What is the meaning of Acts 5:11? And great fear • The phrase captures a sudden, overwhelming sense of awe and dread. The judgment on Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10) showed that God is not to be trifled with, prompting the same reaction seen when Jesus stilled the storm—“They were terrified and asked, ‘Who then is this?’” (Mark 4:41). • Acts 2:43 had already noted, “A sense of awe came over everyone,” but here Luke intensifies it: this is “great fear.” Comparable moments include Luke 5:26 and Hebrews 12:28-29, where divine power sparks holy trembling. came over • Fear didn’t just arise; it “came over” them, indicating a movement initiated by God’s Spirit. Much like 2 Chronicles 20:29, where “the fear of God came on all the kingdoms,” the Spirit impresses truth on hearts so powerfully that people cannot shake it. • This divine takeover builds a culture of holiness, reminding believers that God disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6). the whole church • This is the first time Luke uses “church” (ekklesia) for the New-Testament people of God. Every member, not just leaders, felt the impact. • 1 Corinthians 12:26 illustrates the idea: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it.” What happened in one couple’s living room reverberated through the entire body. • The episode reinforces that purity is a community matter; Ephesians 5:25-27 pictures Christ cleansing “the church in order to present her to Himself in splendor.” and all who heard • The circle widens beyond believers to the watching world. As in Acts 19:17—“fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified”—news of God’s holiness travels fast. • Evangelism here is not a marketing strategy but the unavoidable testimony of God’s actions. Even unbelievers recognize a power that demands respect, echoing Rahab’s words in Joshua 2:11: “When we heard of it, our hearts melted.” about these events • “These events” refers to the sudden deaths of Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-5). Their story mirrors Leviticus 10:1-3, where Nadab and Abihu fell under similar judgment, teaching that God’s holiness has never relaxed. • 1 Corinthians 10:11 reminds us, “These things happened to them as examples.” The church in every age must remember that hidden sin is never hidden from God (Hebrews 4:13). summary Acts 5:11 shows that when God defends His holiness, fear and awe sweep through both the church and the watching world. The Spirit presses the lesson home: the church belongs to a holy God who sees the heart, judges sin, and calls His people to integrity. Such reverence purifies the community, magnifies Christ’s name, and prepares hearts for true worship and witness. |
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