Acts 5:1–11

"You shall not steal:" [Exodus 20:15] for Achan, when he had stolen in Israel at Jericho, was stoned to death; [Joshua 7:1] and Gehazi, who stole, and told a lie, inherited the leprosy of Naaman; [2 Kings 5:27] and Judas, who stole the poor's money, betrayed the Lord of glory to the Jews, [John 12:6] and repented, and hanged himself, and burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out; [Matthew 27:5; Acts 1:18] and Ananias, and Sapphira his wife, who stole their own goods, and "tempted the Spirit of the Lord," were immediately, at the sentence of Peter our fellow-apostle, struck dead. [Acts 5:1-11]

And the mystics say that he slew the Egyptian by a word only; as, certainly, Peter in the Acts is related to have slain by speech those who appropriated part of the price of the field, and lied.

Ananais corresponded all to little to his name, because he himself responded all to little to the grace of God. He had a wife Sapphira, a woman like her husband.

Ananias: Grace of the Lord.

"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 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." The aggravating circumstance was, that the sin was concerted, and none other saw what was done.

This history touches Bishops too, and very forcibly. And the wife of Ananias was privy to the thing done: therefore he examines her. But perhaps some one will say that he dealt very harshly with her. What do you mean? What harshness? If for gathering sticks a man is to be stoned, much rather ought he for sacrilege; for this money was become sacred. He that has chosen to sell his goods and distribute them, and then withdraws them, is guilty of sacrilege. But if he is sacrilegious, who resumes from his own, much more he who takes from what is not his own. And do not think that because the consequence is not now the same, the crime will go unpunished.

Entirely full of Satanic madness, he who seizes what is good impulsively and by necessity and violence, while at the same time lukewarm in his zeal for the value of the good things, having squandered all his possessions. Three signs occurring at the same time: knowledge of secrets; dread of inquiry of the mind; and, in addition to these, removal through commands.

And the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things."

For they both raised the dead, which God alone (can do), and restored the debilitated to their integrity, which none but Christ (can do); nay, they inflicted plagues too, which Christ would not do. For it did not beseem Him to be severe who had come to suffer. Smitten were both Ananias and Elymas -Ananias with death, Elymas with blindness-in order that by this very fact it might be proved that Christ had had the power of doing even such (miracles).

Intending to narrate what happened with Ananias and Sapphira, and wishing to show that they sinned, Luke first mentions a man who acted rightly — Joses. Despite such a multitude of persons who did the same — sold their possessions and gave the money to the apostles, despite such great signs and such an abundance of grace, Ananias drew no edification from all of this and brought destruction upon himself. But what is remarkable is that the transgression was by agreement with his wife, and no one else was a witness to the sale. This is where the idea arose in this wretched man to act as he did.

His intent was to divide the money and with one portion to purchase praise and the impression of piety, but to save the other portion for himself in case some need should arise.

Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? In another translation, according to the Greek text, it reads: Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? It should be noted here that no creature can fill the soul and mind of a man according to essence, but only the Creator Trinity. For it is only according to operation and the instinct of the will that the mind is filled with things that are created. Satan indeed fills the mind of someone and the chief part of the heart, not by entering into him and into his senses, and entering the access of the heart (so to speak), since this power is peculiar to divinity alone, but as a cunning, wicked, deceitful, and fraudulent deceiver, dragging the human soul into evil affections through thoughts and the incitements of vices, with which he himself is full. Satan thus filled Ananias's heart, not by entering himself, but by inserting his venom of malice.

That what any one has vowed to God, he must quickly repay. In Solomon: "According as thou hast vowed a vow to God, delay not to pay it." Concerning this same thing in Deuteronomy: "But if thou hast vowed a vow to the Lord thy God, I thou shalt not delay to pay it: because the Lord thy God inquiring shall seek it of thee; and it shall be for a sin. Thou shalt observe those things that shall go forth out of thy lips, and shalt perform the gift which thou hast spoken with thy mouth." Of this same matter in the forty-ninth Psalm: "Sacrifice to God the sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows to the Most High. Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Of this same thing in the Acts of the Apostles: "Why hath Satan filled thine heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Ghost, when thy estate was in thine own power? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." Also in Jeremiah: "Cursed is he who doeth the work of God negligently."

Peter was not with Ananias and Sapphira when they sold their possessions, but he was present by the Spirit; Why, he says, hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? There was no accuser; there was no witness; whence knew he what had happened? 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? The unlettered Peter, through the grace of the Spirit, learnt what not even the wise men of the Greeks had known.

so that you would lie to the Holy Spirit: Now if he believed that God can be deceived, he would think of Him irreverently, but if he believe that nothing is concealed from Him, either he despised His justice or he suppose that He looks with favor on deceit.

For Ananias became a thief of his own goods, secretly, as he thought, from all men, and concealing his sin: but the Holy Spirit at the same moment was in Peter, and detected his intent, dragged down as it was to avarice, and gave to Peter from Himself the power of seeing the secret, while it is clear that He could not have done this had He not been able to behold hidden things.

And of the Holy Spirit also, Peter says to Ananias, "Why hath Satan filled thine heart, to lie to the Holy Ghost?" showing that the Holy Spirit was a true witness, aware of what Ananias had dared to do in secret, and by Whom the manifestation of the secret was made to Peter. For Ananias became a thief of his own goods, secretly, as he thought, from all men, and concealing his sin: but the Holy Spirit at the same moment was in Peter, and detected his intent, dragged down as it was to avarice, and gave to Peter from Himself the power of seeing the secret, while it is clear that He could not have done this had He not been able to behold hidden things.

For having made a vow they offered their money to God as if it were their own and not his to whom they had vowed it; and keeping back for their own use a part of that which belonged to another, through fear of famine which true faith never fears, they drew down on themselves suddenly the avenging stroke, which was meant not in cruelty toward them but as a warning to others. In fact, the apostle Peter by no means called down death upon them, as Porphyry foolishly says. He merely announced God's judgment by the spirit of prophecy, that the doom of two persons might be a lesson to many.

How came it into the mind of this hapless wretch to commit this crime? "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?" Observe even in this, a great miracle performed, greater far than the former.

Do you see that this is the charge brought against Ananias, that having made the money sacred, he afterwards secreted it? Couldest thou not, said Peter, after selling thy land, use the proceeds as thine own? Wast thou forbidden? Wherefore after thou hadst promised it? See how at the very beginning, the devil made his attack; in the very midst of such signs and wonders, how this man was hardened! Something of the same kind had happened upon a time in the Old Testament. The son of Charmi coveted the devoted thing: for observe there also what vengeance ensues upon the sin. Sacrilege, beloved, is a most grievous crime, insulting, and full of contempt. We neither obliged thee to sell, the Apostle says, nor to give thy money when thou hadst sold; of thine own free choice thou didst it; why hast thou then stolen from the sacred treasury? "Why," he says, "hath Satan filled thine heart?" Well, if Satan did the thing, why is the man made guilty of it? For admitting the influence of the devil, and being filled with it. You will say, they ought to have corrected him. But he would not have received correction; for he that has seen such things as he had seen, and is none the better, would certainly be none the better for anything else that could be done; the matter was not one to be simply passed over: like a gangrene, it must be cut out, that it might not infect the rest of the body. As it is, both the man himself is benefitted in regard that he is not left to advance further in wickedness, and the rest, in that they are made more earnest; otherwise the contrary would have ensued.

"Ananias, why has?" etc. For we do not, he says, drag you unwillingly; that which has been randomly taken from you as an offering to God, again they spend for their own need, an indisputable sacrilege.

Some say that if Satan filled the heart of Ananias, then why did he suffer punishment? Because he himself was the cause of Satan filling his heart, since he himself prepared himself to receive the working of Satan and to submit himself to his power.

"Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God": First, we understand that he called the Holy Spirit the Spirit of the Lord. Then, since he mentioned first the Holy Spirit and added: "Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God," you must necessarily either understand the oneness of the Godhead in the Holy Spirit, since when the Holy Spirit is tempted a lie is told to God; or, if you endeavour to exclude the oneness of the Godhead, you yourself according to the words of Scripture certainly believe Him to be God.

But inasmuch as a changed intention bears the crime of deceit, and when there is, moreover, confirmation of a promise, it is proper to stand firm and not wish to violate what was first [promised] by what follows; it is more just to preserve a permanent right than to withdraw it. The punishment of the two established a warning for all, lest anyone should call [back] gifts which a solemn promise requires him to owe. Reflect, you of true faith, and consider the words of Peter, which are bright with blessed teaching, "Whoever persuaded you to be deceitful?" And he concluded by judging, "You do not deceive people by saying such things; you lie to God." The teaching that condemns the wicked strengthens the holy.

Peter's words to Sapphira, "How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Ye have not lied unto men, but unto God," show that sins against the Holy Spirit and against God are the same; and thus you might learn that in every operation the Spirit is closely conjoined with, and inseparable from, the Father and the Son. God works the differences of operations, and the Lord the diversities of administrations, but all the while the Holy Spirit is present too of His own will, dispensing distribution of the gifts according to each recipient's worth. For, it is said, "there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and differences of administrations, but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all."

You have not lied to men but to God. Before, he had said he lied to the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is indeed God, and the error of Macedonius was condemned before it existed.

"Whiles it remained," says he, "was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?" That is, "Was there any obligation and force? do we constrain you against your will?" "Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God."

In the next place, Peter proves him guilty, and shows that the deed was not hidden from him, and then pronounces the sentence. But wherefore, upon what purpose hast thou done this? Didst thou wish to keep it? Thou oughtest to have kept it all along, and never to have professed to give it. The sacrilege, beloved, is a grievous one. For another, it may be, coveted what was not his own: but it was at thy discretion to keep what was thine own. Why then didst thou first make it sacred, and then take it? Out of excessive contempt hast thou done this. The deed does not admit of pardon, it is past pleading for.

And the fact that the believers brought their possessions to the apostles — was this the result of compulsion? Do we really attract you against your will? "Why have you conceived this thing in your heart?" Three miracles in one and the same case: one consisted in the fact that Peter learned what had been done in secret, another — in the fact that he discerned the mental disposition of Ananias, and the third — in the fact that Ananias lost his life by a mere command.

Then Ananias, upon hearing these words, fell down and expired: One must understand here as well, because it is the beginning of the teaching, and these people dared very much in trying to test the Holy Spirit. And their punishment has become a great aid for the other brethren. For they were educated and taught that one must not dare things against the Holy Spirit nor try to test it.

Hearing these words, Ananias fell down and expired. The severe sentence was given to the transgressor not for the sake of profit, but foresaw in spirit the future weeds that would adulterate the Church's simplicity with corrupt morals (from these, the most detestable race of the Sarabaites is said to have sprung, who, not abandoning their possessions, falsely pretend to keep apostolic strictness), he did not allow the culprits to be cured by repentance, but took care to completely uproot the harmful seed to instill fear in future generations. Subsequently it follows:

And so if against those who did not covet other persons' goods but tried to be sparing of their own, and had no desire to acquire but only the wish to retain, there went forth so severe a sentence, what should we think of those who desire to amass wealth, without ever having had any of their own, and, making a show of poverty before people, are before God convicted of being rich, through the passion of avarice?

"And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost." This miracle is greater than that of the lame man, in respect of the death inflicted, and the knowing what was in the thought of the heart, even what was done in secret.

Therefore let it be no stumbling-block to any, if at present also there are sacrilegious persons. If there were such persons then, much more now, when evils are many. But let us "rebuke them before all, that others also may fear." Judas was sacrilegious, but it was no stumbling-block to the disciples.

"And great fear," it is said, "came on all them that heard these things." That man was punished, and others profited thereby. Not without cause. And yet, signs had been wrought before: true, but there was not such a sense of fear. So true is that saying, "The Lord is known by executing judgments." The same thing had occurred in the case of the Ark: Uzzah was punished and fear came upon the rest. But in that instance the king through fear removed from him the Ark; but here the disciples became more earnestly heedful.

Therefore they were subjected to a penalty for having committed sacrilege. By what? by death; for that extinguished it, as if it dried it up, that is, it deprived it of the vital moisture. Wherefore also the living thing is said by the ancients to be moist in its essence.

a great fear overwhelmed all who heard of it: Not without cause, because this man died that others might be frightened by his example.

Many of the impious, pointing to what happened with Ananias and Sapphira, condemn the chief of the apostles to death. But the accusation concerns not Peter, but rather the Holy Spirit, who pronounced upon them a just sentence: for Peter only exposed their lie, while the One who has power over life and death — the Holy Spirit — deprived them both of life, as equally having sinned. The same must be said also of Sapphira, for it was not Peter who killed her, but since the transgression was the deed of both, the Judge equally punished the one and the other. For this reason Peter, as one who knew about this and always spoke by the Holy Spirit, also uttered this voice, received by him from that same Spirit.

"And the young men arose, and wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much?"

The woman he would fain save, for the man had been the author of the sin: therefore he gives her time to clear herself, and opportunity for repentance, saying, "Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much?"

But observe how Peter, instead of sending for her, waited till she entered; and how none of the others durst carry out the intelligence. Such the teacher's awfulness, such the disciples' reverence, such the obedience! "An interval of three hours," and yet the woman did not hear of it, and none of those present reported it, although there was time enough for it to be noised abroad; but they were afraid. This circumstance the Evangelist relates with wonder even, when he says, "Not knowing what was done, came in." "And Peter answered unto her," etc. And yet she might have perceived even from this that Peter knew the secret. For why, having questioned none other, does he question you? Was it not clear that he asked because he knew? But so great was her hardness, it would not let her attempt to evade the guilt; and with great confidence she replied; for she thought she was speaking only to a man.

Because Peter did not call her, but waited for her to enter when she herself wished, she having been given the power both to recover her senses and not to enter shamelessly. She entered, however, ignorant of what had happened to the man, for no one dared to reveal it to her out of fear and reverence for the Master. Yet the interval of three hours would have been sufficient for news to spread among many, but they restrained themselves through fear. For Luke the evangelist, marveling at this also, states both: the span of hours and the woman's ignorance.

Three hours passed, and the wife did not learn about what had happened to her husband, and none of those present told her, because they were afraid. So, marveling at this, Luke set forth both things: both that three hours had passed, and that she entered not knowing what had happened. Notice: Peter does not call her, but rather waits for her to enter when she wishes, giving her time to voluntarily come to her senses. As for the fact that no one dared to tell her what had happened, this occurred out of fear of the teacher and out of obedience to him.

When they questioned how much of the field they had sold, that opportunity of grace offered itself to him, as if the power to sell and to cheat were not in her but in the man; and since they found the woman to be like the man in deceit, they condemned her to a like penalty. For he knew that contempt of divine things also kindles into anger one who is free from anger. This tradition under Moses, most gentle, also makes them faithful by words, so that those who gathered wood on the Sabbath were overwhelmed with stones. (see Num. 15:52) And indeed a transgression appeared in those things which were proper, but here sacrilege: for those things which had been set aside for the support of the needy belonging to God, they were using for the needs of their additions. For it was necessary that from those things which were kept in the common store they should fill the lack of the needy. Consider also this, how strongly the household servants are affected. For they do not want those who have once obtained spiritual grace to be either thieves or sacrilegious in their conduct. And they were not wanting to put strangers to punishment, for fear that they seemed to compel even unwilling people by fear of punishment to come to the faith. But if Satan filled the heart of Ananias and accomplished the whole matter, what is this great severity against Ananias? Yet it was done not rashly but justly, since he had shown himself so capable of Satan.

Peter wanted to save her, because the husband was the instigator of the sin. That is why he gives her time to justify herself and repent. Perhaps someone will say that Peter acted cruelly toward them, but what cruelty is there? If the one who gathered wood contrary to the law was stoned (see Num. 15:32–36), then all the more should a sacrilegious person be punished, because this money was sacred.

The punishment by death from the wisest Peter against those who erred is not out of madness but out of teaching of prescient, letting go the many transgressions of mankind. For at that time they began sowing the seeds of the gospel, and knowing that darnels appeared besides naturally, they wisely plucked them out forthwith; it was taken care of by the future fire so as to burn lest they be gathered with the wheat.

"And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Holy Ghost? Behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then she fell 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. And great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things."

The aggravation of the sin was, that they committed it as with one soul, just as upon a settled compact between them. "How is it that ye have agreed together," he said, "to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door." First he makes her learn the sin, and then shows that she will justly suffer the same punishment with her husband, since she has committed the same wickedness: "And they shall carry thee out. And she fell down straightway at his feet," for she was standing near him, "and yielded up the ghost." So entirely by their own act had they invited upon themselves the vengeance! Who after that would not be struck with awe? who would not fear the Apostle? who would not marvel? who not be afraid?

Peter all but pleads for himself, when at the point to inflict the punishment, and at the same time gives a lesson to the rest. For because the act would seem exceeding stern, therefore it is that he does so much in the case. In respect of the woman also the process of judgment was terrible. But see how many evils grow out of the sacrilege: covetousness, contempt of God, impiety; and upon these too he pleaded for himself before the assembly, in that he did not immediately proceed to punishment, but first exposed the sin.

How at his feet? For she stood near him. And he set her near, so that if she wished to repent and confess, she might not be ashamed before the others as one overheard. The fear of the wisest Peter toward those who have stumbled is not of hardheartedness, but of predictive teaching concerning the many sins of people that lie ahead. For when the seeds of the Gospel begin to be sown, and immediately the weeds which we have seen spring up, they would at once have uprooted them. Therefore Moses also ordered that the transgressor mentioned in the introductions of the law, and one who is to be destroyed for a slight sin, be declared by God to be cut off. The same thing likewise upon the first-created ones, therefore condemned by tasting of the tree. (see Gen. 3) For when a plague scourges, the more cunning becomes more senseless, according to the sacred proverb. (see Prov. 19:25) Therefore upon these things the punishment advanced as a gain for those present and seeing the things that happened. And indeed there were other signs that appeared, but there was not so great a fear. Therefore the Lord is known for executing judgment. (Ps. 9:5) For in the deeds of his hands, in the drama concerning the sinner, a beneficial fear is born in others. Even as in the case of Uzzah's punishment. (2 Sam. 6, 1 Chron. 13) For his chastisement became a fear to many, so that things placed before God were kept untouched by the disrespectful. It must be noted also from here, namely from the carrying out of the dead Ananias and his wife, through the same funeral rites, the law being disregarded. For even those who touched the corpse of Ananias did not remain unclean until evening, but the same persons also served the dead wife.

Why did she fall at Peter's feet? Because she was standing near him. And she was standing near him so that, if she wished to repent and confess her transgression, she could do so without being ashamed before outsiders, who would otherwise have heard her confession. They no longer take precautions, by force of the law, against touching unclean objects, but directly and without any caution touched the dead. Pay attention also to the fact that among their own the apostles are strict, but among outsiders they refrain from punishments; both are natural. The latter was necessary so that people would not think that they compel people by fear of punishment against their will to turn to the true faith, and the former was necessary so that those who had already turned to the faith and been deemed worthy of heavenly teaching and spiritual grace would not be allowed to become contemptible people and sacrilegious, and especially in the beginning, because this would have served as an occasion for the reproach of their preaching.

And great fear came upon the whole Church and upon all who heard these things. No one else dared to join them. The punishment of the two who fraudulently sought to join them provided an example to others.

Ananias and Sapphira were punished, but this served for the benefit of others. Before, although there were signs, there was no such fear. Therefore it is true that the Lord is known by the judgments He executes.