Bible Study

This is the last part of the section in Acts entitled The Apostles Arrested and Freed, this is part four    Acts 5:33-42  I think a more appropriate heading would be Anger and the Voice of Reason    Let’s see how the council responded to Peter ascertain that they needed to obey God and Not man

Acts 5:31-42

³³ When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. ³⁴ But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. ³⁵ And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. ³⁶ For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. ³⁷ After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. ³⁸ So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; ³⁹ but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!”

So they took his advice, ⁴⁰ and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. ⁴¹ Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. ⁴² And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

Anger and the Voice of Reason

³³ When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 

Right off the bat we get the answer.  This answer made the council so very angry.   So much so that killing the apostles seemed like the best immediate solution.

³⁴ But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.

But a voice of reason came along.   A Pharisee by name of Gamaliel.   He was a member of the council, a teacher of law, and was held in honour by all the people.   

 Learn about Gamaliel below

³⁵ And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 

First he tells them to be careful.  “Take care what you do with these men.”.  Then he walks them through some history they may have forgotten.

>³⁶ For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. ³⁷ After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 

He reminded from of Theudas and Judas the Galilean and how both came to naught.  So they didn’t have rush into making a decision. 

For as Gamaliel pointed out…. if they are from God any plans they make won’t work.  “ you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!”  and if they are not from God and will fail.   So don’t rush into making a dangerous decision.  Give it time.

³⁸ So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; ³⁹ but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!”

advice taken

In the end, they took Gamaliel’s advice. This doesn’t mean the apostles got off scot-free, after all they had defied their orders. They were beaten and ordered to not speak in the name of Jesus and then released. 

So they took his advice, ⁴⁰ and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

The response of the apostles?  One of joy!   I’ve read stories you know, of martyrs of the faith, where joy in suffering for faith is a theme.   Not that there is joy in the suffering, because suffering is not fun, but joy in being found worthy of being persecuted for your faith in Christ.  

The apostles reactions are like those pastors in China I’ve read about.   Released from prison and they go right back to preaching and teaching.  That’s just what the apostles did.  They rejoiced in being found worthy, and everyday they could be found in the temple teaching and preaching about Jesus.  Their job was simple to teach about Jesus being the Christ. 

 ⁴¹ Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. ⁴² And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

Considering the honour of persecution

I look at myself and where I am in life right now and I think being persecuted would scare me into silence.   Gives me something to talk to God about right?  To grant me more security in my salvation and to see the joy/honour it would be singled out for persecution.   Of course that has me internally asking…. would I always recognize persecution if I saw it?   We have a guy at our work who is very anti-faith in anything.  And any mention of faith-based ideas results in cutting remarks.  Is this persecution or just life in general?  

Is persecution not getting additional hours at work since one chooses not to work Sundays?  Or is it just the consequences of life choices one makes?

Canada isn’t always the most comfortable country to live in as a faith-based person?  No.  We have active laws that favour non-faith based people, and in particular are anti-Christian.  But in my day-to-day life those laws have not impacted me and I don’t know if they ever will.  So how do I know how to fight against them?  I’m not sure, I’m also not sure that I should. 

There are times I think that life should be harder to be a person of faith so we can make a difference, so that we can actively show we are different from those around us, particularly from the quasi-Christians around us.   But it’s a fine line.  I don’t particularly want to be persecuted and the idea alarms me a bit. It would be VERY hard for me to see the joy in it, to see the honour that it is, to be targetted for my active faith. 

I don’t know… what do you think? 

Anger and the Voice of Reason

Now, going back to Gamaliel.

I love his thought process right?   His encouraging the enemies of the apostles, but proclaimers of a belief in God, to think through their actions.  See if this is from God or if it isn’t.  If not, this movement will faith, if so, nothing we do will matter.

I strongly admire men who can argue well.  Listening to videos by Charlie Kirk who knew how to argue points of faith well, is something I enjoy doing.   I love it when my hubby can point out flaws in arguments (by other people not me!).  LOL  A well presented apologetic statement about matters of faith and life and how to think clearly is something I definitely appreciate.  I am not great at these things, and I’m mostly okay with that. But I’ve listened to enough people (cause I love listening right), to know that it’s a skill that should not neglect.

So as a believer in God I am working towards being a better apologetist. I have such a LONG way to go. 

How about you? 

Continuing our series in Acts, We now come to Chapter five, verses 27-32.   This mini series is called The Apostles were Arrested and Freed, this is part three. So far we have seen God at work in a variety of ways, let’s see what God will do today.  But you know what?   After finishing this passage I want to change the name of this post to Obey God not Man

²⁷ And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, ²⁸ saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, ye t here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” ²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. ³¹ God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Obey God Not Man

A brief recap.  When we last spoke the council had been surprised that the jail (where the apostles were supposed to be) was empty.  Not only that the apostles were back in the courtyard preaching!!   The police of the day went and asked them to come before the council.  This way the people listening wouldn’t get violent.

So we have the apostles standing before the council.  This council consisted of the high priests and the senate.

²⁷ And when they had brought them, they set them before the council.

Now to be questioned. It’s like he’s saying.. what gives man?!?!?!?!?!   We told you not to do this!   We locked you up.  You left the prison and you are right back doing what we asked you not to do!!!!   What’s going on!!!! 

Do you see the extent to the preaching the apostles did.  They “filled Jerusalem with” their teaching.   So the apostles were the talk of the town.  The message of Jesus was getting out to the people.   Isn’t that cool? 

And the high priest questioned them, ²⁸ saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 

Now I have to admit I don’t understand the statement “you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us”.   Commentaries were not much help though one hinted that it was a fear of the Romans.  You see they killed Jesus (they may have forgotten their own part in this), and since the apostles were preaching the message of Jesus…maybe the Romans would take it out on the Jewish leadership.  So fear was a real part of their desire to not have the apostle extolling Jesus’ message. 

²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. ³¹ God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

But the apostles said this “we must obey God rather than men”.

Obey God Not Man

How many of us hold to that?  How often do we keep our mouths shut because we are afraid of mockery from co-workers, or the government puts laws into place that don’t protect you, or whatever the reason be.  Are we not convinced that God will hold to us?  That even if he gives us times that are hard that he won’t be with us? 

The apostles saw all that God had done.  Raising Jesus from the Dead.  Exalting Jesus to his right hand as leader and saviour. WHY?   So that Israel could repent. So that we could have forgiveness of sins. 

Knowing this, seeing this, made God more important to the apostles than anything the Jewish leadership could do. Should we not be the same? 

What have you seen?

So what have you seen of God in action that you can speak too?

I know that no one alive today has seen what the apostles did.  We haven’t gone to a tomb expecting to see the body of Jesus to find him gone.  We haven’t walked down a road only to find Jesus there talking with us and explaining the Old Testament to us, and how it points the way to him.   

But those of us who know God, what have some real awareness of  Jesus have seen or experienced things that define logical explanation.   

For instance, I remember food dropped off at my door when I had need and I hadn’t told anyone about it. I remember God giving me minor car accidents when I needed to stay home and chill out for a few days for my own mental health.  Seeing God provide near misses for life ending situations.  God has done much in my life to keep me hale and hearty.  

What has he done in your life? 

Will you extol his goodness to those around you?  Will you be brave enough to be obedient to God in this?  What truth of God can you let those around you know? 

Do you remember the last time we met? The focus was on the community spirit and togetherness of the church?  Well, you know how sometimes our baser desires get the better of us?  We want to fit in and yet we want to hold on to our own stuff?  How we want to do what is right but at the same time we truly struggle with it?  Lies come easily because you want one thing and do another and don’t want to be caught out.   This was NOT just something I (or you) struggle with but something that Ananias and Sapphira struggled with too.   Let’s learn more from these first eleven verses of Acts 5. 

Acts 5:1-11, Ananias and Sapphira

Ananias

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, ² and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? ⁴ While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” ⁵ When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. ⁶ The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

Sapphira

⁷ After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” ⁹ But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” ¹⁰ Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Bad Decision Made

So there was this guy named Ananias who had a wife Sapphira, and they had property.   Remember how church members who had property would sell it and bring the money to be distributed to those in need?  Well these folks saw that and said “hey, we have some property we can sell it.”   Good decision eh?  But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,

Then came the bad decision.

 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 

He was challenged on this by Peter, and Peter explained what he was really doing.  Lying to God. 

³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? ⁴ While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 

Do you realize that right?   When we do bad things we aren’t doing them just to be people around us, or to ourselves, but we are doing them to God!   I know that I have failed many times to realize the gravity of sin.  What it truly is.  A violation directly against the goodness of who God is

Ananias suffered the direct consequences of that.

⁵ When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last.

And the community heard about it and were afraid  Rather makes sense right? You hear of someone lying to God and then dropping dead when confronted about it.  I’d be scared   Does that mean that every time you lie you risk dying?  I don’t think, particularly when you consider church history.  People have lied for ages and ages and not everyone is dropping dead.  So why did Ananias drop dead?   Was God just trying to make a point? 

Links to help

Got answers tells me this

God’s reasons for bringing about the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira involve His abhorrence of sin, the hypocrisy of the couple, and the lesson for the rest of the church, both then and now. It can be easy today to gloss over the holiness of God, to forget that He is righteous and pure and that He hates sin wholeheartedly. This particular sin of hypocrisy in the church was dealt with swiftly and decisively.

And BibleHub goes on to say that we have the ability to resist when sin enters our hearts.  We can’t say “the devil made me do it” since God gives us the ability to fight against him.  We need to be the people that God calls us to be, and deliberately lying to him isn’t part of his plan for our lives. 

God decisive action always comes with a purpose, this day that purpose was to root out evil creeping into this close knit group of believers. 

Great Fear

And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 

Scared people.  People aware of just WHO they are offending when they sin against God. Would have made seriously consider their next steps eh?  Kept people aware of the larger picture and whom they represented in their actions eh? 

They dragged out his body after wrapping him up and buried him.  This would have taken some time.  It wasn’t a five minute situation. 

⁶ The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

Sapphira’s Turn

We know it took some time to bury Ananias.  And we know that it was at least three hours before Saphira came onto the scene.  She had no clue what had happened.

⁷ After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 

Peter took the opportunity to see what her role was in all of this. Did she acknowledge the amount claimed for the selling of the land?  

⁸ And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.”

She agreed.  

And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 

And Peter called her on that. Calling it for what it was… testing the Spirit of the Lord.  What else is sin eh?  It’s testing God’s limits, patience, holiness, justice etc.  It’s not an idle game we play because “God will forgive us.”  God does forgive us if we are truly repentant of our actions against us. But if we aren’t….

⁹ But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?

Peter lets her know the consequences of this willful action against God. 

Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” ¹⁰ Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 

Once again, the whole church saw the result and were greatly afraid.

¹¹ And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Thinking it Through

This makes me wonder if the church was getting too complacent in their community togetherness.  Everything was going so well, and then suddenly they are faced with just who God is. 

Isn’t that the way it is though?  Life is going well, and so we start to slip and start to cruise, not considering the gravity of how we are living.  And then something happened, like a bolt of lightening.  Bringing into the foreground the fear of the Lord.  Fully aware of the God that we say we serve. 

Not that I want people to die in front of me right?  I don’t want that.  But at the same time I think having more awareness of the one we are offending and what that truly means is important for us as believers. So I am not wishing for death.. I am not.  For then I should be one of the first to be taken down by God.  Seriously…. I see and yet don’t see my offenses before him.   But I also want to know that true fear (as much as I know that true love and care).  But it’s too easy to NOT see that God is beyond awesome and wonderful and we will never truly understand what it means to fear the Lord God.

So how do we cultivate that awareness?  We can’t be asking for fellow believers, as frail as they are, to die because they were too confident in their lying.   I shall be pondering this during the week, because I don’t have the answers.