Acts Chapter 5

The first word of the chapter is the word BUT. That connects the events we are about to read about back to chapter four:

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Notice that they were ALL filled with the Holy Ghost. That was the gift that was given to them by the laying on of the apostles hands once they had been baptised for the remission of sins. Notice also that the disciples are continuing stedfastly in the apostles doctrine:

Acts 4:34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

Acts 4:35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

And that is the context of chapter five:

Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

Acts 5:2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Keep in mind that Ananias is a disciple, he is a believer. He HAS the Holy Ghost just as we read above. He didn't just show up to try to "buy a place in the church." He was already in the church.

Also keep in mind the apostles doctrine.

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Matthew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

And there is also this:

Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

Revelation 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

In the tribulation how can anyone even use money? Only if they have the mark of the beast. If anyone takes the mark of the beast then they are goners! That was the reason for selling out every thing that they owned. They were to look to the Lord for their daily provisions and were even taught to pray:

Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

But this man has sold his property, just as all the others did. But he kept back part of the price. He has lied to the Holy Ghost with which he had been baptized. Notice in:

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

Hebrews 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Now these people in the early part of the book of Acts know nothing at all of the past nearly 2000 years. They know nothing at all of the gospel of the grace of God in the dispensation of the grace of God which was committed to the apostle Paul. What they know is the message sent to Israel which Peter has been preaching. It concerns Israel's LAST DAYS and not the church's first days. The next thing in view for them is the tribulation and the coming of the antichrist.

In order for them to be a partaker of Christ they must continue stedfasly UNTO THE END. That would be the end of their lives or the end of the tribulation, whichever came first. This man did not continue, he fell away.

Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

The only way the man could have lied to the Holy Ghost would be that if he HAD the Holy Ghost. So the lie that he told was lying to the Holy Ghost. He didn't lie to men but unto God. This is blasphemy. This is a sin which the Lord said could NOT be forgiven, neither in this world nor the world to come. The majority of the nation of Israel blasphemed and they died and wound up in hell. There was no forgiveness for them. And in this man's case it was the same. He fell away and could not be renewed unto repentance.

Acts 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

Acts 5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

Can you imagine something like that happening in a church somewhere today? This is obviously not the church, the body of Christ nor the doctrine to the body of Christ.

Acts 5:6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

Now about three hours go by and another liar shows up:

Acts 5:7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

Acts 5:8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

Acts 5:9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

Acts 5:10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

Acts 5:11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

The church there is not the church, which is the body of Christ. This is strictly a Jewish assembly. It began to be added to on a Jewish holy day called Pentecost. A feast day under the Law of Moses. It is called the church which was at Jerusalem, a house, a church, a kingdom, a priesthood, a body of believers. But in no way should it be considered the church, the body of Christ. The people are different. The doctrine is different. The message is different.

Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.

Acts 5:13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

Acts 5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

Acts 5:15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

Nothing like that is happening today. If so, then why doesn't the fake faith healer on television quit begging for money and simply go walk down the hall of the hospital and cast a few shadows?

Acts 5:16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

Notice that? They were healed EVERY ONE. In the so-called "great commission" which is not at all the commission of the body of Christ they were told that SIGNS SHALL follow them that believe. They were told that they shall lay hands on the sick and they SHALL recover. No might or maybe to it. These were healed every one because what we see here is the perfecting of a priesthood.

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

What you do not see in Peter's ministry in the book of Acts or in his epistles is the church, the body of Christ.

Acts 5:17 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,

Acts 5:18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

Acts 5:19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

Acts 5:20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

Notice the temple and the people. It is the Jewish temple at Jerusalem and the people are the people of Israel.

Acts 5:21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

The TEMPLE is referred to a total of 12 times in the first seven chapters of the book of Acts.

Acts 5:22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told,

Acts 5:23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

Acts 5:24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

Acts 5:25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

Acts 5:26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.

Acts 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

Acts 5:28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

Do you realize that this is the ONLY reference to the shed blood of Jesus Christ anywhere in Acts chapter one through Acts chapter twelve? And here it is a reference to what the high priest said, not what Peter said. It was Paul who said:

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

So the blood of Christ in Peter's preaching in the book of Acts was a "blood guiltiness" upon the nation of Israel.

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Now watch the murder charge:

Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Repentance to Israel was by the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Forgiveness of sins, the time when Israel's sins are blotted out is at the second coming.

Acts 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Acts 5:33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

That was their usual solution. Get rid of the problem.

Acts 5:34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;

Acts 5:35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.

Acts 5:36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

Acts 5:37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

Acts 5:38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

Acts 5:39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

They were found even to be fighting against God. It came to the point later in chapter seven that they blasphemed the Holy Ghost, and as a result Israel fell. But at this point the doctrline is still the message of the gospel of the kingdom and the salvation of Israel.

Acts 5:40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

Acts 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.