• Acts 4:32-5:42

  • Acts 4:35 – “Lay them at the apostles’ feet” means they put things under control of the apostles. The money was specifically given to needy Christians.

  • Acts 5:1-11 – Ananias and Sapphira

    • Acts 5:3 – “Satan filled your heart” is a figure of speech (compare James 5:4; Romans 6:16). Satan didn’t physically take control of them.

    • These phrases are used interchangeably:

      • “lie to the Holy Spirit” (Acts 5:3)

      • “lied … to God” (Acts 5:4)

      • “put the Spirit of God to the test” (Acts 5:9)

    • The text makes a distinction between money that is “one’s own” and that which is “common” (Acts 4:32). Chapter 5 makes the same distinction (Acts 5:2, 4). This is good to remember when thinking about the use of the treasury.

  • Acts 5:17-42 – “they laid hands on them”

    • Note the difference between the people and the leaders:
Regular People Leaders
Who were they afraid of? “great fear … none of the rest dared to associate with [the apostles]” (Acts 5:11, 13) “afraid of the people” (Acts 5:26)
Attitude toward apostles “held them in high esteem” (Acts 5:13) “filled with jealousy” (Acts 5:17)
Actions with apostles “all with one accord … more believers … constantly added” (Acts 5:12, 14) “put them in a public jail … strict orders not to continue teaching … intended to kill them … flogged them” (Acts 5:18, 28, 33, 40)
  • The regular people and leaders both had access to the same information but had opposite responses to the apostles.
    • Acts 5:41-42 – This is the attitude we should have about persecution!