Acts 5:1-6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:3

Why hath Satan filled thine heart - The verb πληροειν , which we translate to fill, Kypke has showed by many examples to signify, to instigate, excite, impel, etc., and it was a common belief, as well among the heathens as among the Jews and Christians, that, when a man did evil, he was excited to it by the influence and malice of an evil spirit. It is strange that, by the general consent of mankind, sin against God has been ever considered so perfectly unnatural, and so evil in itself,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:4

Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? - See the note on Acts 5:2 , and see that also on Acts 2:44 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:5

Fell down, and gave up the ghost - Πεσων εξεψυξε , Falling down, he expired, breathed his last: "Gave up the ghost" is a very improper translation here. See the notes on Genesis 25:8 , and on Matthew 27:50 ; (note). Two things may be remarked here: 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:6

The young men arose - Some of the stout young men belonging to the disciples then present, who were the fittest to undertake a work of this kind, which required considerable bodily exertion. Buried him - This was on the same day in which he died. It was a clear case that he was dead, and dead by a judgment of God that would not be revoked. As therefore it was no case of suspended animation, there was no reason to delay the burial. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:1

Verse 1 1.Those things which Luke hath reported hitherto did show that that company, which was gathered together under the name of Christ, was rather a company of angels than of men, Moreover, that was incredible virtue, that the rich men did despoil themselves of their own accord, not only of their money, but also of their land, that they might relieve the poor. But now he showeth that Satan had invented a shift to get into that holy company, and that under color of such excellent virtue; for... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:3

Verse 3 3.And Peter said. How did Peter know Ananias’ fraud (and purloining?) Undoubtedly by the revelation of the Spirit. Therefore, Luke signifieth unto us, that the apostles did after a sort represent God’s person, and supply his room. If the Spirit of God, by the mouth of a mortal man, do so sore urge an hypocrite, being otherwise painted with the beautiful color of virtues, how shall the reprobate abide the voice of God himself, with the sound of the trumpet, when they shall appear before... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:4

Verse 4 4.Did it not remaining. This amplifieth the offense because he sinned, being enforced by no necessity. For seeing it is no just or lawful excuse to have been provoked by some other means, how much worse is it to run headlong unto wickedness willingly, and, as it were of set purpose to pull down God’s vengeance? We gather out of this, that no man was enforced to sell his goods or lands. For Peter saith, that Ananias had free liberty to keep both his land and his money; because in the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 5:5

Verse 5 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, (2 Corinthians 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 5:1

Ananias ( ἀνανίας ) In Nehemiah 3:23 the Hebrew name היָנְנַעֲ (God covers or protects) is thus rendered in the LXX . But the name occurs nowhere else. The very common name היָנְנַהֲ , Hananiah (God is gracious), is also rendered in the LXX . Ananias ( ἀνανίας ), and is doubtless the name meant here and in Acts 9:10 ; Acts 23:2 , etc. Sapphira does not occur elsewhere. It is either derived from the Aramean הרָיפָשַׁ , beautiful, or from the Hebrew ריפִסַ ,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 5:1-6

The death of Arian Raphael's cartoon manifestly founded, not on the simple narrative of Acts, but on the corrupt Church's falsification of it. The apostles represented on a throne, from which with despotic decree they command men to death. Our object is not to terrify men into religion and ecclesiastical submission, but to win them to Christ; to save men's lives, not to destroy them. Solemn and awful as the facts are, they are yet beams from the Sun of Righteousness. I. A revelation of... read more

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