The Ananias in Acts 5 vs the Ananias in Acts 9

Thursday, 8 February 2007

One of the stories in the book of Acts that used to put fear in my heart was the account of Ananias and Sapphira as recorded in Acts 5. Here we read of a couple who died tragically because they kept part of the proceeds from the sale of their property for themselves, but made it appear as though it was the entire amount.

I have also heard several sermons where this passage is quoted to reinforce that believers need to fear the LORD, because He will punish us like He did that couple.

Acts 5 Ananias and Sapphira
1Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.
3Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
4Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.
6Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price."
9Peter said to her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also."
10At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

But if one were to read that passage carefully, there is actually no mentioned anywhere that it was God or the Holy Spirit that struck them dead. This is an assumption that many of us have probably adopted because we were led to believe that God is a God of "no nonsense" and will not hesitate to punish us!

But that is not the point... yet...

There is another Ananias that Luke tell us about in Acts 9:10. He was the "middleman" that God asked to minister to the apostle Paul just after the latter had his road to Damascus experience.

Acts 9
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias" "Yes, Lord," he answered.
11The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
13"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
15But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.
16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,
19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

So what is the point, you may ask? The point is that the Ananais in Acts 5 was being described as a "man" (aner, Strong's G435), whereas this Ananais in Acts 9 was referred to as a "disciple" (mathetes, Strong's G3101)!

There are no insignificant details in the Bible. Everything is there for a purpose, because "all" Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching and equipping us (2 Tim 3:16-17).

The book of Acts was written by Luke to Theophilus. Luke was both a medical doctor as well as an historian with an eye for careful detail. The Holy Spirit saw fit to inspire him to use different terms to distinguish those who were believers from those who were not; believers were referred to as disciples, while non-believers were referred to as men.

Throughout the book of Acts, he maintains a consistent distinction between a person who was a believer, and one who is not, viz:

Acts 5:1 [Ananias and Sapphira]
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.

Acts 6:1 [The Choosing of the Seven]
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

Acts 7:58
dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. (Note: Saul/Paul was not a believer at this time yet until after his road to Damascus experience in Acts 9)

Acts 8:30
Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. (Note: the Ethiopian eunuch was not a believer at this time yet until Philip explained the Scriptures to him, and he accepted Christ as recorded in Acts 8:37)

Acts 9:10
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered.

Acts 9:33
There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years.

Acts 9:36
In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas ), who was always doing good and helping the poor.

Acts 10:1 [Cornelius Calls for Peter]
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. (Cornelius was not a believer until Peter preached to him, after which he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and water baptism as recorded in Acts 10:44-48)

Acts 14:8 [In Lystra and Derbe]
In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked.

Acts 16:1 [Timothy Joins Paul and Silas]
He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek.

Acts 16:9
During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."

Acts 19:16
Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

So there you have it: the story of the 2 Ananias (and others). The Ananias in Acts 5 was a non-believer who had reason to fear God. The Ananias in Acts 9 was a believer who had no reason to fear God. Today, we who are disciples of Jesus Christ need not be fearful of God. (I have another blog entry that covers the topic of the Fear of the Lord)

As Paul says in Rom 8:15, we "did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

Isn't Daddy God a good God? Thank you, Daddy God!