Acts chapter 5

vs 1

It seems that Ananias and Sapphira are being compared to Barnabas. Remember, we don't know who he is yet, really. But he's obviously cool enough that he gets given a new name.

vs 2

So what was the problem? It was his property to begin with.

vs 3

"Lied to the Holy Spirit". Oh, you're in deep trouble. Remember what Jesus said about sinning against the Holy Spirit? There's no forgiveness for that. Notice though that he is not being accused of greed or a lack of desire to help. It is a lie that he is accused of - a lie regarding the amount that he received for the land.

vs 4

Note that there was no rule about giving up everything, or in fact anything, for the benefit of the commuity. It was entirely voluntary. It doesn't say that he even announced how much he was giving or anything, simply that he put the rest at the apostle's feet. So it could have been as simple as he made it seem like he was giving everything from selling his property.

vs 5

The first person in the New Testament to be struck dead by God, lightning-bolt style. And why? Because he led some people to believe that he was giving all the money from a sold field to the apostles. I think I might have to re-evaluate what I think of as a sin against the Holy Spirit - Peter certainly seems to have a different definition to me.

vs 6

Wow, efficiency.

vs 7

You can see where this is going.

vs 8

Peter sets her up! Entrapment! I mean, Ananias intimated something, and now Sapphira is being asked directly to either perpetuate the lie, or to tell the truth and dob her husband in. Dob in is a rough phrase, though - I mean, it's not like he was forced to give them all his money.

vs 9

Peter sounds heartless, but I think you could read this in a caring way. I don't know what his attitude really was. But he was telling the truth.

vs 10-11

I thank God that we don't have people dropping dead in the church, because I don't know where we'd bury them.

Fear is mentioned twice - this is the second time. Was it fear that they would suffer a similar fate? I guess it might have been. I mean, their sin was pretty simple - their action had actually been holy, but we assume their heart wasn't in it, especially if they lied about the amount. So the lesson is - never tell anyone you tithe unless you really do. :P