In reading this morning, this text seemed pretty straight forward to me...but there is apparently some theological debate about several elements of the text.
In the first 11 verses, we see Ananias and Sapphira break with the customs of the group, in sharing all that they have as they sold a piece of land, and then we are told that they are essentially put to death by the Holy Spirit. There is all sorts of mental jujitsu going on in my commentary to explain why it may be okay that they might have passed without a chance for repentance, and whether or not Peter was ultimately responsible, and all of that. Look, I am fine with really trying to figure this stuff out, but God can do whatever God wants to do, and as naive as this may be, when I look at something like this, I tend to think that there is probably some element of the story that I don’t understand or know, not that God acted in a way that is inconsistent with His character throughout the rest of scripture.
Then we see a short segment about the signs and wonders being done as the number of people following the apostles, and joining them, greatly increases. In other words - this was not a small group of people moving in a controlled manner...this was a movement. This was growing quickly, and this was becoming an unstoppable force.
Then we see the greater part of this chapter is spent describing another run-in between the Jewish leaders who thought they had controlled this movement back in chapter 4 and the apostles, of which we know Peter is one, but we aren’t really revealed the list of participants. And, again we see the tension and the struggle of these Jewish leaders...again, they don’t see interested in figuring out whether or not any of what the apostles are saying is true, they just want to control the situation, and they want to make sure THEY remain the leaders. Luke actually says that they were jealous.
Then we get to the verse that I think is just fantastic - and it comes from a man in the Jewish counsel named Gamaliel, in verses 38-39
Gamaliel says, “So (talking to to the Jewish leaders), in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!”.
I think that pretty much sums it up...this is why all of what is recorded in Acts and in the New Testament happened...it was OF God, and BY God, and there wasn’t anything that anyone was going to do to stop it.
It reminds me that I should take stock of myself, and the things of which I have interest and in which I spend time; are these ‘of God’? If not, I am pushing a rock up a proverbial hill in the way I am living. Great words essentially from the opposition this morning, and a great reminder to take the path of least resistance in life, and to go where God is leading me.