Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Acts » Chapter 5 » Verse 34-42

Acts 5:34-42 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

34 Then G1161 stood there up G450 one G5100 in G1722 the council, G4892 a Pharisee, G5330 named G3686 Gamaliel, G1059 a doctor of the law, G3547 had in reputation G5093 among all G3956 the people, G2992 and commanded G2753 to put G4160 the apostles G652 forth G1854 a G5100 little space; G1024

35 And G5037 said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 Ye men G435 of Israel, G2475 take heed G4337 to yourselves G1438 what G5101 ye intend G3195 to do G4238 as touching G1909 these G5125 men. G444

36 For G1063 before G4253 these G5130 days G2250 rose up G450 Theudas, G2333 boasting G3004 himself G1438 to be G1511 somebody; G5100 to whom G3739 a number G706 of men, G435 about G5616 four hundred, G5071 joined themselves: G4347 who G3739 was slain; G337 and G2532 all, G3956 as many as G3745 obeyed G3982 him, G846 were scattered, G1262 and G2532 brought G1096 to G1519 nought. G3762

37 After G3326 this man G5126 rose up G450 Judas G2455 of Galilee G1057 in G1722 the days G2250 of the taxing, G582 and G2532 drew away G868 much G2425 people G2992 after G3694 him: G846 he also G2548 perished; G622 and G2532 all, G3956 even as many as G3745 obeyed G3982 him, G846 were dispersed. G1287

38 And G2532 now G3569 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Refrain G868 from G575 these G5130 men, G444 and G2532 let G1439 them G846 alone: G1439 for G3754 if G1437 this G3778 counsel G1012 or G2228 this G5124 work G2041 be G5600 of G1537 men, G444 it will come to nought: G2647

39 But G1161 if G1487 it be G2076 of G1537 God, G2316 ye cannot G3756 G1410 overthrow G2647 it; G846 lest haply G3379 ye be found G2147 even G2532 to fight against God. G2314

40 And G1161 to him G846 they agreed: G3982 and G2532 when they had called G4341 the apostles, G652 and beaten G1194 them, they commanded G3853 that they should G2980 not G3361 speak G2980 in G1909 the name G3686 of Jesus, G2424 and G2532 let G630 them G846 go. G630

41 And G3767 they departed G4198 G3303 from G575 the presence G4383 of the council, G4892 rejoicing G5463 that G3754 they were counted worthy G2661 to suffer shame G818 for G5228 his G846 name. G3686

42 And G5037 daily G2250 G3956 in G1722 the temple, G2411 and G2532 in every G2596 house, G3624 they ceased G3973 not G3756 to teach G1321 and G2532 preach G2097 Jesus G2424 Christ. G5547

Commentary on Acts 5 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 5

Ac 5:1-11. Ananias and Sapphira.

"The first trace of a shade upon the bright form of the young Church. Probably among the new Christians a kind of holy rivalry had sprung up, every one eager to place his means at the disposal of the apostles" [Olshausen]. Thus might the new-born zeal of some outrun their abiding principle, while others might be tempted to seek credit for a liberality which was not in their character.

2. kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it—The coolness with which they planned the deception aggravated the guilt of this couple.

brought a certain part—pretending it to be the whole proceeds of the sale.

3-6. why hath Satan filled—"why … fill—"why hast thou suffered him to fill"

thine heart—so criminally entertaining his suggestion? Compare Ac 5:4, "why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?" And see Joh 13:2, 27.

to lie to the Holy Ghost—to men under His supernatural illumination.

4. While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?—from which we see how purely voluntary were all these sacrifices for the support of the infant community.

not lied to men but God—to men so entirely the instruments of the directing Spirit that the lie was rather told to Him: language clearly implying both the distinct personality and the proper divinity of the Holy Ghost.

5. Ananias … gave up the ghost … great fear came on all that heard these things—on those without the Christian circle; who, instead of disparaging the followers of the Lord Jesus, as they might otherwise have done on the discovery of such hypocrisy, were awed at the manifest presence of Divinity among them, and the mysterious power of throwing off such corrupt matter which rested upon the young Church.

6. the young men—some of the younger and more active members of the church, not as office-bearers, nor coming forward now for the first time, but who probably had already volunteered their services in making subordinate arrangements. In every thriving Christian community such volunteers may be expected, and will be found eminently useful.

7-11. Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much—naming the sum.

9. How is it that ye have agreed together—(See on Ac 5:2).

to tempt the Spirit—try whether they could escape detection by that omniscient Spirit of whose supernatural presence with the apostles they had had such full evidence.

feet of them that buried thy husband are at the door—How awfully graphic!

10. buried her by her husband—The later Jews buried before sunset of the day of death.

11. And great fear came upon all the church, &c.—This effect on the Christian community itself was the chief design of so startling a judgment; which had its counterpart, as the sin itself had, in Achan (Jos 7:1-26), while the time—at the commencement of a new career—was similar.

Ac 5:12-26. The Progress of the New Cause Leads to the Arrest of the ApostlesThey Are Miraculously Delivered from Prison, Resume Their Teaching, but Allow Themselves to Be Conducted before the Sanhedrin.

12. Solomon's Porch—(See on Joh 10:23).

13-16. of the rest durst no man join himself, &c.—Of the unconverted none ventured, after what had taken place, to profess discipleship; but yet their number continually increased.

15. into the streets—"in every street."

on beds and couches—The words denote the softer couches of the rich and the meaner cribs of the poor [Bengel].

shadow of Peter … might overshadow some of them—Compare Ac 19:12; Lu 8:46. So Elisha. Now the predicted greatness of Peter (Mt 16:18), as the directing spirit of the early Church, was at its height.

17-23. sect of the Sadducees—See on Ac 4:1 for the reason why this is specified.

19. by night—the same night.

20. all the words of this life—beautiful expression for that Life in the Risen One which was the burden of their preaching!

21. entered into the temple, &c.—How self-possessed! the indwelling Spirit raising them above fear.

called … all the senate, &c.—an unusually general convention, though hastily summoned.

23. the prison … shut … keepers … before the doors, but … no man within—the reverse of the miracle in Ac 16:26; a similar contrast to that of the nets at the miraculous draughts of fishes (Lu 5:6; Joh 21:11).

24-26. they doubted—"were in perplexity."

26. without violence, for they feared, &c.—hardened ecclesiastics, all unawed by the miraculous tokens of God's presence with the apostles, and the fear of the mob only before their eyes!

Ac 5:27-42. Second Appearance and Testimony before the SanhedrinIts Rage Calmed by GamalielBeing Dismissed, They Depart Rejoicing, and Continue Their Preaching.

27, 28. ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine—noble testimony to the success of their preaching, and (for the reason mentioned on Ac 4:4) to the truth of their testimony, from reluctant lips!

28. intend to bring this man's blood upon us—They avoid naming Him whom Peter gloried in holding up [Bengel]. In speaking thus, they seem to betray a disagreeable recollection of their own recent imprecation, His blood be upon us," &c. (Mt 27:25), and of the traitor's words as he threw down the money, "I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood" (Mt 27:4).

29, 30. Then Peter, &c.—(See on Ac 2:22, and Ac 3:13, &c.).

31. Prince and a Saviour—the first word expressing that Royalty which all Israel looked for in Messiah, the second the Saving character of it which they had utterly lost sight of. Each of these features in our Lord's work enters into the other, and both make one glorious whole (compare Ac 3:15; Heb 2:10).

to give—dispensing as a "Prince."

repentance and remission of sins—as a "Saviour"; "repentance" embracing all that change which issues in the faith which secures "forgiveness" (compare Ac 2:38; 20:21). How gloriously is Christ here exhibited; not, as in other places, as the Medium, but as the Dispenser of all spiritual blessings!

32, 33. we are his witnesses … and the Holy Ghost—They as competent human witnesses to facts, and the Holy Ghost as attesting them by undeniable miracles.

33. cut to the heart and took—"were taking."

counsel to slay them—How different this feeling and the effect of it from that "pricking of the heart" which drew from the first converts on the day of Pentecost the cry, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Ac 2:37). The words used in the two places are strikingly different.

34. Then stood up … Gamaliel—in all probability one of that name celebrated in the Jewish writings for his wisdom, the son of Simeon (possibly the same who took the infant Saviour in his arms, Lu 2:25-35), and grandson of Hillel, another celebrated rabbi. He died eighteen years before the destruction of Jerusalem [Lightfoot].

35-39. Theudas—not the same with a deceiver of that name whom Josephus mentions as heading an insurrection some twelve years after this [Antiquities, 20.5.1], but some other of whom he makes no mention. Such insurrections were frequent.

37. Judas of Galilee—(See on Lu 2:2, and Lu 13:1-3) [Josephus, Antiquities, 13.1.1].

38. if … of men, it will come to naught—This neutral policy was true wisdom, in the then temper of the council. But individual neutrality is hostility to Christ, as He Himself teaches (Lu 11:23).

40-42. beaten them—for disobeying their orders (compare Lu 23:16).

41. departed … rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name—"thought worthy by God to be dishonored by man" (Mt 5:12; 1Pe 4:14, 16) [Webster and Wilkinson]. This was their first taste of persecution, and it felt sweet for His sake whose disciples they were.

42. in every house—in private. (See on Ac 2:46).

ceased not to preach Jesus Christ—that is, Jesus (to be the) Christ.