Ananias and Sapphira
Ananias (
Their story is rarely shown in art, but is sometimes part of extended New Testament cycles. It is the subject of one of the Raphael Cartoons for the Sistine Chapel tapestries by Raphael, and a panel on the Brescia Casket, both illustrated here. It is a scene in the Brancacci Chapel frescos by Masaccio. There is also a 1590s painting by Ambrosius Francken the Elder, and other treatments.
Story summary
Acts chapter 4:32 closes by stating that the first followers of Jesus did not consider their possessions to be their own but rather held in common, in order to use what they had on behalf of those in want. For example,
As told at the beginning of Acts chapter 5, Ananias and Sapphira, following Barnabas' example, also sold their land but secretly withheld a portion of the proceeds. Ananias presented his donation to
Patristic commentary
The fourth-century archbishop John Chrysostom alludes to and then dismisses the idea that Peter could be held responsible for the couple's death.[4]
Modern scholarship
The morality of the incident has been the source of some commentary. As noted by Rick Strelan, Dunn describes it as "one of the most unnerving episodes in the whole of the New Testament."
The Lutheran New Testament Professor Matthew L. Skinner claims the story is meant to be gallows humour. He states: "The story aims for gallows humor, but we read Acts in a different place today. Our familiarity with religiously sanctioned violence makes it difficult to laugh, even if we understand that this scene may not be offered as serious, definitive theology."[9]
Marc Pernot, pastor at the Protestant
P. M. Garner reads the story as subversive narrative showing Peter, complicit in the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, showing immaturity in imaging the son of God.[12]
According to the missionary and author Paris Reidhead, the passage is intended to illustrate two key points: the seriousness of lying to the Holy Spirit and the importance of keeping integrity in the believers' fellowship with Christ, i.e., keeping the fellowship free of sin. More specifically on the second point, Reidhead commented that the introduction of sin would destroy the unity that the early believers had in the Holy Spirit, and would thus remove God's blessing on the body. Reidhead noted that God does not punish everyone who makes the same mistake as Ananias and Sapphira; nevertheless, the passage illustrates God's unambiguous attitude on this matter.[13] Though the passage is about the offering of money, Reidhead extended the implication to all services offered to God. There must not be any ulterior motives in an offering made to God, such as desiring material gain, fame, or praise of man for oneself.[13] Concerning the belief held by some, that Peter caused the death of the couple, Reidhead held the view that Peter simply anticipated God's action and relayed it to Ananias and Sapphira before God took the action.[13]
J.P. Kirsch, writing for the Catholic Encyclopedia, depicts the event as a sentence of capital punishment. It states: "When Ananias and Sapphira attempt to deceive the Apostles and the people Peter appears as judge of their action, and God executes the sentence of punishment passed by the Apostle by causing the sudden death of the two guilty parties (Acts 5:1–11)".[14]
Philosopher Edward Feser argues in a self-published blog that the account constitutes a biblical justification of capital punishment, whereby Peter either declares or carries out the sentence, which is then immediately inflicted by the Holy Spirit.[15]
References
- ^ Volbach, Wolfgang Fritz; Hirmer, Max (1961). Early Christian Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. p. 328.
- ^ Acts 4:32
- ^ Acts 5
- CCEL. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- ^ a b Strelan, Rick (2004). Strange Acts: Studies in the Cultural World of the Acts of the Apostles. p. 199.
Dunn thinks it is 'one of the most unnerving episodes in the whole of the New Testament' (1996: 62), [...] The story parallels that of Achan (Josh. 7), as many scholars have noted, but also interesting are the parallels to which Henriette Havelaar (1997) draws attention. While many of the parallels she offers are not very close in details, there is a close parallel in Herodotus, who tells of a man who entrusted a large amount of money to a certain Glaucus
.[full citation needed] - ^ Havelaar, H. (1997). "Hellenistic Parallels to Acts 5:1–11 and the Problem of Conflicting Interpretations". Journal for the Study of the New Testament. 67: 63–82.
- ^ Herodotus, The Histories, p. 248, at Google Books. Translated by George Rawlinson, 1859. "As for Glaucus, he made a journey to Delphi, and there consulted the oracle. [...] the Pythoness replied that it was as bad to have tempted the god as it would have been to have done the deed."[dead link]
- ISBN 9781441200266. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ Skinner, Matthew L. (2016) "On Why People do NOT Give Money to Their Church" Archived 21 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Trinity Lutheran Church, 6 October 2016.
- ^ a congregation of the United Protestant Church of France
- oratoiredulouvre.fr(in French). Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ISBN 978-1-5326-1827-7.
- ^ a b c Reidhead, Paris W. (28 October 1962). "Crisis In Fellowship" (PDF). ParisReidheadBibleTeachingMinistries.org. New York, NY: The Gospel Tabernacle Church. Retrieved 20 February 2024. See also an audio recording of the same, here.
- ^ Kirsch, J.P. (1911). "St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles". The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Co. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ Feser, Edward (23 March 2018). "Bellarmine on Capital Punishment". EdwardFeser.Blogspot.com. Retrieved 20 February 2024.