College Notes
The Acts
Chapter 5
Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11)
vs. 1
"Ananias and Sapphira
his wife"
vs. 2
Pretended to bring all
the money they had received for a possession -- a direct lie in itself.
Why? The acts of selling it was for the ostensible purpose of bringing it
into common stock.
Hypothetical: Sold it for $10,000 but told disciples they received only $5,000 for it.
vs. 4
Selling of land was
voluntary
Two fold:
Note: It shows that the Church didn't force them to sell it!
vs. 5
"Gave up the ghost" --
improper translation! Should read: "falling down, he breathed his
last."
Note: God struck him down, not Peter.
Point: You cannot buy your way into ministry via fraudulent behavior.
vs. 6
"wound him up" means
wrapped him (in his or their robes).
vs. 10
God in his mercy made
it quick and painless.
Note: Those once in the Church who have since left may come up in 2nd resurrection? Mr. Armstrong has alluded to it.
Miracles and Envy
(5:12-42)
Signs
(5:12-16)
vs. 13
Of the rest (?)
Apparently had to do with wrong concepts of buying into ministry. Perhaps
this act of Barnabas was one of many and the apostles begin to use him in
the ministry and perhaps others in the congregation believed they could do
similar acts to become part of the ministry.
"magnified" -- megalund (Greek) means to declare great. This irritated the high priest and the Sadducean Council. (vs. 17)
vs. 15
“Shadow of Peter.”
Catholic Church developed doctrine and beliefs of saints -- bones,
clothing, etc. had powers.
vs. 16
Miracles of healing
by Peter decreased as time went by though the 1st century.
Note: Can't presume all that were healed were converted.
Imprisonment (5:17-32)
vs. 17
High priest and
Sadducees arrest apostles.
vs. 18
"common prison" --
too late in evening for a hearing.
vs. 19
"angel" -- angelos
(Greek) means:
Guards didn't have keys. They would have to go to the chief jailer, (Warden) to get them.
vs. 20
Commanded to do
this.
vs. 21
"council ... senate"
= same body, i.e. the Sanhedrin.
vs. 23
When the angel
miraculously opened the jail door he locked it again when they
left.
vs. 24
Point: They knew God
must have intervened
vs. 26
The apostles didn't
resist arrest. Principle to be followed today.
vs. 28
"straitly" means
strictly.
Peter again charged them with the death of Christ. Also vs. 30.
vs. 28-30
"Obey God rather
than men!" BOLD. This man's blood. Why you make it sound like Jesus was an
innocent man.
Peter denied Christ the first time. Now he and the other apostles are bold to speak.
The officers were afraid that people might try to stone them because the apostles were teaching that the Jewish leaders were responsible for killing Christ. These officers did not want Christ’s blood on them. However, that it exactly what they wanted before. Mat. 27:35 -- They had said, let his blood be on us.
vs. 32
The Holy Spirit is a
witness to these things also.
There is an external witness and a internal witness.
vs. 34
Gamaliel:
Book: The Life and Epistles of St. Paul by W.J. Conybeare
3. Grandson of Hillel and son of Simeon.
4. Died a Jew, not a Christian.
Gamaliel steps forward . . .
vs. 34 (cont.)
Two rival
schools:
Gamaliel's Speech (5:33-42)
vs. 36
"Theudas" = c. 10
yrs. earlier (according to Josephus). This man led an insurrection in
Galilee and aimed at getting the sovereignty of Jews but was defeated and
put to death.
In Antiquities, book XX, Ch.V, Par.1,
Josephus writes:
"Now it came to pass, that while Fadus was procurator
of Judea, that a certain magician, whose name was Theudas, persuaded a
great part of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him
to the river Jordan; for he told them he was a prophet, and that he would,
by his own command, divide the river, and afford them an easy passage over
it; and many were deluded by his words. However, Fadus did not permit them
to make any advantage of his wild attempt, but sent a troop of horsemen
out against them; who falling upon them unexpectedly, slew many of them,
and took many of them alive. They also took Theudas alive, and cut off his
head, and carried it to Jerusalem. This was what befell the Jews in the
time of Cuspius Fadus's government....and besides this, the sons of Judas
of Galilee were now slain; I mean of that Judas who caused the people to
revolt, when Cyrenius came to take an account of the estates of the
Jews"
vs. 37
"Judas of Galilee" =
leader of religious group, i.e., Essenes according to Rabbi Abraham.
However, Josephus says Judas only member this sect -- nevertheless, he
failed at leading an insurrection against Cyrenius (also called Quirinius)
as a result of Augustus' decree in 7 B.C. not being carried
out.
Note: Taxing of Syria (as it was to the Romans) was done every 14 years, e.g. 7 B.C. /4 B.C. /6 A.D.
Josephus writes of this Judas in
Antiquities, XVIII, I, I-6:
"Yet there was one Judas a Gaulonite, of a
city whose name was Gamala, who taking with him Sadduc, a Pharisee, became
zealous to draw them to a revolt, who said that this taxation was
no better than an introduction to
slavery, and exhorted the nation to assert their liberty; as if they could
procure them happiness and security for what they possessed, and an
assured enjoyment of a still greater good, which was that of the honour
and glory they would thereby acquire for magnanimity...All sorts of
misfortunes also sprang from these men, and the nation was infected with
this doctrine to an incredible degree; one violent war came upon us after
another, ...Judas and Sadduc, who excited a fourth philosophic sect among
us ... agree in all other things with the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to
liberty; and they say that God is to be their only ruler and Lord. They
also do not value dying any kinds of death, not indeed do they heed the
deaths of their relations and friends nor can any such fear make them call
any man Lord."
vs. 38 (-39)
Very profound
statement from Gamaliel.
Point: Good advice for us!
vs. 40
"beaten them" --
illegally -- perhaps 39 stripes (40, save one).
vs. 42
"in every house" --
where God's people lived.