Acts 5

Printable Word Documents for every session

• Lectio Divina
• Ac 5:01-ff
• Ac 5:12-ff
• Ac 5:17-ff

Instructions for the Lectio Divina at http://dominicansingapore.wordpress.com/bible-moments/

Invocation (Epiklesis)

Ac 5:1-11

“1 But a man named Ananias with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Hark, the feet of those that have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all who heard of these things..”

The words of the Word (lectio)

• 2. “…he kept back some of the proceeds” the word used for “misappropriate” (nosphizein) matches the LXX version in Achan story (Jos 7:1). This verb was commonly used to express withholding part of a sum from the community.
• By giving only “part of the sum” Ananias appears to behave like those who have submitted everything at the foot of the apostles, when in fact it was not true.
• 3. Nothing is said about how Peter knows about the seemingly hidden intention of Ananias.
• “…why has Satan filled your heart to lie”, Just as Satan played its role at the beginning of the public life of Jesus, it also has a role at the beginning of the life of the church. The same verb of “filling” is used to express how the first community is filled with the Holy Spirit, while Ananias has allowed Satan to fill his heart.
• A lie to God is mention twice, in. 3 a lie to the Holy Spirit and again as a lie to God in v. 4.
• “And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?” Peter makes it clear that it was not mandatory to put the properties “at the feet of the apostles.” What is criticized is not to fail to give everything to the community, but “to pretend” to give while withholding. Unlike in the community of Qumran where giving all to the community was mandatory, this suggests that surrender of property in the Christian communities was voluntary.
• “How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart?” What is at stake here for Ananias? This is what surprises Peter. What was so attractive about this lie?
• 5, “When Ananias heard these words, he dropped dead” Peter neither condemns nor kills him. It is the “hearing” or the “unmasking the lie” that makes him drop dead.
• 8, “… did you sell that piece of property for such and such an amount?” So far the wife was only in the knowledge, but was she a willing accomplice? Peter’s question solves the doubt when she lies as her husband did.
• 9, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?” She had a choice. She could have disagreed with the husband. Putting God to the test has a long history. During 40 years that Israel spent in the desert there was constant murmuring and continuous putting him to the test.
• This time Peter predicts the death of the woman. Just like in the cure miracles the agent is never the human person but God himself. Peter does not kill Ananias’ wife either.
• 10, “She collapsed at once at his feet and died” The irony of it all is that they both died at the feet of the apostle where the money was supposed to have gone.
• “the young men… carried her out and buried her next to her husband” To the solidarity in the Spirit that the one heart and one mind was supposed to bring, the solidarity in sin corresponds. United in sin, both are now linked by similar fate and destiny.
• 11, “great fear came upon the whole church” It is interesting to note that this is the first time the word “church” (ekklesia) is used in the book of acts. Did Luke wait until all the elements that play a role in the history of the church were present?

The Word in the words (meditatio)

• The paradisiacal “one mind and one heart” is broken by Ananias.
• After the example ideal example of Barnabas, Luke presents us with an example not to imitate: the example of Ananias and his wife. A kind of original sin rears its ugly head in the paradisiacal community. This is why Fitzmyer includes both examples in a single pericope ignoring the chapter division. Barnabas brings consolation; Ananias, fear.
• The sin is one of lying.
• Scholars believe Luke has received a written story that he wants to transmit and to which he has added personal insertions.
• There are certain strange details.
• o Did they wait for 3 hours for Sapphira to come?
• o Why did Peter not give a chance for conversion? What sort of Church does Luke envisage here?
• Conzelmann believes it to be a legend for no “historical kernel can be extracted”.
• Others believe that this accounts explains the death of Christians before the parousisa (Boismard, Lamouille, etc)
• A Qumran story of a candidate to the Essence community who deceives it in concealing property. Candidates to the Essene community were required the “merging of his property… If there be found among them anyone who lies about property and (does this) knowingly, he shall be excluded from the pure meal of the Many for a year and shall be fined a quarter of his food”
• Another background story is that of Achan in Josh 7:1, 24, 25. Achan kept for himself part of the spoils of a conquered city and was stoned to death by the people for it. Both stories are linked by the verb “to misappropriate (nosphizein)” in v. 2.
• An “original sin” version of the life of the church matches the history of all beginnings: Adam and Eve, Sinai and the golden calf, David’s sin…
• Whatever the reason why Luke incorporates this into his account, he effectively teacher that the fear that befell the church after this incident has to be understood as a salutary fear (Fitzmyer).
• The forces at work in the early church are not only those of the Holy Spirit, but Satan has found a foothold in the heart of its members. If money is meant to be as a sign of material communion, bringing communion to its fullness, money can also be used to lie and corrupt.
• The wife is not the main agent of this sin, but her knowledge makes her accomplice
  The goodness of the Word (oratio)
• o Father of us all, as we come together to form your church, we also become the first enemies of her. With our lies and hypocrisies we stain her. We often forget that we can fool others but we cannot fool God. What is at stake is our true life, because we are dead if we live outside the you. It is in your church that we were born again, and without her we cannot keep the nourishment you want to give us. At times we not only allow lies to go unchecked, we even protect them and cover them up. May your Spirit protect us from temptations to fail to fulfill the “one heart, one mind” spirit of our church. May we find new ways to make one heart turn into one “purse” in child-like simplicity and mature responsibility for our brother and sisters.
• o Father, we live in a world where sin and grace are intertwined. At times we are not aware of our own wrong doings, at times it is our indifference and lack of courage what allows for lies and wrong doings to fall into the world. We cooperate also with our ignorance, with our apathy, with our passiveness. Do not allow us to stray away from you. Give us gift of looking around us as you see.

The taste of goodness (contemplatio)

Contemplation is the lifting up of the heart to God tasting somewhat of the heavenly sweetness and savour. Spend a few minutes in silence looking at God as the provider of our needs, the security in the face of our threats and the guide and comfort in our daily activities.

Sharing (collation)

At this point, if we are doing the Bible Study with a group, people may want to share how they have benefited from today’s Word, prayer and contemplation. Listening to each other helps us to rejoice in the other’s benefit and enrich ourselves with other’s contribution.

Conclusion: A concluding prayer of thanksgiving may follow.

Acts 5:12-16

Invocation (Epiklesis)

Acts 5:12-16

5:12″Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s portico. 13 None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.14 Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord, great numbers of men and women, were added to them.15 Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.16  A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.”

The words of the Word (lectio)

12, “signs and wonders”

Derived from the LXX where it often describes God’s mighty acts on behalf of Israel (e.g. Ex 7:3; Dt 4:34; 28;46; Ps 135:9)
“all together” refers to the apostoles

13, “… none of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.”

• No one dared to join the apostles.
• “the rest” may refer to “the people” or “the disciples” who dare not join the apostles.
• There is no contradiction between vv. 13 and 14. v. 13 refers to daring to join the apostles. V. 14, refers people joining the community.
• First reaction of the people of Jerusalem towards the apostles.

14, “… more than ever… believers in the Lord… were added to them”

• Scholars (Fitzmyer) believe this is a theological passive. It means that God is the one who is adding more people to the community of Jerusalem.

15, “as a result, they would even carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats…”

• This insertion does not follow logically from v. 14, showing a particular interest of Luke to show the achievements of the activity of the apostles.

“… at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them”

• A new mode of miracle not found in the gospels.
• The shadow is regarded in primitive thinking as something powerful, a vital part of a person.
• Although strange in itself it is something similar to Paul’s cures in 19:12 through handkerchiefs or aprons.
• The power of the apostles to heal matches only the power of Jesus (Lk 8:40ff; Mt 9:18ff; Mk 5:21ff) (J. Dillon)

16, “and they were all cured”

• In the past they used terms like this to explain serious psychic disturbances, whose causes were unknown to them.

The Word in the words (meditation)

• Again an idyllic description of the community.
• It mentions the reaction of people to the Christian message outside of Jerusalem (neighboring villages)
• Sick people in great numbers also for the first time. So far only one sick person was cured.
• The effect of the community and the apostles on the people of Jerusalem starts to mimic the reaction people had to Jesus: persecution, miraculous powers over sickness and evil spirits, sick people in crowds hoping to be cured…
• What is at stake is the essence of the church as a sacrament of Christ, who is the sacrament of God. The people by looking at the church can really see God’s mighty arm at work.

The goodness of the Word (oratio)

Almighty Father, as you give the church the power and the mission of your Son, renew our strength to be faithful to your designs. Purify us from our doubts and weaknesses. Heal our wounds that scandalize those who are supposed to see in your church your visible saving presence. Give us the humility to understand that our mission surpasses our strength but spurs us to ask for your help. Make of your church today the screen where people can see your face shining though the many human faces that make up the body of your Son. Amen.

The taste of goodness (contemplatio)

Contemplation is the lifting up of the heart to God tasting somewhat of the heavenly sweetness and savour. Spend a few minutes in silence looking at God as the provider of our needs, the security in the face of our threats and the guide and comfort in our daily activities.

Sharing (collation)

At this point, if we are doing the Bible Study with a group, people may want to share how they have benefited from today’s Word, prayer and contemplation. Listening to each other helps us to rejoice in the other’s benefit and enrich ourselves with other’s contribution.

Conclusion: A concluding prayer of thanksgiving may follow.

ACTS 5:17-42

Instructions for the Lectio Divina  @ http://dominicansingapore.wordpress.com/bible-moments/

Invocation (Epiklesis)

Ac 5:17-42

“17 Then the high priest rose up and all his companions, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and, filled with jealousy, 18 laid hands upon the apostles and put them in the public jail.19 But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said,20 “Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.” 21 When they heard this, they went to the temple early in the morning and taught. When the high priest and his companions arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin, the full senate of the Israelites, and sent to the jail to have them brought in.22 But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison, so they came back and reported,23 “We found the jail securely locked and the guards stationed outside the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 When they heard this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss about them, as to what this would come to.25 Then someone came in and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area and are teaching the people.”

26 Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them in, but without force, because they were afraid of being stoned by the people. 27 When they had brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them,28 “We gave you strict orders (did we not?) to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”29 But Peter and the apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men.30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, as is the holy Spirit that God has given to those who obey him.”33 When they heard this, they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.34 But a Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up, ordered the men to be put outside for a short time, 35 and said to them, “Fellow Israelites, be careful what you are about to do to these men. 36 Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important, and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed, and all those who were loyal to him were disbanded and came to nothing. 37 After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census. He also drew people after him, but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were scattered.38 So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. 39 But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him.40 After recalling the apostles, they had them flogged, ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them.41 So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.42 And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Messiah, Jesus.”

The words of the Word (lectio)

• 17, “…the party of the Sadducees.” The word Luke uses to refer to the party of the Sadducees, is the same word Josephus uses to describe the kinds of Jews of his day, and Luke uses for Christians (Nazoreans) (24:5, 14; 28:22)
• “…filled with jealousy…” This is probably the link with the previous verses. Jealousy about the success of the unlettered apostles arouses the envy of the leading party in Jerusalem.
• 19, “…the angel of the Lord…” is a literal translation of a standard Hebrew expression that means God’s presence among his people or someone sent to deliver his messages.
• 20, “…tell the people all about this life.” See 3:15, where Christ is called “the author of life,” and 13:26 where it is phrased as “this salvation”.
• 26, the fear of being stoned is due to the acceptance the apostles’ preaching had found among the people.
• 28, “… not to teach in that name?” The name of Jesus is purposely avoided.
• “…you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching…” Another example of Lucan hyperbole.
• “… you seek to bring that man’s blood upon us.” The Sanhedrin is now not worried about legal issues but about their own security and reputation among the people.
• 30, “One must obey God rather than human beings!” Peter’s answer in 4:19 is still the only reason that justifies their disobedience.
• The speech of Peter retains the kerygmatic elements: you had killed Jesus … but God has raised him up… and, we are witnesses to this. But it adds an allusion to Dt 21:22-23 “by hanging him on a tree.” Here it was stipulated that the criminal should not remain there overnight.
• “… you have killed…” the verb used here refers more to slaughter than a legal execution.
• In the last pre-Christian centuries, “hanging on a tree” became a way of referring to execution by crucifixion in Judea. (Fitzmyer).
• Hanging alive on a tree was a punishment done in Israel even prior to the Romans (Fitzmyer). Alexander Janneus, a 103-76 BC Sadducee high priest executed about 800 Jews in this way. He ordered them to be crucified but before they were killed, he had the condemned men’s children and wives slaughtered in their sight.
• The Qumran Temple Scroll speaks of two crimes in Israel punishable by such death: treason and evasion of due process of law.
• 31, “… as leader and savior…” Peter uses two terms. “Savior” appears here for the first time in Acts. It refers to someone who delivers from physical or moral harm. In this case it most likely refers to moral harm, judging by the next clause: “… grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins”.
• Precisely this repentance is the purpose of the resurrection.
• 34, “a certain Pharisee” Pharisees were non-priestly interpreters of the Torah. They believed in the spirits, resurrection and fate. They were much praised by the ordinary people.
• Gamaliel was the Pharisee who had instructed Paul (22:3). Gamaliel was also probably the father of Jesus, the high priest from AD 63-65. Obviously, he was a man of authority and respected. His instructions to let the apostles go out of the court for a short time are executed.
• From the writings of Josephus, we know that Theudas had claimed to be a prophet and was said to have parted the Jordan with a command to provide passage to his followers. The procurator of Judea, C. Fadus Cuspius (44-46), sent his army against Theudas, captured him alive and cut off his head.
• The speech of Gamaliel has a historical problem. The event of Theudas happened 10 years after this event, during the time of procurator C. Cuspius (AD 44-46). Furthermore, Luke believes that Theudas’ uprising was followed by that of Judas the Galilean, when some sources indicate that it was the other way round.
• o Some have tried to explain this by mentioning another Theudas in the last days of Herod the Great, but there is no real evidence supporting this claim.
• o No satisfactory answers to this question
• “They were won over by him.” The threat of finding themselves “fighting against God” seems to have been very convincing.

41, “…full of joy that they had been judged worthy of ill-treatment.” The persecution boosts their morale.

42, “… preaching Jesus, the Christ.” This is the first time Luke uses this verb, and the content of this preaching is “Jesus”.

The Word in the words (meditation)

• After an idyllic section, another section on the opposition to God’s plan, although with a bitter sweet ending: the apostles are persecuted, but happy
• To suffer persecution was for the apostles a source of happiness. In a culture where suffering has become an almost absolute evil, we discover that suffering for a good purpose, far from being absurd, can even become a source of accomplishment.
• The words of Peter give us once more a very concise kind of creed we call the kerygma. The essential elements of our faith are mentioned: condemnation of Jesus, death, resurrection and forgiveness of sins.
• Following the words of Gamaliel, can we rightly conclude that the fact that followers endure the test of time is a criterion of divine assistance? What then are we to make of Buddhism, and other very old religions? What about the revival of many superstitious beliefs today?
• What causes some teachings to be accepted and spread fast and other teachings to perish in oblivion?
• Liking and acceptance is not a criterion of truth. The apostles were liked by the people, hated by the religious rulers (as Jesus). Missionaries during the history of the church suffer from both, too much liking and too much hatred. Christians have been perceived as dangerous, friendly, strict, benevolent, etc.
• When the church is working in place of hostile political regimes, what is the most adequate attitude? Prudence, compromise, confrontation…?
• How should other’s perception of the Christian message affect our preaching?

The goodness of the Word (oratio)

• o Provident Father, as the church journeys through time, help us to be perceived as we truly are, agents of your salvation to all. Help us to discern where to direct our efforts, when to seek cooperation, how to face confrontations and how to solve difficulties. Today, it is not so much political regimes but cultural forces that present an obstacle to your kingdom. In many ways, these forces also end up contaminating your church. Help us to discern how to empathize with the peoples of today in a way that helps them to understand correctly your message but do not lead us into the temptation of accommodating your message to men’s likings. Make your church a trustworthy beacon for the world to travel through history to a safer and better destiny. Amen.

The taste of goodness (contemplatio)

Contemplation is the lifting up of the heart to God tasting somewhat of the heavenly sweetness and savour. Spend a few minutes in silence looking at God as the provider of our needs, the security in the face of our threats and the guide and comfort in our daily activities.

Sharing (collatio)

At this point, if we are doing the Bible Study with a group, people may want to share how they have benefited from today’s Word, prayer and contemplation. Listening to each other helps us to rejoice in the other’s benefit and enrich ourselves with other’s contribution.

Conclusion: A concluding prayer of thanksgiving may follow.