Acts 5

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.

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?

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? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

And the young men arose, 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? And she said, Yea, for so much.

Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

Then fell she 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.

And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.

And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,

And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought.

But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,

Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;

And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.

For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

What does Acts 5:33 mean?

Explanation

Acts 5:33 describes a moment of tumultuous reaction from the Jewish Sanhedrin, the highest religious court in ancient Israel, upon hearing the testimonies of the apostles.

The verse illustrates the Sanhedrin's outrage leading to a violent impulse against the apostles.

The phrase "cut to the heart" evokes a deep emotional wound, indicating that the message delivered by the apostles was so convicting that it incited a visceral, angry response from the court members.

The Sanhedrin's consideration to "slay them" shows the severity of their anger and their willingness to take extreme measures against those perceived as a threat to their authority and interpretation of Jewish law.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

This event occurs shortly after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The apostles have been actively preaching about Jesus and performing miracles in His name, which was viewed as a direct challenge to the religious establishment of the day.

During this period, Christianity was emerging as a distinct faith within the heavily tradition-bound Jewish community.

The Sanhedrin's response reflects the tension between the established religious order and the nascent Christian movement that claimed Jesus was the promised Messiah, a revolutionary and blasphemous assertion to many devout Jews at the time.

Theological Insights

The reaction of the Sanhedrin can be seen as representative of a broader theme in the Christian narrative: the resistance of established religious structures to new revelations of divine truth.

Theologically, this confronts the notion of God's continual revelation and the challenge it poses to entrenched institutions.

From a Christian perspective, the apostles' boldness to witness in the face of persecution is often celebrated as an example of steadfast faith and divine empowerment.

Others might argue that this illustrates the difficulties that arise when new spiritual insights disrupt conventional systems of belief and authority.

Practical Applications

Acts 5:33 can serve as a sobering reminder of the potential hostility that can follow when one's deep convictions challenge the status quo.

Believers might find encouragement to stand firm in their faith despite opposition.

This passage can also encourage reflection on how to respond to new ideas and beliefs, emphasizing openness, discernment, and dialogue over violence and suppression.

It calls individuals to examine their own hearts for signs of defensiveness and to consider more compassionate responses when confronted with challenging messages.

Cross-References

Acts 2:37 - "Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do?"
Acts 7:54 - "When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with [their] teeth."
John 16:2 - "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service."

Language Study

The phrase "cut to the heart" in Greek is "diapriō (διαπρίω)" and signifies being sawn asunder or rent violently.

This strong language underscores the intensity of the Sanhedrin's emotional turmoil.

The use of "diapriō" in this context speaks to an emotional laceration, which differs from the sense of being convicted or pricked in the heart that can lead to repentance, as seen in Acts 2:37 where the term "katanusso (κατανύσσομαι)" is used.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The reaction of the Sanhedrin can be compared with other ancient cultural and religious narratives where prophets or messengers of a new way draw severe opposition from the established orthodoxy.

For example, in Greek mythology, figures like Cassandra who spoke prophetic truths were not believed and faced tragic fates.

Similarly, in many ancient religions, the introduction of new theological insights was often met with resistance, sometimes leading to persecution or execution of the proponents of those new ideas.

Scientific Perspectives

The verse does not directly intersect with scientific inquiries but could be relevant in the study of psychology, particularly how strongly held beliefs can trigger emotional and aggressive responses when challenged.

Cognitive dissonance theory might help explain why the members of the Sanhedrin experienced such profound emotional "cutting" when their beliefs were confronted by the preaching of the apostles.

Commentaries

Various biblical commentaries offer differing insights into Acts 5:33.

Some commentators focus on the apostles' courage in the face of persecution, while others emphasize the Sanhedrin’s negative response to the gospel as a reflection of human sinfulness and stubbornness.

Matthew Henry's Commentary observes how God's Spirit can speak through his servants with such force as to elicit extreme reactions.

John Gill's Exposition of the Bible remarks on the sudden and distressful anger of the council.

Several commentaries also highlight the significance of the Sanhedrin's reaction, noting that the gospel message can provoke hostility because of its challenge to personal and institutional power structures.

Acts 5

Acts 5

What does Acts 5:33 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 5:33 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?