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| 1 And a certain man, Ananias by name, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, |
Ananias with Sapphira – Our thought is that these two culprits had never received the begetting of the holy Spirit. R5850:3, 4318:5, 2943:6
Examples of false brethren. R4317:2
A deceitful, hypocritical spirit, displeasing to God. R4318:4
They were made an illustration of a principle of deception. They served as ensamples for the instruction of the Church. R2943:6, 4318:4, 2102:4
Sold a possession – Merely desiring an approbation of the brethren. R5453:4, 2943:3
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| 2 and did keep back of the price his wife also knowing and having brought a certain part, at the feet of the apostles he laid [it]. |
Kept back – Desirous of the approval of the Church, yet deficient in the real spirit of sacrifice. R2943:3
Attempting to cheat the others by getting a share of their alls without giving their own all. R1862:3; D479
It is not feasible to have communism amongst those who are imperfect. R4318:1, 5850:1, 5851:6
Part of the price – They agreed together that they would retain part of the sale-money for future contingencies, yet would pass as sacrificers to the full amount. R2943:3
The nominal church teems and overflows with just this class of people. The greatest sin, even amongst consecrated believers, is dishonesty. R2944:1, 5453:6
It is a very serious matter to make vows and afterward reconsider, or attempt to take back that which we have consecrated to the Lord. R2102:6
Let us see to it that, having made the contract, we pay over the price in full. R1657:4
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| 3 And Peter said, 'Ananias, wherefore did the Adversary fill thy heart, for thee to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back of the price of the place |
But Peter – Possessing the gift of discerning the spirits. R4318:4, 2943:6, 372:4; E269
Acting in the capacity of one of the twelve chosen apostles of the Lord. F412; R435:3
It required the exercise of those special powers conferred upon the apostles, to keep the community from being imposed on by such selfish characters. R1421:4
Filled thine heart to lie – By his spirit or influence. E269
With his spirit of covetousness. R372:4
To the holy Ghost – Lying to God, lying to the holy Spirit of God, whose agent and representative Peter was. E269; R372:4
It was an unpardonable sin, but it is not for us to determine the degree of wilfulness. R5453:3
Keep back part – They should have been honest. If they wished to give a tenth, a half, no one would have had the right to criticize. The wrong consisted in the deception practiced. R5453:4
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| 4 while it remained, did it not remain thine and having been sold, in thy authority was it not why [is] it that thou didst put in thy heart this thing thou didst not lie to men, but to God;' |
Whiles it – Thy possessions. R2102:6
Was it not thine own? – Remember that you consecrated your all before you were anointed, and now you cannot be an overcomer and keep back part of the price. R241:4, 2102:6
"Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay." (Eccl. 5:5) R2154:5
Not lied unto men, – The greatest sin in the church, even amongst consecrated believers, is that of dishonesty. R2944:1, 5453:6
Water immersion was not necessarily an endorsement of such by the apostles and the church. R1544:2
They had a perfect right to keep part of the price, but not to lie about it. R4318:4, 5850:2, 2943:3
But unto God – God's holy Spirit, in the apostles. E269; R5453:5, 372:4
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| 5 and Ananias hearing these words, having fallen down, did expire, and great fear came upon all who heard these things, |
Gave up the ghost – A lesson to the Church that they were dealing, not with flesh and blood, but with Jehovah God. R5850:3, 4318:5, 2943:6
It may be that they were merely cut off from the present life and will have some future opportunity. R5453:3
The only case in the church on record where the penalty of wilful violation of a covenant with God met with summary punishment. R1426:1
Great fear – Reverence for God, and the apostles. R5453:5, 4318:5, 2943:3
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| 6 and having risen, the younger men wound him up, and having carried forth, they buried [him]. |
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| 7 And it came to pass, about three hours after, that his wife, not knowing what hath happened, came in, |
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| 8 and Peter answered her, 'Tell me if for so much ye sold the place;' and she said, 'Yes, for so much.' |
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| 9 And Peter said unto her, 'How was it agreed by you, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord lo, the feet of those who did bury thy husband [are] at the door, and they shall carry thee forth;' |
Have agreed together – The submission of a wife to her husband "in everything" (Eph. 5:24) does not apply to everyth R1552:6
Spirit of the Lord – By which the Apostle probably meant the Lord Jesus. E270; R372:4
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| 10 and she fell down presently at his feet, and expired, and the young men having come in, found her dead, and having carried forth, they buried [her] by her husband; |
Buried her – Without the holy Spirit, they had not sinned unto death, and will be resurrected. R5850:4, 5453:3
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| 11 and great fear came upon all the assembly, and upon all who heard these things. |
Great fear – The designed effect was realized. R5850:4
Reverence for God, and for the apostles. R2943:3, 5850:5, 5453:5, 4318:5
The lesson to the church is that it is impossible to deceive God who discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. R2102:5
A warning of God's righteous indignation against all hypocrisy and deceit. R1426:2, 5850:6, 4318:4
The lesson for the whole church is the solemn obligation involved in our covenant with him of entire consecration to his service. R1426:1
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| 12 And through the hands of the apostles came many signs and wonders among the people, and they were with one accord all in the porch of Solomon; |
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| 13 and of the rest no one was daring to join himself to them, but the people were magnifying them, |
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| 14 (and the more were believers added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women,) |
Added to the Lord – This period of gathering the ripe wheat, and establishing them, was a very necessary prelude to the period of persecution and suffering which followed. R2108:2
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| 15 so as into the broad places to bring forth the ailing, and to lay [them] upon couches and mats, that at the coming of Peter, even [his] shadow might overshadow some one of them; |
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| 16 and there were coming together also the people of the cities round about to Jerusalem, bearing ailing persons, and those harassed by unclean spirits who were all healed. |
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| 17 And having risen, the chief priest, and all those with him being the sect of the Sadducees were filled with zeal, |
Rose up – Was aroused. R2103:2, 2947:2
Sect – A part cut off. R537:3
Heresy. R1130:6*
Sadducees – Agnostics, Higher Critics and skeptics. R4325:2, 2103:1
Practically unbelievers; of the wealthier, more respectable class. R4986:3
Might be termed to some extent agnostic--their faith considerably resembling that of the "Reformed Jews" of today. Did not believe in the resurrection, nor in spirit beings. R2103:1, 4325:2
With indignation – Jealousy. (Revised Version) Hot with indignation. R4325:3
The officials were in consternation. R2103:2
Envy; the spirit of sectarianism against the truth often manifested in our day. R2947:2
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| 18 and laid their hands upon the apostles, and did put them in a public prison; |
Laid their hands – Permitted by the Jewish Sanhedrin to make arrests in respect to religious matters. R2467:6
Such persecution would furnish in the harvest of this age a parallel to the harvest of the Jewish age, and give a wider a deeper typical illustration of Elijah's whirlwind and John the Baptist's imprisonment and beheading. R969:4; B264, B265
Prison – For daring to preach without permission of the Chief Priests. R992:6
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| 19 and a messenger of the Lord through the night opened the doors of the prison, having also brought them forth, he said, |
But the angel – The Lord sent his angel and delivered his faithful servants. R5851:4
Opened the prison – Yet left the prison doors unmolested. R265:3
Spiritual beings possess powers greater and higher than humanity. R265:2
And said – All such indirect, non-personal instructions are properly described as from or by the Lord's holy Spirit. E277
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| 20 'Go on, and standing, speak in the temple to the people all the sayings of this life;' |
This life – Life from the dead, secured through the Redeemer. We who believe do now, by faith, enter into this newness of life. R4325:4
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| 21 and having heard, they did enter at the dawn into the temple, and were teaching. And the chief priest having come, and those with him, they called together the sanhedrim and all the senate of the sons of Israel, and they sent to the prison to have them brought, |
Entered into the temple – The apostles went early to the temple, and began, as before, to explain the Old Testament Scriptures and types. R4325:4
Called the council – The Sanhedrin. R2947:6
For the purpose of condemning the apostles. R2103:2
They felt compelled to make another attempt to head off what they considered the heresy of the Nazarene. R2103:1
Children of Israel – The whole twelve tribes. C293; R2085:4, 1341:1
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| 22 and the officers having come, did not find them in the prison, and having turned back, they told, |
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| 23 saying 'The prison indeed we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors, and having opened within we found no one.' |
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| 24 And as the priest, and the magistrate of the temple, and the chief priests, heard these words, they were doubting concerning them to what this would come; |
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| 25 and coming near, a certain one told them, saying 'Lo, the men whom ye did put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people;' |
Put in prison – The Sanhedrin was permitted to make arrests, but not to execute criminals without the consent of the Roman governor. R2467:6
Teaching the people – The apostles exhorted the people to prepare for the kingdom and to accept the invitation to become members of the bride class. R5851:1
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| 26 then the magistrate having gone away with officers, brought them without violence, for they were fearing the people, lest they should be stoned; |
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| 27 and having brought them, they set [them] in the sanhedrim, and the chief priest questioned them, |
High priest – They were cast into prison for daring to preach without permission of the Chief Priests. R992:6
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| 28 saying, 'Did not we strictly command you not to teach in this name and lo, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and ye intend to bring upon us the blood of this man.' |
Doctrine – Teachings. R5851:5, 4325:5, 2948:1, 2947:6
Man's blood upon us – Christ's blood shed. R1336:1
To make the people think we are responsible for his death. R2103:4, 5851:5, 4325:5
Thus the chief priests, Scribes and Pharisees of today fear for not only their various denominational structures, but also for their own standing. R2948:1
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| 29 And Peter and the apostles answering, said, 'To obey God it behoveth, rather than men; |
Then Peter and the other apostles answered – Thus another opportunity was afforded God's servants to testify, and to the chief priests and rulers to hear a strictly gospel sermon. R2947:6
The answer of the apostles shows that they were courageous men. R2103:4
God rather than men – Where they conflicted with God's laws. A266
We have merely followed divine instructions. R2103:4
Divine authority must be recognized as supreme. R4325:6
Remember not to violate conscience in order to please any one. R1553:1
If we come into conflict with the religious rulers, we are to be bold for truth, but moderate and humble in manner and language. R2103:5
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| 30 and the God of our fathers did raise up Jesus, whom ye slew, having hanged upon a tree; |
Raised up – Greek, egeiro; to awaken, arouse, stir. R1512:2
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| 31 this one God, a Prince and a Saviour, hath exalted with His right hand, to give reformation to Israel, and forgiveness of sins; |
Hath God exalted – To the highest plane of being, the divine nature. E120
He would have all men "honor the Son, even as they honor the Father." (John 5:23) HG297:2
By delivering to him the scroll of wisdom, and the power and authority to execute all of its provisions. R2156:2
Abundant proof that Jesus' sacrifice was acceptable and well pleasing to God. R387:3
Our Lord Jesus in all matters Acts as the representative of the Father. E35
To be a Prince – Master, or Lord. R745:4
The world in general dies like Prince Adam, but the faithful with Prince Jesus. "One of the princes." (Psa. 82:7) F724
And a Saviour – That he may be able to recover from death and grant judgment to all whom he purchased. A142
Life-giver. R4963:5
His title, The Mighty God, or Mighty, Mighty One, will be recognized then, on earth, as well as in heaven. R5136:2
To Israel – The whole twelve tribes. C293; R1341:1
Forgiveness of sins – This was never preached before, because, until then, our ransom price had not been paid. R387:3
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| 32 and we are His witnesses of these sayings, and the Holy Spirit also, whom God gave to those obeying him.' |
And we – The eleven apostles. E212
And so is also the Holy Spirit – As the cloven tongues fitly represented the mission of the apostles to be, under the Holy Spirit, to testify as "witnesses." E213
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| 33 And they having heard, were cut [to the heart], and were taking counsel to slay them, |
Cut to the heart – They were grieved that the people were taught. R5851:1
By the "sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." (Eph. 6:17) R5496:1
The lance of truth. SM440:1
Angered, embittered. R2947:6
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| 34 but a certain one, having risen up in the sanhedrim a Pharisee, by name Gamaliel, a teacher of law honoured by all the people commanded to put the apostles forth a little, |
Named Gamaliel – The instructor of Saul of Tarsus, a worldly-wise but noble-minded man. R2948:2, 2085:4
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| 35 and said unto them, 'Men, Israelites, take heed to yourselves about these men, what ye are about to do, |
Ye men of Israel – The whole twelve tribes. C252, C293; R1341:1
Not, "Ye men of Judah." If Israel was lost, Gamaliel did not know of it. R2085:4, C252
Take heed to yourselves – Gamaliel gave evidence of his wisdom. R4033:1
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| 36 for before these days rose up Theudas, saying, that himself was some one, to whom a number of men did join themselves, as it were four hundred, who was slain, and all, as many as were obeying him, were scattered, and came to nought. |
Theudas, boasting himself – "All that ever come before me are thieves and robbers." (John 10:8) Who attempted fraudulentlyeader. R4732:6
History tells us of several others who deceived quite a few Jews. D565
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| 37 'After this one rose up, Judas the Galilean, in the days of the enrollment, and drew away much people after him, and that one perished, and all, as many as were obeying him, were scattered; |
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| 38 and now I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone, because if this counsel or this work may be of men, it will be overthrown, |
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| 39 and if it be of God, ye are not able to overthrow it, lest perhaps also ye be found fighting against God.' |
Cannot overthrow it – Nearly one-fourth of the clergy joined in a campaign of slander against Pastor Russell, but others refused, after the manner of Gamaliel. CR351:2; HG557:3
Fight against God – Satan desires to get us to do just this. R4803:5
Many imagine they are serving God while they are really serving the adversary. R4033:5
A strong character affected by a measure of pride is apt to take a wrong course from which it is almost impossible for him to recede. R4033:6
We should never forget the Lord in our personal affairs and very careful respecting every step we take. R4198:4
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| 40 And to him they agreed, and having called near the apostles, having beaten [them], they commanded [them] not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go; |
And beaten them – With thirteen strokes of a three-tailed whip, "Forty stripes save one." (2 Cor. 11:24) R2948:3
Furnishes in the end or harvest of this age, another parallel to the harvest of the Jewish age. B263; R969:4
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| 41 they, indeed, then, departed from the presence of the sanhedrim, rejoicing that for his name they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour, |
Rejoicing – The Lord blessed them in their hearts with his peace and grace, while he did not shield them from the scourging. R4326:1
They did not threaten the Scribes and Pharisees, nor did they bemoan their fate. R2948:4
Such sufferings are accompanied with joy and peace which make them to appear but "light afflictions" and "but for a moment." (2 Cor. 4:17) R1699:6
We must let none of these things move us. R1575:6
We would be in distress and woe, if we could not tell the joyful message. R671:1
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| 42 every day also in the temple, and in every house, they were not ceasing teaching and proclaiming good news Jesus the Christ. |
In every house – The congregations of the primitive Church were small and usually met in private houses. R2941:6
Ceased not to teach – The threatenings of the Sanhedrin were powerless to stop them from declaring the good tidings. R2948:5
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