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I. THE SIN. It was of no common magnitude. If we consider the circumstances we shall find —

1. That this falsehood was an imposition on the society with which Ananias was himself connected.

2. That it was designed to defraud the apostles and the whole Church.

3. That he could plead no appearance of external temptation.

4. That his purpose was veiled under the pretence of religious principles.

5. That his sin was deliberately and presumptuously directed against tim Holy Spirit of God.

II. THE PUNISHMENT.

1. It was death.

2. It was inflicted without warning.

3. It immediately followed the presumptuous transgression.

4. It produced great fear upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard of it.

III. REFLECTIONS.

1. That men may enjoy high advantages, may make a fair profession of religion, and may obtain admission to its most sacred external privileges, and yet may remain slaves to vicious dispositions, and strangers to the fear of God. Other examples we have in Cain, Esau, and Judas.

2. That men may travel far in the journey of lifE before they meet with those peculiar circumstances which are fitted to discover and display their true characters. So it was with Balaam, Hazael, and Judas.

3. How corrupting, enslaving, debasing is the spirit of avarice (Proverbs 21:26; 1 Timothy 6:9, 10).

4. The encroaching nature of sinful principles and dispositions. Covetousness led to deliberate, aggravated falsehood and fraud, and to impiety so presumptuous as to provoke the immediate judgment of God. One transgression of the Divine law renders others in some degree necessary, and at the same time renders the mind blind to the sad consequences that must result from them.

5. The odious nature and pernicious tendency of the vices of lying, fraud, and hypocrisy (Proverbs 6:16, 19; Habakkuk 2:9; Jeremiah 22:13; Malachi 1:14).Conclusion: The fearful punishment of these two false disciples leads to the consideration of —

1. The omniscience of God. No human eye saw Cain murder his brother. Gehazi flattered himself that he was perfectly secure from detection. Ananias and Sapphira had no doubt prepared their plan with all possible secrecy; but they all forgot that "all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do."

2. How tremendous is the power of God over His creatures! He can bestow life, and He can withdraw it at His pleasure (Deuteronomy 32:39).

(H. Thomson, D. D.)

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KJV: But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

WEB: But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession,