ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA The Evangelist St. Luke has presented a joyful portrait of the Church with one heart, one soul, and a living fellowship in worship and abundant giving. Now he is presenting a painful portrait of a family that sought its own glory with the spirit of deceit. Having been the first of its kind in the Church, the reaction of the Church to that event was very firm, by which the Holy Spirit intended to give a clear message to anyone who may try to abuse the fraternal love. Yet, the chapter joyfully ended, as joy always overshadows the life of the persecuted Church. St. John Chrysostom believes that what happened to Ananias and Sapphira is of greater significance than the miracle of healing the lame, as it reveals that the Holy Spirit is aware of what is hidden inside the heart, and because what happened brought fear to all1. We can say that those two miracles are complimentary: The first one reveals the exalted love of God, and His compassion toward man, and that God has not even sought from the lame to believe before enjoying the divine love; whereas, the second reveals the importance of commitment and faithfulness in the fear of God, especially by those who accepted the faith, and enjoyed the divine blessings, as the divine love goes hand in hand with the fear of God, And the fear of God is not separated from the divine love. 1- Ananias and Sapphira 1 – 11 2- The persistent growth of the Church 12 – 16 3- Arresting the apostles 17 – 23 4- The charge of the Name 24 – 32 5- Gamaliel’s attitude 33 – 40 6- The word of God is unrestrained 41 – 42 1-ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA In the previous chapter, the Evangelist St. Luke spoke about the Church as a whole, kindled with the spirit of true love. And among the congregation, there was the like of Barnabas of Cyprus, who sold his land and brought its whole price at the apostles’ feet. He was most probably a very rich man, and the price of the land was so high that St. Luke mentioned it as a living example of what the believers did at that time. Yet, at the same time, among the wheat there were also tares; and among those faithful in their love to God and men, there were hypocrites like Ananias and Sapphira, who presented a superficially beautiful portrait, while they carried a deceitful heart full of lies and love of dignity and worldly wealth. St. Luke had to reveal this portrait, to spare us being troubled when we find in every age magnificent samples of love beside bitter examples of hypocrisy. “A certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession” (Acts 5 :1). ‘Ananias’ is a Hebrew name, meaning (Jehovah is compassionate), or (who gives with abundance). While ‘Sapphira’ is an Aramaic word, meaning (beautiful). Yet, both names were unsuitable, as Ananias did not follow the example of God the allcompassionate, and Sapphira did not care for her inner beauty. 1Homilies on Acts. Hom. 12. 246 “Once upon a time a rich young man boasted that he had fulfilled all the requirements of the law, but the Lord said to him (as we read in the gospel): "One thing you lack, Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and come, take up the cross and follow Me” (Mark 10: 22). “Go your way” the Lord says, “and sell”, not a part of your substance but “whatever you have and give to the poor”, not to your friends or kinsfolk or relatives, not to your wife or to your children. I will even go farther and say: keep back nothing for yourself because you fear to be some day poor, lest by so doing you share the condemnation of Ananias and Sapphira; but give everything to the poor and “make friends for yourself by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home” (Luke 16: 9). Obey the Master's injunction "follow me," and take the Lord of the world for your possession; that you may be able to sing with the prophet, "The Lord is my portion" (Ps 16: 5), and like a true Levite may possess no earthly inheritance (num 8: 20-24). I cannot but advise you thus if you wish to be perfect, if you desire to attain the pinnacle of the apostles' glory, if you wish to take up your cross and to follow Christ” 1. St. Jerome “And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 5: 2). St. Luke, as he presents the shining and glorified face of the Church at its beginning, he also honestly demonstrates the attitude of the Church concerning those who receive its membership with hearts neither pure nor honest. He makes a point of what Barnabas of Cyprus did, when he brought the proceeds of selling his vast land at the apostles’ feet, in order to provoke everyone, not to consider his wealth or even his life as too much for the Church. Then, he presents the deed of Ananias and Sapphira, who bore the image of piety, in mere formalities, with no true inner feeling. In every age, there are in the Church, those who deliver even their life. And there are, as well, those who are attached to the form rather than to the spirit, for the sake of their love of the world, and their connection to material things. At the beginning of the exodus of the children of Israel to the Promised Land, there was Achan son of Carmi, who stole some of the accursed things, hid what he stole and lied. And because there were accursed things among Israel, they were defeated before their enemies (Josh 7). All Israel stoned him and his household to remove that sin. And now in the new promised land, at the beginning of the Church of the New Testament, there are Ananias and his wife Sapphira, whose hearts Satan filled with deceit to lie to the Holy Spirit, and kept part of the price of the land for themselves, while they could have kept all of it if they so chose. “Fraud is idolatry, or else they are worthy of imitation who, in the Acts of the Apostles, sold their inheritance, and because they kept back part of the price, perished by an instant doom. Consider well, my brother; nothing is yours to keep. “He who” the Lord says, “does not forsake all what he has cannot be my disciple”. Why are you such a half-hearted Christian?” 2. St. Jerome “Peter said, ‘Ananias, Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?” (Acts 5: 3). 1 Letter 68 to Julian, a wealthy nobleman, 4. (His wife and two daughters had then recently died) 2 Letter 14 to Heliodorius the monk, 5. 247 Ananias expected to hear words of commendation from the apostles and those around them, if not through their looks or body gestures. Yet he was shocked to hear an accusation against his person, beside a verdict to be put promptly into effect. He was not given a chance to defend himself, as the verdict was not issued by man, but by the Holy Spirit who searches the hearts. St. Peter could have talked to him alone, and could have asked him and his wife to confess that they lied, and accordingly Ananias and Sapphira could have repented and brought the matter to an end by any possible means. But the Holy Spirit knew that their hearts were full of evil, and that event just came to fill up a cup of evil with which they for so long lived, and there was no more chance to repent. He did not say to him, “Satan has tempted you”, or even, ”has inspired evil unto you”, but he said, ”has filled your heart”, which means that Ananias had opened his heart to the devil, and to his thoughts, once and again, and left him to enter and possess completely, leaving no more place for the Holy Spirit. “Satan” means an (adversary), and in Hebrew (walking about back and forth). St. Peter says about him, “He walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 pet 5: 8). And when God asked him, “'Where have you come from?' He answered, ‘From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it’” (Job 1: 7). You should know that we become bodies for them (the demons), when our souls accept their dark and evil thoughts, and when they become apparent through our bodies in which they dwell1. The demons secretly work, yet we make them apparent through our deeds2. St. Anthony the Great As Satan keeps on roaming through the earth to destroy souls, God, in His love, seeks these souls to keep them from perdition, as “the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth” (Zech 4: 10), and the Lord of glory came to “go about doing good” (Acts 10: 38). Satan plotted not to draw us away from the blessings that we have, but to draw us even to a much steeper rocky pitfall, But God’s providence did not fail to care for humanity. He showed to Satan how foolish he is in his attempts. He demonstrated to man how great is God’s care for him, as through His death, man was granted eternal life. Satan drew man out of paradise, but God led him to heaven; and Benefit became far greater than loss3. St. John Chrysostom St. Peter did not rebuke Ananias just because he did not deliver the whole proceeds of the land that he sold, but he rebuked him for his deceit. He gave a part of the price pretending that it was the whole proceeds, with the intention to draw further from the public fund what was for his living and that of his household, beside the commendation of the congregation for his false generosity. Ananias and Sapphira probably thought that they were shrewder than the rest of the congregation, in keeping part of the proceeds as a security against the probability of difficult times. They did not trust in the word of God and in His promise to take care of 1 Ep. 6. 2 Ep. 6. 3 Baptismal Instructions. 2.7. 248 them. Their hearts were divided between the ministry to God and the care for temporal things. They assumed that they could deceive the apostles and the whole Church, leading them to thinking that they are pious, and have offered all what they had, and did not know that they did that against the Holy Spirit, the Leader of the Church, before whom nothing is hidden. After enjoying the Holy Spirit, Ananias opened his heart to Satan to fill and to possess, thus opposing the Holy Spirit. The old prophets differ from the new ones, in that the old ones prophesied about the salvation of Israel, the call to the Gentiles, and the incarnation of Christ; whereas, the new prophets prophesy about certain issues, or certain people, like when St. Peter did concerning Ananias as an example1. Severian of Gabalah “While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God” (Acts 5: 4). Ananias should have learnt from the case of Gehazi, who assumed that he could deceive his master the prophet ‘Elisha’, hastened after Naaman the Aramite to ask for silver and clothing, then lied to his master. Thus, he lost his discipleship, and the possibility of prophetic work, and heard the rebuke of his master, “Was not my spirit with you” (2 Kings 5: 26)? And on the level of the people, the Lord says on the tongue of the prophet Jeremiah, “’The house of Israel and the house of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to Me’, declares the Lord. They have lied about the Lord, They said, ‘He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine’” (Jer 5: 11-12). Ananias had no material commitment, like a mortgage on his house, or children to take care of. He could have kept even the whole price of the land, as there was no obligation on him to give, and “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9: 7). When St. Paul made a plea to Philemon to forgive and release Onesimus, his run-away slave, he did not want him to do that by obligation, but voluntarily, with complete freedom of will (Phil. 14). God does not seek the gift but the heart. He does not like to dwell in a heart divided between God’s possession and that of Satan. He has no pleasure in twisted ways or in half solutions, as the prophet Elijah says, “If the Lord is God, follow Him, but if Baal is God, follow him” (1 Kings 18: 21). The apostle Paul clarified that every sin is actually directed to the Holy One who is without sin, as the Psalmist says, “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight” (Ps 51: 4). Did Peter grow angry only so far as to desire that Ananias and his wife should be slain? Certainly not. He wished that others, through knowing their example, should not perish” 2. “For this he perished as guilty of fraud. He might have offered nothing and have acted so without committing a fraud. But as deceit entered into his action, he gained no favor for his liberality, but paid the penalty for his artifice” 3. 1 Severian of Gabala: Pouline Comm. From the Greek Church, on 1 Cor. 11.4. 2Duties of the Clergy. 1.30. 3Duties of the Clergy. 3.11 (74). 249 St. Ambrose Ananias’ sin was not in keeping a part of the price, but in his deceit and hypocrisy. He intended to appear as though he dedicated his life and his whole possessions to God, while he kept his love for money and the authority of the devil on him. His was the sin of false dedication, having lied to God, who searches the heart. It was said about King Saul that “the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him; and an evil spirit from the Lord (allowed through Him) tormented him” (1 Sam 16: 14). So was Ananias, having gained the Holy Spirit, but not responding to Him, he allowed evil to enter into his heart to reign on it, and fell accordingly under the verdict. Some believe that such a prompt verdict was because of Ananias’ stature, having been, as Lightfoot believes one of the 120 who attended the day of the Pentecost, and had an active potential for testimony. But his heart was not straightforward, and did not respond to the Holy Spirit. Here appears the seriousness of the leader’s position in the Church, when he gains the grace of the Holy Spirit, but does not walk by the Spirit of God. When man sins, whatever his sin may be, the gates of hope remain open before him, and the Holy Spirit leads him eventually to it through repentance. Whereas he, who persistently and practically lies to the Holy Spirit, is giving his back to the Holy Spirit, who rebukes on sin; and repentance will find no more place in him. The sin of lying corrupts man and moves him from his sonhood to God, to that to Satan who is “a liar and the father of it” (John 8: 44). “Ananias was poor, when after selling his land he brought the money to the apostles, and was not able with it to pay his debt, but involved himself the more. That widow was rich who cast her two small pieces into the treasury, of whom Christ said, “Truly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all” (Luke 21: 3). For God requires not money but faith” 1. St. Ambrose Everyone should watch against being taken over by lies, as a liar does not unify with God. A liar is an alien to God. The Holy Book says that the liar is a follower of Satan, who is “a liar and father of it” (John 44: 8). The devil is so called; whereas, the Lord says about Himself, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14: 6). Do not you see that by telling lies we alienate ourselves from God? That is why, if we truly wish to be saved, we are committed to love the truth with all our strength and zeal, and to watch against telling lies, lest we become separated from the truth and the life. Father Dorothius Ananias promised to give God all his possessions, hoping to gain glory from the people. But, by keeping back a part of the proceeds, and telling lies to the apostle Peter, he only brought on himself God’s wrath. He actually had no place in his heart for repentance2. St. Basil the Great 1 Concerning Repentance, 2:9 (82). 2Oliver Davies. The Gateway to Paradise, 3. 250 The hearts of the apostles were not preoccupied with the quantity of money brought at their feet, as they were absorbed with the love in the believers’ hearts. That is why, with the spirit of power, the apostle intended to expose the mask of hypocrisy that Ananias wore to hide his love of the world. He was not preoccupied with the money but with the souls lest they perish, even if they offered huge amounts of money for the Church ministries, by any possible means. The words “kept back” here came in the Greek text, the same as that translated as “betrayed” in the episode of Achan son of Carmi (Josh 7: 1). “The man who sells his goods because he despises them and means to renounce the world can have no desire to sell them dear. Count as money gained the sum that you must expend upon your outfit. There is an old saying that a miser lacks as much what he has as what he has not. The believer has a whole world of wealth; the unbeliever has not a single farthing. Let us always live "as having nothing and yet possessing all things" (2 Cor 6: 10). Food and raiment, these are the Christian's wealth (1 Tim 6: 8). If your property is in your own power, sell it: if not, cast it from you” 1. St. Jerome St. Peter did not accuse him of deceiving him, but of intending to deceive the Holy Spirit. Here, it is obvious that the apostle’s concept of the Holy Spirit is not that He is just a divine energy, but He is a divine Person, with whom we deal as a Being. He is God. A sin like lying is not directed against one of God’s attributes; it is rather directed against the Person of God. The Holy Spirit is not just a divine attribute, but is God Himself. The Holy Spirit is God who searches the hearts, and who knows what it contains of intentions to lie. According to the Holy Scripture, the Spirit searches even the depths of God (rev 2: 23). The apostle Peter calls Him “God” (Acts 5: 4). “Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things” (Acts 5: 5). The verdict did not come from the apostle Peter personally, but from God. And the apostle’s role was just to proclaim it. Ananias definitely did not breathe his last, as a result of a psychological shock, when his horrible sin was exposed before everyone, but it was allowed by God for the edification of the Church. “Great fear”: The issue of preaching concentrated on God’s exalted love for man and His appreciation of him. We said that as we speak of love we should not disregard the “fear of God” with all its various kinds. Fear is both important and necessary, tutoring the true believer as a child, to lift him up to love and to bring him over from the stage of spiritual childhood to spiritual maturity. Delivering him to love, the fear of God would never separate from him, but would grant him new and deep experience of fear, not based on fear of punishment, but on that of a son who loves his father, and would never intend to hurt his feelings, not even with one thought improper for his father. “Do you see how many evils spring from love of money?" And great fear, it is said, “came upon all those who heard these things”. That man was punished, and others profited thereby. Not without cause. And yet, signs had been wrought before: true, but there was not such a sense of fear. So true is that saying, "The Lord is known by 1 Letter 53 to Polinus of Nola, 11. 251 executing judgments." (Ps 9: 16). The same thing had occurred in the case of the Ark: Uzzah was punished and fear came upon the rest (2 Sam 6: 7). But in that instance the king through fear removed from him the Ark; but here the disciples became more earnestly heedful” 1. St. John Chrysostom Fear of God exhorts the soul to keep the commandments, and this in turn would establish a mansion for the soul. Therefore, let us fear God and establish mansions for ourselves, so as to have a shelter in winter, when the rain and thunder come. Those who have no mansion will face great dangers at the time of winter. St. John says, “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4: 18). So why does the blessed prophet David say, “Fear God, O His saints” (psalm34: 9). This reveals that there are two kinds of fear: The first kind is primitive, while the second is perfect. The first kind of fear concerns the beginners; whereas, the second kind concerns the perfect saints who have reached up to the stature of consummated love. Whoever obeys God out of fear of punishment, his fear is primitive; whereas, he, who does the will of God to please Him, has reached the level of consummated fear, by which he fears to lose the joy that he enjoys through existing with God. This is the consummated fear born from love that casts out the primitive fear. Fr. Dorothius “And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him” (Acts 5: 6). The Greek word for ‘the young men’ came to refer to ministers who serve the congregation. It is also used to refer to the soldiers, as they are young men. “Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened” (Acts 5: 7). Some may wonder why the young men hasten to wrap Ananias up, to carry him out, and to bury him, without caring to inform his wife. As Ananias brought the money over by himself, and without his wife, then those unexpected things happened, no one thought about telling his wife, and probably nobody knew that he was even married. It was the custom of the Persians, and probably the Jews at that time, to hasten to wrap the dead body up and to bury it, as long as there was no intention to mummify it. The situation was very exciting; and leaving the dead body in the midst of the crowd for sometime would probably cause chaos and disturbance. By coming after three hours, Sapphira probably intended to get her share of temporal fellowship of glory, together with her husband, who already brought up their donation. This probably shows that she had been in a place far from Jerusalem, and she came directly to the assembly, unaware of what happened to her husband. St. John Chrysostom believes that no one dared to inform the wife of what had happened, not even as she came in, because fear came upon them. 1Homilies on Acts. Hom. 12. 252 “And Peter answered her, ‘Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?’ She said, ‘Yes, for so much’” (Acts 5: 8). Some believe that Ananias came at the time of a collective prayer, carrying deceit in his heart. His wife then came at the time of the following collective prayer. She had the chance to correct the mistake of her husband, yet, because she was with him into that conspiracy, she insisted on saying, “Yes, with so much” (Acts 5: 8). “This circumstance the Evangelist relates with wonder even. And yet she might have perceived even from this that Peter knew the secret. For why, having questioned none other, does he question you? Was it not clear that he asked because he knew? But so great was her hardness, it would not let her attempt to evade the guilt; and with great confidence she replied; for she thought she was speaking only to a man. The aggravation of the sin was, that they committed it as with one soul, just as upon a settled compact between them” 1. St. John Chrysostom “Then Peter said to her, ‘How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out’” (Acts 5: 9). What happened was not just a quick thought that came to Ananias’ mind, and then he put it into action. But it was a well contemplated plan that revealed what was in both his and his wife’s hearts. Both of them were together in it: thought, plan, and execution. “to test the Spirit of the Lord”: they intended to deceive the Lord, as though He is not aware of what their hearts embraced of deceit, hypocrisy, love of dignity, and love of money. They did what they did to see if the Holy Spirit could discover and expose their crime. As Sapphira came to where the apostles were, the young men had already finished their task, in wrapping her husband up, and carrying his dead body out to bury it outside the city walls. On their way back, they were very close to where the apostles were, and they were already “at the door”. How wonderful for the husband and wife to agree together, but in the Lord, and not in evil. Adam and Eve agreed together in their rebellion against the Lord, and had their life destroyed. “Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came and found her dead, and carried her out, buried her by her husband” (Acts 5: 10). Some may probably wonder why the punishment on Ananias and Sapphira was so swift? 1- The Church was beginning to set forth; and having been the first event, in its history, of treason to the Spirit of the lord, and unfaithfulness by those who gained the Holy Spirit, there had to be a fast and decisive punishment that demonstrates the seriousness of opposing the truth, taking the side of the devil, and opening the door to him to come in and reign instead of God. The apostles had presented several acts that revealed their love, as a shadow of the absolute love of God. Likewise, there had to be firm and strict stands, lest the believers lose their fear of God. Love without true fear 1Homilies on Acts. Hom. 12. 253 would probably turn into slothfulness; and fear without love can turn as well into despair and destruction. 2- The Spirit had to proclaim the purity of that congregation, to become “A holy and blameless Church”, as it is improper for the Church of Christ to embrace such a transgression. Although God hates sin in all its forms, hypocrisy is the most serious of all, when it infiltrates into the Church, especially into ministers. The Lord Christ did not rebuke the adulterous and the tax collectors, Although He rejected their transgressions, yet He tried to draw them to him through compassion. Whereas He rebuked the hypocrites firmly, in more than one occasion (Job 8: 13, 13: 16, 15: 34, 20: 5; matt 7: 5, 23: 1-38; Mark 12: 15; Luke 11: 44, 12: 1; 1 Tim 4: 2). What God intended to confirm was that the Church of the New Testament should not bear what infiltrated into the Church of the Old Testament at that time: the Spirit of arrogance and hypocrisy that characterized many of its leaders. God cared for the inner purity of the Church, and whoever do not care for it must be disciplined, as the apostle says, “For this reason, many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep” (1 Cor 11: 30). 3- Although the apostles were characterized by simplicity in appearance and speech, the Holy Spirit confirmed the authority given to them by Jesus Christ, to lead the Church by His Holy Spirit on the path of righteousness, in compassion and gentility toward the repentant souls, and with firmness and authority against any corruption that touches the inside. That was obvious in the apostle Paul’s attitude concerning the young man who intended to have his father’s wife, seeking to “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor 5: 1-8). The apostle Paul used that same authority in his fast discipline of Elymas the Sorcerer, who opposed the word of God (Acts 13: 8-11). 4- In the old Testament, there were many instances in which prompt punishment was carried out for the sake of the edification of the congregation, like in the episode of Achan son of Carmi (Josh 7: 1-24); In that of the man who was caught gathering wood on the Sabbath, breaking the commandment of God of keeping the day of the Lord (num. 15: 32); And in what Phinehas the priest did to the Israeli man and the Midianite woman, when the Israelites attached themselves to the pagan women, and offered together with them sacrifices to their gods (num. 25). St. John Chrysostom believes that when Ananias and Sapphira chose by their own will to sell their possessions and to deliver the whole price at the apostles’ feet, they dedicated their wealth as a portion to the Lord, sanctified to His ministry. And when they kept a part of it, they violated the sanctities of the Lord, and put them to their personal use. Their sin is a violation against the sanctities of the Lord. The saint believes that what Ananias and Sapphira did is similar to what that man in the old times did, when he was caught gathering wood on the Sabbath, breaking the holy day of the Lord, and was counted as a violator of the sanctities, that warranted his stoning. “If for gathering sticks a man is to be stoned (for defiling the Sabbath), much rather ought he for sacrilege; for this money has become sacred. He that has chosen to sell his goods and distribute them, and then withdraws them, is guilty of sacrilege. Sacrilege, beloved, is a most grievous crime, insulting, and full of contempt” 1. 1Homilies on Acts. Hom. 12. 254 St. John Chrysostom “Let your praises come from the stomachs of the hungry and not from the rich banquets of the overfed. We read in the Acts of the Apostles how, while the blood of the Lord was still warm and believers were in the fervor of their first faith, they all sold their possessions and laid the price of them at the apostles' feet (to show that money ought to be trampled underfoot) and distributed to each as anyone had need (Acts 4: 35). But Ananias and Sapphira proved timid stewards, and what is more, deceitful ones; therefore they brought on themselves condemnation.(acts5: 1- 11) For having made a vow they offered their money to God as if it were their own and not His to whom they had vowed it; and keeping back for their own use a part of that which belonged to another, through fear of famine which true faith never fears, they drew down on themselves suddenly the avenging stroke, which was meant not in cruelty towards them but as a warning to others. In fact the apostle Peter by no means called down death upon them as Porphyry foolishly says. He merely announced God's judgment by the spirit of prophecy, that the doom of two persons might be a lesson to many. From the time of your dedication to perpetual virginity your property is yours no longer; or rather is now first truly yours because it has come to be Christ's. Yet while your grandmother and mother are living you must deal with it according to their wishes. If, however, they die and rest in the sleep of the saints (and I know that they desire that you should survive them); when your years are riper, and your will steadier, and your resolution stronger, you will do with your money what seems best to you, or rather what the Lord shall command, knowing as you will that hereafter you will have nothing save that which you have here spent on good works. Others may build churches, may adorn their walls when built with marbles, may procure massive columns, may deck the unconscious capitals with gold and precious ornaments, may cover church doors with silver and adorn the altars with gold and gems. I do not blame those who do these things; I do not repudiate them. Everyone must follow his own judgment. And it is better to spend one's money thus than to hoard it up and brood over it. However your duty is of a different kind. It is yours to clothe Christ in the poor, to visit Him in the sick, to feed Him in the hungry, to shelter Him in the homeless, particularly such as are of the household of faith, to support communities of virgins, to take care of God's servants, of those who are poor in spirit, who serve the same Lord as you day and night, who while they are on earth live the angelic life and speak only of the praises of God. Having food and raiment they rejoice and count themselves rich. They seek for nothing more, contented if only they can persevere in their design. For as soon as they begin to seek more they are shown to be undeserving even of those things that are needful” 1. St. Jerome “So great fear came upon all the Church and upon all who heard these things” (Acts 5: 11). St. Luke presents the impact of what happened to Ananias and Sapphira on the Church at that time: 1 Letter 80 to Demetrias, 14. 255 There was fear upon all the Church; and Love became mixed with true fear (11). Many signs were done, for the people to realize that God works more in the Church’s life, when she is serious in keeping her life holy, cleansed from every corruption, both apparent and hidden. All were attached together in a spirit of Church worship, as wherever holiness and piety are, there is a true unity (12). “None of the rest dared join them” (13). By “the rest’ he probably means those who, although they were ready to minister together with the apostles, they were not honest in dedicating their own life. The people discovered how God’s splendor was on the apostles (13). The punishment on Ananias and Sapphira did not cause repulsion from the Church, but an amazing appeal, as “multitudes of both men and women were increasingly added to the Lord” (14). The city of Jerusalem was shaken with the spirit of hope, “They brought the sick out in the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of peter passing by might fall on some of them” (15), and “also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed” (16). This is the first time that the New Testament uses the term “Church”, referring to the congregation of believers. Why did fear come upon all the Church and upon all who heard? It was fitting for the believers not to fear, as God is Fire that consumes the opponents, who persist on their opposition; whereas, the faithful will be kindled by a divine fire, both holy and full of light. Therefore, some believe that fear came upon the Church because what Ananias and Sapphira did began to infiltrate into the midst of the church. That is why the Apostle Paul warns that “Love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim 6: 10). 2-The PERSISTENT GROWTH OF THE CHURCH “And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people, and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch” (Acts 5: 12). After what happened to Ananias and Sapphira as a fruit of their deceit against the Church, being a deceit against the Holy Spirit of The Lord, the leader of the procession of the holy Church, the Spirit granted support for His Church through many signs and wonders that were done through the hands of the apostles among the people, not for the sake of the believers, but for that of the non-believers. Thus, when the Church is purified of corruption, the Spirit of God works stronger, for the Holy Christ to transfigure in her, and to make her a witness to the holy truth before the world. His magnificent fruit is the unity of the Church that had one accord, despite the persistent increase in the number of believers, who used to assemble in a spacious place in “Solomon’s Porch.” 256 “No longer in a house, but having occupied the very Temple, they there passed their time! No longer they guarded themselves against touching the unclean; nay, without scruple they handled the dead” 1. "No one bemoaned, nor mourned for them, but fear came upon all, and with the growth of faith, the number of signs and wonders multiplied” 2. St. John Chrysostom “Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly” (Acts 5: 13). Lightfoot believes that ‘the rest’ here refers to the rest of the 120, among whom was Ananias. Yet many scholars do not accept this interpretation. Some believe that “the rest” was a number of Christians and Jews who joined the apostles on the level of friendship and curiosity, or just amazement for what was going on. Those were overcome by fear lest their inner intentions eventually be revealed, the same way the Holy Spirit revealed the deceit hidden in the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira. Other scholars believe that “the rest” refers to the rich people and those of authority, among whom was Ananias, to whom, what happened to Ananias was seen as a firm lesson to anyone who may think about deceiving the simple apostles. Those adopting this view justify it by the fact that St. Luke distinguishes between those “rest” and the people in the same verse. The “rest” are the rich and the great, while the common people, who, in the simplicity of heart, did not fear what happened, but esteemed the apostles highly. What happened to Ananias only terrified the rich and the great. All were connected together in the spirit of worship; and the signs and wonders on the hands of the apostles gave more strength to the testimony. The religious leaders were in an embarrassing position, plotting against the apostles, but, at the same time they feared the multitudes, many of whom have publicly believed, beside many more on their way, but could not declare their faith for fear of the leaders. “And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5: 14). The Christians were called ‘disciples’ or ‘believers’, as they were following the Lord Christ, as a Teacher and Lord, and because their life is set on believing in Him. The chief priests and the priests lost much of their income, as many turned from offering animal and money sacrifices to the temple, to ministering the poor and the needy, bringing their donations at the apostles’ feet. Moreover, they had also lost much of their overwhelming temporal glory and authority. “So that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them” (Acts 5: 15). The word ‘couch’ (klinoon) refers to soft luxurious beds used by the rich, which implies that many of those sick laid on beds in the streets along the way of the apostles were rich people. The term ‘beds’ on the other hand (krabatoon) refers to the cheap hard beds used by the poor (Mark 2: 4, 9: 11-12; John 5: 8-12). The poor together with the rich felt the need for the work of God in the life of the apostles. They brought the sick out into the streets, as probably the priests did not allow them in Solomon’s Porch; and the apostles had no time to go to their homes. They laid 1Homilies on Acts. Hom. 12. 2Homilies on Acts. Hom. 12. 257 them on beds and couches, as they were unable to stand and even to sit waiting for any of the apostles to pass by. This is a magnificent portrait of God’s work, which is not limited by a certain place. Wherever the children of God would be, the place is sanctified by the Spirit of God dwelling in them, to conduct the work of God, even in the streets. “The shadow of Peter”: The Lord Christ promised His disciples that in His name they would do the signs that He did, and even greater than them (John 14: 12). When the woman who had a flow of blood touched the hem of His garment, she was healed by a power that came out of Him (Matt 9: 20). But as far as Peter is concerned, the Lord Christ granted him that by his shadow, the sick people laid on beds and couches in the street were healed. Yet, what the Lord did was through His own power and authority, while what was achieved by Peter and the other apostles was in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Greater signs were indeed done to the account of the glory of Christ. The Lord Christ is “the Sun of Righteousness” (Mal 4: 2), If by shining with His light on His apostles, their shadow bore the power of healing! How would be the Sun itself? That is why the prophet says, “To you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings” (Mal 4: 2). If Peter’s mere shadow bore such sanctification, to proclaim the power of God by healing the sick, how much more would be expected from his body itself? Thus, the Lord Christ presents a holy view of the body, so as not to look at it as an item of darkness, as was thought by the Gnostics and their likes. All what God created in us is good, sanctified by the work of the Holy Spirit in us. “This had not occurred in the history of Christ; but see here what He had told them actually coming to pass, that “The work that I do, you will do also, and greater” (John 14: 12)” 1. St. John Chrysostom “Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits; and they were all healed” (Acts 5: 16). As the apostles were sanctified, the Spirit of God worked by them, even through their shadow, or the rags that they used to put on their bodies. As their hearts were filled with love, yearning to comfort all, the Spirit of God worked by them in every way to grant them the requests of their hearts. Since the apostles yearned to minister to all, the believers on their parts were in a condition of faith and belief that God was granting His grace and good through the Church, that they brought the sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, believing that God works even by the shadow of His apostle. The streets of Jerusalem turned into a general hospital, full of sick people, together with praise and thanksgiving to God for His grace on them. 3- Arresting THE APOSTLES “Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation” (Acts 5: 17). While the Church, especially the apostles, was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4: 8) to testify to the Lord Christ the Grantor of salvation to the world, the devil was 1Homilies on Acts. Hom. 12. 258 standing on guard. He found in one of the hypocrite ministers – Ananias – a chance to provoke his heart to lie to the Holy Spirit the Grantor of repentance and the Leader of the procession of the Church. Then, he worked through the high priest and those who were with him (the sect of the Sadducees), whose hearts were full of envy. Having declared their enmity against the Lord Christ, His gospel, and His Church, they plotted to lay their hands on the apostles. They did not realize that they thus would kill themselves, as it is said, “Envy slays the fools”. They foolishly behaved, not as spiritual leaders may do. The high priest and those who were with him could not stand to see how Solomon’s Porch was crowded with believers in Jesus Christ; and how the streets were filled with praise and thanksgivings, presented by the sick, who enjoyed healing. If they assumed that they have got rid of Jesus of Nazareth by crucifying Him, There He is resurrected, and the multitudes turned into faith in Him. The Pharisees used to hate the Sadducees intensely, more so than they hated the new Christians. The apostle Paul used that attitude for his benefit when he was being judged in the temple (Acts 23: 6- 9). The high priest and the Sadducees were filled with envy and rage against the apostles, when they saw the increase of those who joined the Christian faith, and noticed how they no more cared for the authority of the Sanhedrin. “And laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison” (Acts 5: 18). The war of the devil inside and outside started very early since the setting forth of the Church. Earlier, the leaders just threatened the apostles John and Peter (Acts 4: 21), but now they actually, and for the first time, put them in the common prison. The high priest and those who were around him did not care for what could happen if they did, counting it as nothing more than what they were actually in. They arrested the apostles, to prevent people from contacting them. And by putting them in the common prison together with the common criminals, they hoped to bring disgrace upon them; and the people would no longer hold them in respect. Most probably, the high priest refers to ‘Caiaphas’; and all those around him refers to those who shared with him his hatred of the Lord Christ and of the spreading of preaching the gospel. As for the Sadducees, at that time, they represented the majority of members in the Sanhedrin, and were therefore in a position to take decisions. Therefore, the high priest resorted to them, and not to the Pharisees, who had previously taken a serious role in opposing the Lord Christ and in His trial. The reason behind this strategy was that although the Pharisees entertained hatred towards the lord Christ, yet preaching His resurrection would destroy the teachings of the Sadducees who do not believe in resurrection from the dead. Therefore, the Pharisees were not zealous enough in opposing the apostles. “But at night, an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said” (Acts 5: 19). The Greek expression refers to one of the angels, and not to a particular one. Having filled the hearts of the high priest and those around him with evil jealousy, the enemy of good tightened them in order to reign and have control over them with his darkness, that they would oppose the Gospel. They thought that they could imprison the apostles and prevent them from meeting anyone, not realizing that the Lord is dwelling in them and the heavenly hosts desire to serve them. Before God, there is neither dark 259 prison, secure gates, nor strong guards. Just as the grave could not imprison His body, nor the gates of Hades could be closed on His soul, all the prisons of the world could not confine his body, which is the Church. The gates of the prison were closed, but those of heaven were opened before them. As it was not possible for the world to put the word of God in chains (2 Tim. 2.9), the Lord Christ sent His angel, opened the prison doors, brought them out, and commanded them to speak openly in the temple. Amid the darkness of the night, the doors of darkness were opened, as it was not possible for the children of the light to be kept in the darkness of the prison. They were brought out to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Christ, not by any proofs other than their bodies, from which the shackles were loosed. They came out of the prison while the doors remained closed; the same way the Lord came out of the grave, while the big stone remained intact with its seals. When the forces of darkness stood to fight them, the Father of light fought to their account, sending His angel to reveal their innocence before their opponents and before the people. The Lord could not stand with His hands tied, or forsake His witnesses, but would comfort and defend them, and carry them as though on His arms. It was impossible for the mighty doors of the prison, the chains, or the armed guards, to stand before the heavenly angel of God. “Go, Stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5: 20). The appearance of the angel of the Lord, and bringing them out of the prison, had been for the sake of the future Jewish leaderships, to realize that they were vainly opposing the King of heaven; and that any opposition on their part would certainly realize a glory to the gospel of Christ. At the same time, it came to motivate the apostles and those around them to work more and more to the account of the kingdom of God. Moreover, what happened confirmed to the people the truth of the gospel and the realization of its promises. The divine command to the apostles was to speak openly in the temple, in their Father’s house, which heaven yearns to keep safe, to radiate the divine love and the preaching of salvation to the whole world. Heaven directed them to preach to the people, and not to the priests, or to the religious leaders, who love debate, while embracing a foolish opposition to the truth, together with arrogance and false pride. Heaven commanded them to preach to the people, as every single soul is precious in the sight of God, with no discrimination between leaders and common people. Heaven instructed them to speak “all the words of this life”: the eternal life. The word ‘life’ here embraces all the faith, which aims at the eternal life, to present the experience of their resurrection together with Christ, and their enjoyment of the new heavenly life, which was impossible for the high priest and those around him to taste, as long as the devil reigned with envy on their hearts. The subject of their preaching was neither boasting of signs and miracles and the ability of heaven to open up the doors of the prison, nor entering into foolish debates, but presenting the experience of the sweetness of life in Jesus Christ that they live anywhere, under any circumstances. They did not come out of prison to escape to a safe place, but to set forth to the temple to praise God, and to testify to the truth. They came out, for their souls to sing: 260 “Let my soul live, and it shall praise You, And let Your judgments help me” (Ps 119: 175). “Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name, The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me” (Ps 142: 7). “To open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house” (Isa 42: 7). “And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought” (Acts 5: 21). The high priest and those around him, assuming that they planned well, and that they completely thwarted this movement, called for a meeting of the Sanhedrin and the elders (about 116 judges), to proclaim their heroism and their zeal for the glory of Israel. If the apostles escaped on their own from the prison, they would have gone to some place to hide, so as not to be arrested again. But going back to the temple to teach and preach has no other meaning but that their coming out of prison has been by a heavenly power that challenges the opposing forces, which do not fear prison or chains. The apostles did not come out of the prison to preach in a secret place far from the temple, but they were commanded to go to the temple to preach publicly to the people. Heaven intended to give the Jews a new chance to use the house of the Lord to testify to God and to His salvation work, after they had turned it to a house of merchandise and a den of robbers. In the early morning, they hastened to the temple, without engaging in any discussion among themselves, as the command was issued from heaven to work to the account of the kingdom of God, and the testimony to the words of the eternal life. There was no time for debate, but every chance should be dedicated to the preaching work. In Solomon’s Porch, they came to preach the salvation of every soul, and the work of God for the sake of mankind. They did not talk about themselves as heroes who endured prison, but about God the Lover of man. “But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported” (Acts 5: 22). The high priest most probably started by delivering a fiery speech, showing his actions and strife to control the situation; and at the end of his speech, there came the officers and reported that the apostles were not in the prison. The high priest and those around him thought, in the climax of their greatness, that they have crushed that heresy, not realizing that He, who sits in heaven is laughing and holding them in derision (Ps 2: 4). They became intensely disgraced. “Saying, ‘indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside” (Acts 5: 23). Now, that was a new serious miracle; and the challenge between the followers of the Crucified and the crucifiers has reached a climax. Wonderful are the works of God! How could the guards not see the angel open the securely shut doors? How could they not see the prisoners go out? Finding the doors still shut and intact only means an intercession of heaven, as, it could not have been possible for the apostles' friends to get them out of the prison, without breaking the doors, bringing down the walls, or engaging into a battle with the 261 guards. But nothing of the sort did happen. And if the guards were cooperating with them, and have taken a bribe, they would not remain standing outside the doors, while the inside was empty. St. John Chrysostom believes that what happened here is similar to what happened at the tomb of the Lord Christ, where the seals were intact and the guards were vigilant; whereas, the tomb itself was empty, because Jesus has risen up. He also granted to his apostles to go out leaving the prison as an empty tomb, while the doors were shut and the guards standing outside. That is the daily work of resurrection in the life of the Church. The world insists on burying her in a tomb, or shutting her up in a prison, but the seals remain intact, and the guards remain standing in guard outside, while the Church sets forth to testify to the One resurrected from the dead. The testimony of the officers sent by the Sanhedrin that the doors were securely shut, certainly implies that a divine hand was involved, that challenges the laws of nature. There is no indication of treason or a bribe, as the guards were found standing vigilantly outside. No one could have entered but the captain of the temple and his soldiers. “See how they fought against God! Say, was this of man's doing that happened to them? Who led them forth, when the doors were shut? How came they out, with the keepers standing before the door? Verily they must be mad or drunken to talk so. Here are men, whom neither prison, nor bonds, nor closed doors, had been able to keep in; and yet they expect to overpower them: such is their childish folly! Their officers come and confess what has taken place, as if on purpose to debar them from all show of reason” 1. St. John Chrysostom 4-THE CHARGE OF THE NAME “Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be” (Acts 5: 24). We can imagine the high priest, as the chairman of the assembly of the Sanhedrin, conducting the session in seriousness to try those illiterate and simple Galileans, who were disgracefully cast in the public prison. Surely this movement could not hold. But the situation soon changed, when the officers brought back a discouraging report, that they found the prison doors securely shut, the bolts intact, the guards vigilantly standing outside the prison, and all the other prisoners were accounted for, but the apostles were not there. A great confusion must have happened, every member of the Sanhedrin offering his interpretation and thoughts: Are they sorcerers? Did they bribe the prison guards to let them go? But where did they go? Did they go to preach outside Jerusalem far from sight? Or are they really men of God, and what is done is opposing the Truth? “Then one came and told them, saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people” (Acts 5: 25). The Sanhedrin fell in a serious state of confusion and suspicion. Is there some treason among those responsible for the prison? How did the prisoners get out? Have they dug through the walls? And in case this is an exalted heavenly work, what will be the situation of the Sanhedrin? 1Homilies on Acts. Hom. 13. 262 “Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned” (Acts 5: 26). There is no doubt that the story of their getting out by the hand of an angel of God started to spread; and the multitude gathered around them. The captain of the temple with his officers brought the apostles without violence, lest they should be stoned by the people. They did not fear their opposition to God and the truth, but feared the people. They brought them to the Sanhedrin without violence, neither out of respect for the temple and its holiness, nor out of obedience to the law, as they should not use violence before the charges against them are proved. Moreover, they did not fear heaven’s wrath, that they may face what happened to the captain of fifty and his fifty men, who intended to violently bring the prophet Elijah to the king; and fire came down from heaven and consumed them (2 Kings 1: 10). Then the same happened to another captain of fifty with his fifty men (2 Kings 1: 12). The apostles did not seize the chance to arouse the multitudes against the captain of the temple and his men, but they went in peace of heart with him, because they saw it as a splendid chance to testify anew before the Sanhedrin. "O the folly of the men! "They feared," says he, "the multitude." Why, how had the multitude helped the Apostles? When they ought to have feared that God Who was continually delivering them like winged creatures out of their power, instead of that, "they feared the multitude!" 1. St. John Chrysostom “And when they had brought them, they set them before the council, and the high priest asked them” (Acts 5: 27). As the captain of the temple brought them with respect and dignity, caring for his life and his soldiers' lives, lest they should be stoned by the multitudes who gathered around the apostles, the high priest, as the chairman of the Sanhedrin, started to address the apostles on behalf of the council, presenting his accusations. “Saying, ‘Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us’” (Acts 5: 28). The high priest did not ask them about how they came out of prison. What preoccupied him the most was to put an end to the testimony to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. The chief priest accused the apostles of two charges: 1- The first is the rebellion against the orders of the authority, breaking the law, and preaching without permission from the Sanhedrin. 2- The second which is more important and more serious was that they were bringing the blood of the crucified Jesus on them. Their conscience seemed to suffer some feeling of guilt, as murderers who shed innocent blood. The speech of the chief priest revealed what was in his heart and those of the other members of the Sanhedrin, that those illiterate people, who managed to draw Jerusalem to their teachings, had gained the position of leadership that surpassed that of the Sanhedrin itself. That is what we see in his saying, “You have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine”. 1Homilies on Acts. Hom. 13. 263 “And intend to bring this man’s blood on us”: The teachings of the apostles and their preaching indirectly provoke the people to accuse the Sanhedrin of condemning Jesus to death on no sound legal ground, and that they shed innocent blood. “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, ‘We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5: 29). St. Peter and the other apostles neither presented as an explanation for the spreading of their doctrine the miracles they have done – although no one could deny them – nor their enjoyment of the ability to speak with tongues as a divine gift. They also did not refer it to their wisdom or capabilities, but referred it to the fact that the work is from God. Being a heavenly teaching, it bears in itself an attraction to the souls. All what the apostles did was to obey the divine commandment, and to testify with courage to God’s plan of salvation. It is not their own work, but that of God. The answer was precise and concise: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5: 29). "High magnanimity! He shows them too that they are fighting against God"1. "Let us imitate these, my beloved: let us be undaunted in all our dangers. There is nothing dreadful to him that fears God; but all that is dreadful is for others. For when a man is delivered from his passions, and regards all present things as a shadow, say, from whom shall he suffer anything dreadful? Whom shall he have to fear? Whom shall he need plead to? Let us flee to this Rock which cannot be shaken. What is more wonderful to say, the very things which are thought to cause discomfort, became matter of all joy and gladness. For it is impossible, impossible in words to express how great pleasure falls to their lot, who suffer for Christ's sake: for they rejoice in their sufferings, rather than in their good things"2. St. John Chrysostom Without the power of the Spirit, Peter got terrified before a maidservant; And with the Spirit, he confronted kings and rulers3. If the orders of the king or the ruler are good let us obey them, But if they are evil and against God let us respond with the words of the apostles: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5: 29) 4. St. Jerome “The God of our fathers, raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him, God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5: 30-31). God the Father raised Him up by His right hand; and having occupied our position, he presented His salvation works in our name and to our account, that when he ascends, He would raise us up together with Him. God the Father raises Him up to the glory that is eternally His, hidden to our account, that when He gets it, we shall also get it in Him. Raising Him up also refers to the acceptance by the Father of His atonement intercession, of His sacrifice for our sake, and of our reconciliation with the Father. Being raised up, He granted His apostles His Holy Spirit (John 16: 7-11, 15: 26), to work in His 1Homilies on Acts. Hom. 13. 2Homilies on Acts. Hom. 13. 3 The Homilies of St. Jerome. Hom. 65. 4 Commentary on Titus. PL 26:626 CD. 264 name for the salvation of the world, that the believers may enjoy the forgiveness of sins and the fellowship of eternal glory. Here, the apostle reveals the divinity of the Lord Christ, being on the right hand of God the Father. He reveals as well, the concept of repentance, that it is a divine gift, given by the Lord Christ to the new Israel, and that there is no salvation to man, unless he humbly confesses his sins to get forgiveness. Finally, there is no sin, as much offensive as it may be, that can stand in the way of forgiveness, because the Savior is capable in His salvation work. The apostles, concisely, presented a living portrait of the Person of Jesus Christ, whom they preach, as being: 1. The Prince: Who got this position, not from people, but from God His Father, and who, in His love, “made Himself of no reputation”, to reign as a Prince on the hearts and the inner life of His believers. 2. The Savior: No man can experience the sweetness of His salvation, or discover the secret of His cross, as God’s power for salvation, unless he accepts Him first as the “Prince”. He who opens his heart to Him will discover His Princely status that is based upon His exalted divine love, and the free work of salvation. That is why the title “Prince” came before that of “Savior”. 3 .The Giver of Repentance: Without Him, man cannot realize his sins to confess them, or turn his face to reconcile with God with the joy of heart. If he realizes his sins by the natural or the Mosaic Law, he would not be able to turn his heart from them, because he is the captive of its appeal. The Lord Christ alone, by His Holy Spirit, is capable of changing man’s heart and mind, and of directing his depths to God his Father, instead of the sin that has the authority over him. 4. The Forgiver of sins: As He, through His cross, tore up the bill we owe, for us to have the right to enjoy His righteousness in us. “And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him” (Acts 5: 32). The apostles proclaim their readiness to testify to the Person of the Lord Christ, raised from the dead, as a Prince, a Savior, a Giver of repentance, and a Forgiver of sins. They have experienced the power of His exalted grace, supported in this by the divine Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, given to those who obey God. The conclusion of their speech confirmed that they would never hold their peace, lest they be counted as traitors to the truth, and deniers to the divine grace that works in them. Thus, the apostles concentrated on the Person of the Lord Christ, and His work in them, who does not separate from the Person of the Holy Spirit, given by the Father to those who obey the truth. It was not possible for the Sanhedrin to endure this speech that refers to the crucified Jesus these four titles: Prince, Savior, Giver of repentance, and Forgiver of sins; knowing exactly, through the prophecies, that these are the titles of the Messiah, whom the fathers and the prophets had yearned to see. The apostle Peter and those who were with him presented a short but strong defense: 1- While the apostles were accused of rebelling against the orders of the highest religious authority, the Sanhedrin, they humbly but firmly refused to abide to them, as 265 long as they contradicted with the divine commandment given to them. They counted the Sanhedrin as representative of the view of men that should not be obeyed on the expense of that of God Himself. The controversy is not between the Sanhedrin and the apostles, but is actually between them and the God of their fathers. They have condemned the Lord Christ to death, crucified on a tree; but the God of their fathers raised Him from the dead. The case is directed against God, claimed by the Sanhedrin to be the God of their fathers, that in His name, and to the account of His glory they assemble, while they actually opposed His will. 2- The charge was that they had filled Jerusalem with their doctrine, and here they were even presenting it to the Sanhedrin, as though they were saying, ‘We have not yet consummated our preaching in all Jerusalem. We wish to give you as well, a taste of the evangelic truth.' 3- The Sanhedrin, while assuming the responsibility for the religious and the judiciary affairs of Israel, opposed the true ‘Prince’, “Whom God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince”. Who is then the true Prince: the Sanhedrin, the Opponent of God’s will, or He, whom God the Father has exalted to be Prince? 4- Accused of bringing (that) man’s blood on the Sanhedrin, the apostles corrected such view. He is not an unknown man, but He is the Prince and the Savior, whom Israel was anticipating since its genesis. The apostles revealed to the Sanhedrin the identity of the Crucified, whom they intended to get rid of, trying to justify what they did to Him. The Father has set Him a Savior, to grant Salvation. It is as though the apostles were debating with the Sanhedrin: 'The people in Solomon’s Porch and in the streets have enjoyed salvation, have been healed, and cleansed of the unclean spirits. He sent His angel and freed us of your chains, and brought us out of prison. He is the Savior of Israel, who alone is capable of saving us from your hands. You have no authority over us except by and within the limits He allows. 5- Even though the members of the Sanhedrin issued a wrong verdict against Jesus, and condemned Him to death, shedding innocent blood, He, on the cross has forgiven them that crime. But it remains for them to believe in Him, as “He gives Israel the repentance and the forgiveness of sins”. Here, the apostles turned the elements of the defense to the benefit of the members of the Sanhedrin, by inviting them to believe in Him, to receive the forgiveness of sins through repentance. 6- You are accusing us of things that we have experienced, to which we testify, and which we cannot deny. How can we deny that you have crucified Him? How can we deny His resurrection from the dead? 7- The apostle was as if wanting to say, "If you are trying us because we testify to the truth, we do not testify on our own, but by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God. Can you try and oppose Him? We have gained the Holy Spirit of God, having obeyed Him. Here He is testifying to the mission of the Lord Christ, confirming this by signs and wonders publicly done by us. The door is open before you to experience what we do, and to enjoy the work of the Holy Spirit of God, if you accept His testimony." St. John Chrysostom comments that the apostle did not say: “And so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given (us)”, But said, “has given to those who obey Him” (Acts 5.32). As he says, "there in alike showing their own unassuming: temper, and 266 intimating the greatness of the gift, and showing the hearers that it was possible for them also to receive the Spirit"1. The apostles were not preoccupied by the troubles that may come over them, and the envy and intense hatred harbored by their opponents. But they were opening the door even before those opponents, to obey the truth, to receive the Holy Spirit, and to partake of what they themselves enjoy. The apostles had no other mission but to testify to Jesus Christ, that He is the Prince, the Savior, the Giver of Repentance, and the Forgiver of sins. They have been assigned to this goal. They are witnesses to the cross, together with Christ’s resurrection and ascension, to grant His believers the eternal life. They are as well witnesses to the gift of the Holy Spirit, sent by the Son, from the Father, to those who believed and obeyed. 5- GAMALIEL's Attitude “When they heard this, they were furious and took counsel to kill them” (Acts 5: 33). When they heard St. Peter's defense, they had nothing to respond to it, but “they were furious and took counsel to kill them. They most probably resorted to the Pharisees for help, having been the learned scholars, not to respond to the apostle’s defense, but to plan with them to kill the apostles by stoning. What aroused their anger in the apostle’s speech of defense were the following points: 1- Accusing the Sanhedrin of opposing God by their orders, and showing that the apostles were committed to obey God rather than men. 2- Accusing the members of the Sanhedrin of being killers, and shedders of innocent blood. 3- The confession that the Crucified is the Prince, the Savior, and the Messiah anticipated by the generations. 4- That He is the Grantor of repentance to Israel, who need repentance, And that He is the Forgiver of sins. 5- That the apostles were witnesses to the salvation works of God. 6- That the Holy Spirit testifies and works in the obedient believers. 7- Finally, that the Sadducees became in danger, as the resurrection from the dead had then become confirmed to all, the teaching that they absolutely denied. Although the speech was very concise, it was like a fatal arrow, accurately cast at the heart of the members of the Sanhedrin, who then had no choice but, either to believe in the Lord Christ, or to get rid of the apostles by killing them. “Then one of the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while” (Acts 5: 34). The sect of the Sadducees was in a terrible mood against the apostles, as its members believed that this matter could not be settled except by killing them. Although they were the majority in the Sanhedrin, they needed to gain the Pharisees on their side. Josephus says that the Pharisees, in spite of not being the majority in the Sanhedrin, were 1Homilies on Acts. Hom. 13. 267 more popular and had a strong influence among the people. That is why the Sadducees could not make a decision by the majority, unless it was approved by the Pharisees. The Pharisee Gamaliel, the teacher of the law, and of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 22: 3) (And thought by some to be the son of Simon the elder, who carried the infant Jesus on his arms in the temple), probably convinced by the defense of St. Peter, felt that the position of the Sanhedrin was as though an opposition to God Himself. It was claimed that he believed in the Lord Christ, together with Nicodemus, on the hands of St. Peter and St. John, and that he remained a Christian in secret. Yet, certain scholars believe that he adopted that position, not out of conviction of what he heard, but on account of his liberal mind that did not believe in the use of violence in religion. ‘Pharisee’ is a title meaning ‘those who distinguish (or separate) themselves as dedicated to God’. They believed in resurrection, the existence of angels, and the sanctification of life. They followed a strict way of life, practicing an abstinence from sexual relationships during certain times, fasting two days a week, washing their plates, pots, and cups according to certain rites, and like the scribes, offering tithes and firstfruits, and reciting certain prayers at certain times during the day1. St. John of Damascus “And he said to them: ‘Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing’” (Acts 5: 35-36). About Theudas we know nothing more than what came here. He is certainly another Theudas than the one false prophet, mentioned in ‘Josephus’2, who rose up in the days of Fadus, the ruler of Judea in the days of Emperor Claudius (45 or 46 AD), who drew many people to follow him to the River Jordan, claiming that he would make them cross it as the children of Israel did in the days of Joshua. Fadus attacked them, killed many, and took Theudas to Jerusalem where he beheaded him. As that incident happened, ten or fifteen years, after the talk of Gamaliel that came here, Lightfoot believes that Josephus was mistaken concerning its date, and that Theudas here is the same one mentioned by Gamaliel. Some believe that both the Evangelist St. Luke and Josephus are right, having been two particular Historians. The name Theudas was a common name at that time; and it is not unusual to have two persons who carried the same name, leading a revolt one after the other. Moreover, it is not possible for a well respected scholar such as Gamaliel to refer to such incident before the Sanhedrin, if it was not sure and commonly known to all its members. It seems that revolts were often in the region of Judea, as mentioned by Josephus3. As to saying, “claiming to be somebody”, it means claiming to be the expected Messiah. “After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed” (Acts 5: 37). Judas of Galilee persuaded the people to refrain from paying taxes to the Romans, who crushed him together with those who followed him. A zealous group, who inherited 1 on Heresies. 15. 2 Antiq. 20.5. 3 Antiq. 17.10.4, 8. 268 his teachings, tried to entrap the Lord Christ, by asking Him about paying those taxes (Mark 12: 13-17). They revolted afterwards against the Romans, who, led by ‘Titus’ entered Jerusalem, burned the temple, and scattered the Jewish people. “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it – lest you even be found to fight against God” (Acts 5: 38-39). The prominent teacher of the law advised the members of the Sanhedrin to let the apostles alone, presenting to them two practical examples, namely, the appearance of Theudas and Judas of Galilee, who were followed by many, but because their cause was not according to God’s thought, they failed. Gamaliel proclaimed in a hidden way the state of bankruptcy of the members of the Sanhedrin concerning the knowledge of God, and their intense failure to discern between the things that are according to God’s thought, and those according to men. When Herod Archelaus, one of the sons of Herod the Great, was fired as a Governor of Judea (Matt 2: 1, 22), the nation became under a Roman ruler. At that time, Judas of Galilee called the Jews to refrain from paying the taxes to the Romans, arousing the religious and national feelings of the people to a violent revolt. He proclaimed that God alone is the King of Israel, and He alone has the right to reign on it. Josephus mentioned him and called him ‘the Galilean’1, and in another incident he referred him to the city of Gamala2. Josephus mentioned that the Roman ruler was Cyrenius, a senator who came to Syria to rule that nation. He was also appointed to rule Judaea beside Syria. He confiscated the wealth of Archelaus. Both Judas of Galilee, and Judas Saddock, a zealous Pharisee, proclaimed that paying the taxes is an entrance into servitude, and called on the people to defend their freedom. That revolt led to several other revolts, until the time came, and Titus the Roman destroyed the city, the temple, and the whole nation. Anyhow, Gamaliel did not give the members of the Sanhedrin a chance to reconsider their past decision concerning the delivery of the Lord Christ to crucifixion. He did not call on them to seek the truth. But it is obvious that Gamaliel put in his heart, and embraced in his mind the probability that that movement of the apostles was of God, although it was just a thought, of which he was not yet completely convinced. St. John Chrysostom says that what Gamaliel said was already proclaimed by the Lord Christ: “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven” (John 3: 27). Those people, Theudas and his followers, because what they received was from themselves, and not from heaven, were found to fight against God, and were scattered and perished. But that was not the case with Christ. Gamaliel presented a sound counsel, full of wisdom, which is: 1. It is unwise to oppose the popular movement, as this would provoke people to stubbornness and not to think prudently. 2. Temporarily disregarding the matter would most probably terminate it. 3. Faith in Jesus Christ does not necessitate hasty opposition, without deep study to see whether the matter was of God or of men. 4. He asked them to trust in God, the Keeper of faith, and the care-taker of His people. If the matter is left in His hands, He will certainly proclaim the truth. 1 Antiq. 17.10.5. 2 Antiq. 18.1.1. 269 5. He feared that if the members of the Sanhedrin unintentionally fell into opposing God Himself, their zeal would be in vain. "He would dissuade them both by the consideration that the thing is impossible, and because it is not for their good"1. St. John Chrysostom “And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go” (Acts 5: 40). The devil blinded the eyes of the Judges of Israel from reconsidering the case of the Crucified Jesus Christ. They most probably, within themselves, felt, together with Gamaliel, that they were fighting God, opposing the truth, and rejecting salvation. Anyhow, the members of the Sanhedrin got convinced of acquitting the apostles, yet the zeal in their hearts led them to beating them and commanding them not to speak in the name of Jesus. They partially followed Gamaliel’s advise, for fear that they may lose their dignity and authority before the people. 6- THE WORD OF GOD IS UNRESTRAINED “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5: 41). The members of the Sanhedrin assumed that the apostles would never dare to appear again before the people, after undergoing the shame of being beaten, as that was considered a disgrace against the humanity of man. Yet, as far as the apostles were concerned, they counted it rather as dignity and glory, because it implies a fellowship in the passion and crucifixion of the Lord Christ. The blood flowing from their bodies led them to sing: “For Your sake we are killed all day long” (Rom 8: 36). To be beaten was an insignificant tax for the sake of testifying to the truth. The unbearable pains of beating turned into joy and a feeling of dignity in Jesus Christ. That was not a human reaction. It was the work of the Holy Spirit in them that allows the believers to drink from the same cup, received by the Son from His Father. The disciples came out to preach the spiritual joy in the Lord: “rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation” (Rom 12: 12). If the road is narrow and difficult, how said He, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light?” It could be difficult because of the nature of the temptations, yet easy, because of the content of the travelers. What seems unbearable according to nature could become easy when we accept it with joy. Remember that the apostles, who were beaten, departed rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the sake of the name of the Lord2. St. John Chrysostom Why are the ministers of God still being insulted? 1- Because Jesus Christ, the subject of their preaching, is Himself despised and rejected. 2- Because His commandments oppose the pleasures and abominations of the world. 1Homilies on Acts. Hom. 14. 2 on Lazarus and the Rich Man. 3. 270 3- Some believe that the call of our heavenly Lord Jesus Christ lifts the heart and thought up to heaven, so they live as strangers on earth, not leading a realistic practical life. Therefore, they fail in life. 4- 1- The spirit of faith, love, humility, meekness, and giving contradicts the spirit of the world that of self pride, love of authority, and revenge. 5- The Christian faith is a call to the serious life, especially in worship, bearing the cross, Metaniahs, and vigilance. Why did the apostles rejoice? 1- Because they became like our Lord Jesus Christ, beaten and insulted for the sake of love (Col 1: 24), as they partook of Christ’s sufferings (1 pet 4: 13). 2- Because they counted their tribulations as a living testimony that they became Christ’s disciples and beloved followers, who partake of His passion. 3- Because in them, what the Lord has already promised was realized. 4- Because their suffering was easy, when compared to the glory to be proclaimed in us. 5- Because nothing can put man to shame and brings him into disgrace like sin. “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5: 42). The Holy Spirit turned the tribulations into joy in the Lord, according to the words: “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh 8: 10). They gained strength and courage to testify to the truth every day in the temple, as well as in the houses. Their life became a continuous journey to teach and preach Jesus as a Christ. They cared for teaching, as the books of the New Testament were written by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and for establishing the matters of worship and church ordinances. Some writings that go back to the era of the apostles were discovered, like the Didascalia, (which I already translated and commented on.) 271 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS 5 LET MY WHOLE HEART BE DEDICATED TO YOU My soul trembles inside me, lest I bear the spirit of Ananias and Sapphira. They sold a possession to offer its whole proceeds to You. Although You were in no need of their money, You counted what they offered as Your sanctity. As they violated the money, they violated the sanctities. They dropped dead physically, as a proclamation of their internal death. Here I am dedicating my whole life to You, My soul and body with all their energies. My talents and my time, and all what I have, are yours, Grant me to be faithful. Keep me from violating Your sanctities. Let even my food, drink, and my sleep be for Your glory. Let me bear Your sweet fragrance in me, That defilement would have no place in me. Sanctify me completely, and dedicate my whole heart to you, O Holy One. Let Ananias and Sapphira die in my heart. Let Your holy fear be nailed in my depths, That I become Your witness before everyone. Let Your Holy Spirit transform me, To sanctify my whole being; And to become a tool of righteousness to the account of Your kingdom. Let the wicked, who work to the account of the kingdom of darkness, be worked up. Corruption would be scattered before righteousness. And darkness does not exist when there is light. You send Your angels to guard me, And break the locks of the prison and the abyss. You raise me up every day, as though from the grave. You grant me the spirit of strength, to consummate Your will. You turn my tribulations into a source of joy and rejoicing; So my life turns into a testimony to Your divine work.
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