Homily 12 — Acts 4, verse 36, to 5, verse 16

“And Joses, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which, translated, means the Son of Consolation), a Levite and a native of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” [a]

The writer is now about to tell the story of Ananias and Sapphira. To show that the man’s sin was of the very worst kind, he first mentions the one who did the good deed. There was so great a crowd all doing the same thing, there was such great grace, there were such great miracles; yet this man learned from none of it, but, blinded by greed, brought destruction down on his own head. “Having land” — meaning that this was all he owned — “sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also knowing of it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 5, verses 1 and 2). What made it worse was that the sin was planned together, and no one else saw what was done. How did it ever enter the mind of this wretched man to commit this crime?

“But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?” (verse 3). Notice that even in this a great miracle was performed, far greater than the one before. “While it remained,” he says, “was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own power?” (verse 4). That is: “Was there any obligation, any force? Do we compel you against your will?” “Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God. And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last” (verse 5). This miracle is greater than that of the lame man, both because of the death it inflicted and because it knew what was in the thought of the heart, even what was done in secret.

“And great fear came on all who heard these things. And the young men got up, wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. And about three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, Tell me, did you sell the land for so much?” (verses 6 to 8). The woman he wanted to save, since the man had been the author of the sin. That is why he gives her time to clear herself and an opportunity to repent, saying, “Tell me, did you sell the land for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much. Then Peter said to her, How is it that you have agreed together to put the Holy Spirit to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.

Then she fell down at once at his feet and breathed her last; and the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, they buried her beside her husband. And great fear came on the whole church, and on all who heard these things” (verses 9 to 11). [b]

After this fear had come on them, more miracles were worked, by Peter and by the rest as well: “And by the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. And of the rest no one dared join himself to them” — that is, to the apostles — “but the people held them in high honor” — that is, the Jewish people.

If “no one dared join himself to them,” the apostles, still “believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and of women, so much so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on mats and beds, so that at least the shadow of Peter, passing by, might fall on some of them” (verses 12 to 15).

For Peter was the remarkable one, and the one they paid more attention to, both because of his public speeches — the first, the second and the third — and because of the miracle. For he was the one who worked the miracle, the first, the second, the third; for the present miracle was twofold: first, exposing the thoughts of the heart, and then inflicting death at his word of command. “So that at least the shadow of Peter passing by,” and so on.

This had not happened in the story of Christ himself. But see here what he had told them actually coming to pass: “Those who believe in me will do the works that I do too; and they will do greater works than these” (John 14, verse 12). “A multitude also came out of the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits; and they were healed, every one of them” (verse 16). [c]

And now I want you to notice how their whole life is woven together. First there was dejection, because Christ had been taken from them; then came joy, because the Spirit came down on them. Again there was dejection because of those who mocked them, and then joy at the outcome of their own defense. And here again we find both dejection and gladness. Because they had become well known, and God was making revelations to them, there was gladness; because they had cut off some of their own company, there was sadness. Once more there is gladness at their success, and again sadness because of the high priest. And so you will find it all the way through. The same will be found true of the holy men of old as well. — But let us look again at what has been said.

“They sold them,” it says, “and brought the prices, and laid them at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4, verses 34 to 37). See, my beloved brothers and sisters, how instead of leaving the selling to the apostles, they did the selling themselves and brought them the prices. “But a certain man named Ananias,” and so on (Acts 5, verse 1). This story touches bishops too, and very sharply. [d]

The wife of Ananias knew about what was done; that is why he questions her. But perhaps someone will say: “He dealt very harshly with her.” What do you mean? What harshness? If a man is to be stoned for gathering sticks, all the more should a man be stoned for sacrilege, for this money had become sacred. Whoever has chosen to sell his goods and give the money away, and then takes it back, is guilty of sacrilege. And if the man who takes back from what is his own is guilty of sacrilege, much more is the one who takes from what is not his own. And do not think that because the consequence is not the same now, the crime will go unpunished. Do you see that this is the charge brought against Ananias: that after making the money sacred, he afterward hid it away? Peter said: “After selling your land, could you not have used the proceeds as your own? Were you forbidden? Why did you do this after you had promised it?” See how the devil made his attack at the very beginning! In the very midst of such signs and wonders, see how this man was hardened!

Something of the same kind had happened once before, in the Old Testament. The son of Carmi coveted what had been devoted to God; and notice there too what punishment follows the sin. Sacrilege, beloved, is a most serious crime, an insult, full of contempt. “We did not oblige you to sell,” the apostle says, “nor to give your money once you had sold. You did it of your own free choice. Why, then, have you stolen from the sacred treasury?” “Why,” he says, “has Satan filled your heart?” (verse 3). [e]

Well, if Satan did it, why is the man held guilty? For letting the devil in, and being filled with him. You will say: “They ought to have corrected him.” But he would not have accepted correction. A man who had seen such things as he had seen and was none the better for them would certainly have been none the better for anything else that could be done. The matter was not one to be simply passed over. Like gangrene, it had to be cut out, so that it would not infect the rest of the body. As it is, the man himself is helped, since he is not left to go on further in wickedness; and the rest are helped, since they are made more earnest. Otherwise the opposite would have followed. Next, Peter proves him guilty and shows that the deed was not hidden from him, and then he pronounces the sentence.

But why, for what purpose, did you do this? Did you want to keep it? Then you should have kept it all along, and never professed to give it. The sacrilege, beloved, is a serious one. Another man, perhaps, coveted what was not his own; but it was in your power to keep what was your own. Why, then, did you first make it sacred and then take it? You did this out of sheer contempt. The deed admits no pardon; it is beyond any plea.

So let no one stumble over it if even now there are people guilty of sacrilege. If there were such people then, there are many more now, when evils are many. But let us “rebuke them before everyone, so that the others also may fear” (First Timothy 5, verse 20). Judas committed sacrilege, but that was no stumbling block to the disciples. Do you see how many evils spring from the love of money? “And great fear,” it says, “came on all who heard these things” (verse 5). That man was punished, and others profited by it.

And not without reason. And yet signs had been done before this. True, but there was not such a sense of fear. So true is the saying, “The Lord is known by the judgments he carries out” (Psalm 9, verse 16). The same thing had happened in the case of the ark: Uzzah was punished, and fear came on the rest (Second Samuel 6, verse 7). But in that case the king, out of fear, moved the ark away from himself; here the disciples became more earnestly careful. [g]

“And about three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened,” and so on (verse 7). But notice how Peter did not send for her but waited until she came in, and how none of the others dared carry the news out to her. Such was the awe the teacher inspired, such the disciples’ reverence, such their obedience! “An interval of three hours” — and still the woman did not hear of it, and none of those present told her, though there was time enough for it to be spread abroad. But they were afraid. The evangelist even tells this detail with wonder, when he says, “not knowing what had happened, came in.”

“And Peter answered her,” and so on (verse 8). And yet she could have seen even from this that Peter knew the secret. For why, when he had questioned no one else, does he question you? Was it not clear that he asked because he knew? But her hardness was so great that it would not let her try to get clear of the guilt, and she answered with great confidence, for she thought she was speaking only to a man. What made the sin worse was that they committed it as though with one soul, as if by a settled agreement between them. “How is it,” he said, “that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door” (verse 9). First he makes her learn what her sin is, and then he shows that she will justly suffer the same punishment as her husband, since she has committed the same wickedness: “And they will carry you out.”

“And she fell down at once at his feet” — for she was standing near him — “and breathed her last” (verse 10). So completely had they brought the punishment on themselves by their own doing! Who after that would not be struck with awe? Who would not fear the apostle? Who would not marvel? Who would not be afraid? “And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch” (verse 12) — no longer in a house; they had taken over the very temple and spent their time there! No longer did they guard themselves against touching what was unclean; no, they handled the dead without a second thought. And notice how, while they are severe with their own people, they do not use their power against outsiders. “But the people,” he says, “held them in high honor” (verse 13). And since he had mentioned their being “in Solomon’s Porch,” so that you would not wonder how the crowd allowed this, he tells us that they did not dare even to approach them: for “no one,” he says, “dared join himself to them.” [i]

“But believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, so much so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and mats, so that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them” (verses 14 and 15). Great faith, surpassing what had been shown in Christ’s own case! How did this come about? Because Christ declared, “And greater works than these will he do, because I go to my Father” (John 14, verse 12). And the people do these things while the apostles stay where they are and do not move about from place to place. From other places too they were all bringing their sick on beds and mats, and from every side fresh admiration came to them: from those who believed, from those who were healed, from the man who was punished, from their boldness of speech toward their opponents, from the good conduct of the believers. For certainly the effect was not owing to the miracles alone. The apostles themselves modestly credit it all to this cause, declaring that they did these things in the name of Christ; yet at the same time the life and noble conduct of the men helped to produce this effect.

“And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.” Notice how he no longer gives the number of those who believe, so fast was the faith making its way, even to an immense multitude, and so widely was the resurrection being proclaimed. So, then, “the people held them in high honor”; they were no longer to be lightly despised, as once they had been. In a little moment, at a single turn of the scale — such were the effects produced by the fisherman and the tax collector! Earth had become heaven: in way of life, in boldness of speech, in wonders, in everything else. They were looked on with wonder, like angels, unconcerned about ridicule, threats or dangers. They were compassionate and generous: some they helped with money, some with words, some by healing their bodies and their souls. There was no kind of healing they did not carry out.

Peter all but makes his own defense when he is on the point of inflicting the punishment, and at the same time he teaches the rest a lesson. Because the act would seem extremely severe, he takes all these steps in the matter. In the woman’s case too the trial was an awesome thing. But see how many evils grow out of the sacrilege: greed, contempt for God, ungodliness. And on these grounds too he made his defense before the assembly, in that he did not go straight to the punishment, but first exposed the sin. No one groaned, no one mourned; all were terrified. For as their faith grew, the signs multiplied too, and great fear came on their own company. For the things that come from outside do not wage war on our peace as much as the acts of our own people do. If we are firmly joined together, no warfare will be hard; the harm would lie in being divided and broken apart. [j]

Now they went about in public. They boldly took on even the marketplace, and in the midst of enemies they prevailed, and that saying was fulfilled: “Rule in the midst of your enemies” (Psalm 110, verse 2). This was the greater miracle: that men who had been arrested and thrown into prison should do such things as these!

If they suffered such things for lying, what will those who swear falsely not suffer? [k]

Because she simply said, “Yes, for so much,” you see what she suffered. Think, then: what do those deserve who swear oaths and perjure themselves? Today even the Old Testament comes in at just the right moment to show you how monstrous perjury is. “There was,” it says, “a flying sickle, fifteen feet wide” (Zechariah 5, verse 2). “Flying” points to how swiftly the punishment comes that pursues oaths. That it measures so many feet in length and breadth signifies the force and size of the woes. That it comes flying “from heaven” shows that the punishment comes from the judgment seat on high. That it has the shape of a sickle shows that the doom cannot be escaped. For just as a sickle, once it has come and hooked around the neck, is not drawn back empty, but only with the head reaped off, so the punishment that comes on those who swear is severe, and will not stop until it has finished its work.

But if we swear and get away with it, let us not feel secure; that only adds to our harm. For what do you think? How many, since Ananias and Sapphira, have dared the same as they did? You ask: “How is it, then, that they have not met the same fate?” Not because it was allowed in them, but because they are being kept for a greater punishment. Those who sin often and are not punished have more reason to fear and dread than if they were punished, for their punishment grows through their present freedom from it and through God’s patience. So let us not look to this, that we are not punished, but let us consider whether we have not sinned. If we sin and are not punished, we have all the more reason to tremble.

Tell me: if you have a slave, and you only threaten him and do not beat him, when is he most afraid, when is he most inclined to run away? Is it not when you only threaten him? That is why we advise one another not to be forever threatening, since that means choosing to shake the mind with terror and to tear at it worse than blows would. For in the one case the punishment lasts a moment, but in the other it goes on without end. So if no one feels the stroke of the sickle, do not look to that; let each of us instead consider whether he commits such sins.

Many things are done now like those done before the flood, yet no flood has been sent, because hell is threatened, and punishment. Many sin as the people of Sodom did, yet no rain of fire has poured down, because a river of fire is prepared.

Many go as far as Pharaoh did, yet they have not fared like Pharaoh; they have not been drowned in a Red Sea. For the sea that awaits them is the sea of the bottomless pit, where the punishment brings no numbness, where there is no drowning to end it all, but they are consumed there in endless torture, in burning, in choking. [m]

Many have offended as the Israelites did, yet no serpents have devoured them: the worm that never dies awaits them. Many have been like Gehazi, yet they have not been struck with leprosy: instead of leprosy, what remains for them is to be cut in pieces and counted among the hypocrites. Many have sworn oaths and sworn falsely; but if they have indeed escaped, let us not feel secure: the gnashing of teeth awaits them. Yes, even here they will suffer many heavy woes, though perhaps not immediately, but after further wrongdoing, so that the punishment may be greater. For we too often start out with small sins, and then through great offenses lose everything.

So when you see anything happening to you, call to mind that particular sin of yours. The sons of Jacob are an example of this. Remember Joseph’s brothers. They had sold their brother; they had even tried to kill him — in fact, as far as their intention went, they had killed him; they had deceived the old man and grieved him; and they suffered nothing. Many years later they are brought into extreme danger, and now they are reminded of this sin of theirs. This detail is brought into the story with great wisdom. Hear what they say: “We are truly guilty concerning our brother” (Genesis 42, verse 21). Do the same yourself: when anything happens, say, “We are truly guilty, because we have not obeyed Christ, because we have sworn oaths; my much swearing and my false swearing has fallen on my own head.” Confess, since they too confessed, and were saved.

For what does it matter if the punishment does not follow immediately? Ahab too did not suffer immediately after his sin in the matter of Naboth the punishment that he did suffer in the end (First Kings 21, verse 19). And what is the reason for this? God gives you a time in which to wash yourself clean; but if you persist, in the end he will send the punishment down. You have seen what happens to liars. Consider what happens to those who swear falsely — consider it, and stop. It is impossible for someone who swears oaths not to swear falsely, whether he means to or not; and no perjurer can be saved.

One false oath is enough to finish everything, to bring down on us the whole measure of punishment. So let us take heed to ourselves, so that we may escape the punishment due for this offense and be counted worthy of God’s love for humankind, through the grace and mercies of his only Son, with whom, to the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory, power and honor, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.