It condemns withholding consecrated means while pretending to fulfill obligations, and withholding means entrusted for God's work by various plans and excuses. The land and its proceeds were their own to control before the pledge, but once pledged they were bound to fulfill it faithfully, and presenting part as though it were the whole was a lie to God. While under the direct influence of the Spirit through preaching they pledged lands and released selfish hold on possessions, but when out from that heavenly influence they questioned, thought they had been too hasty, wished to reconsider, grudged what they had solemnly dedicated, were ashamed to have brethren know their selfishness, talked it over together, opened the door for Satan to enter and control their minds, and deliberately decided to withhold part. Their instant death was retributive justice and a special example necessary to guard the rapidly increasing young church from becoming demoralized, checking similar pretense, producing greater caution and thorough self-examination of motives, and calling all afterward to fear, guard against the first approach of Satan, revere God, and test motives, for the same selfishness and fraud in robbing God is still practiced and remains just as serious when it brings no visible stroke. If the same punishment fell now there would be many dead bodies in churches requiring burial.

The same deceptive work now includes dealings in the Lord's work that are not straightforward but oppressive and unjust. It includes using lawyers to take advantage of circumstances, doing things that savor of injustice, exacting exorbitant prices, conniving in fraud, hindering God's work, and diverting His means into a wrong channel. It includes appropriating money or goods belonging to God to supply a fancied deficiency in wages on the reasoning that labor for God was not sufficiently appreciated and it was right to pay oneself according to one's own ideas, the same self-serving principle that moved Judas to steal from the Lord's treasury while carrying the bag. It includes giving customers the impression that profits are used to aid benevolent enterprises while in reality they are used for personal interests, and institutions misrepresenting Christ through unjust dealings and bearing a reputation like theirs. God will just as surely punish those who act deceptively now as He did then, bringing punishment and judgment upon the actors for every hindrance, exorbitant exaction, and connivance of fraud, and they will surely meet the same fate in the day of final reckoning, for all unjust, selfish actions are known to God, every hidden evil however secret will be searched out and punished, and control by the Holy Spirit alone preserves integrity.

Those who handle sacred things and carry the burden of responsibility must not bring their own peculiar traits of character and selfishness into the service, making God to serve with their sins and marring the sacred cause. They must be faithful stewards who exemplify the mind of Christ and maintain strict integrity in every transaction. Those in high positions of trust must not pass by sin and transgression in their midst, but must guard righteousness and judgment and separate hidden deception, falsehood and moral corruption from the camp, lest they be held equally responsible with open transgressors and lose the favor of God. Ministering angels take note of such neglect of duty, and the deception cost both husband and wife the life that now is and the life to come.

God did not accept their offering because they intended to rob Him, and likewise He does not accept even a small offering given while a person withholds what is due to Him and spends freely on self-gratification. Their wrong was not simply retaining part of their property, but deceiving others while seeking praise for generosity, liberality, self-denial and sacrifice although unwilling to give all to God, which is underhand dealing and selfish meanness that the same Spirit still condemns and requires to be put away from the character. Keeping back thought, devotion, talents, and influence from God is likewise robbing Him. Neglecting the light and reproof given by the Holy Spirit leaves a person weak in faith and Christian experience and, without repentance and reformation, excludes that person from heaven and corrupts many others, while heeding the reproof brings strength in God, growth in Christian experience, and a different record in heaven, for no one can defraud Him and prosper.

Ananias and Sapphira were among the early disciples as false brethren, showing that unworthy and false believers may be counted among followers. Their presence is not a reason to doubt Christianity or become disheartened, and the church must bear patiently with such people rather than assume every person's character is fully revealed. Their united prevarication and falsehood in keeping back part while bringing part as if it were the whole is not a slight evil but an enormity that God regards with abhorrence, proved by His immediately striking both dead. Christian fathers must press that enormity on the minds of children who lie, praying with them and treating falsehood as deadly serious rather than excusing it.