Ananias and Saphira

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The biblical account of Ananias and Saphira can be found in the Acts of the Apostles of Luke ( Acts 5 : 1–11  EU ). The names are also only mentioned here. There is no connection with Ananias, mentioned a few chapters later (Chapters 9.10 EU and 23.2 EU ).

The history

Ananias and Saphira were connected to the first church in Jerusalem, which is not further explained in the text . It was, it emerges from the preceding verses, a normal process for the parishioners to support one another and go so far as to sell property and buildings from their private property and to pass on the proceeds to the congregation to support the needy members. Ananias and Saphira did this (for the first time?) - but they kept part of the proceeds for themselves.

Ananias put the money at the feet of the apostles . Confident that Ananias had kept part of it, Peter said, “Ananias, why did Satan fill your heart that you lied to the Holy Spirit and kept some of the money for the field? (...) You did not lie to people, but to God. ”When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. The apostles carried him away and buried him.

A few hours later, Saphira, not knowing what had happened, came to the apostles. Peter asked her about the proceeds from the property and she confirmed the wrong price. Saphira, too, fell dead at Peter's feet. Then there was great fear all over the church and all who heard it.

interpretation

There are some passages in the Acts of the Apostles that are often interpreted as the community of property of the early Jerusalem church . Everyone made his entire property available to the community as collective property. The story of Ananias and Saphira is often interpreted in such a way that the two tried to evade this community of property.

In Acts 5.4  EU , Peter Ananias points out that he could have kept both his land and the money for himself after the sale. This gives rise to the assumption that the community of property in the original community was not a duty, but a voluntary service. The sin of Ananias and Saphiras would therefore not be the deductible of part of the money, but that of deliberate deception and lies against the community and above all against God, against the "Spirit of the Lord". In addition, the couple has agreed to work together - a religious attitude without real devotion of the innermost heart. Peter expresses the nature of sin, and an event of death ensues, first for Ananias and later for his wife. Ananias and Saphira's self-esteem had to do with their social position and was not solely a result of Christ consciousness.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Werner de Boor: The Acts of the Apostles. (= Wuppertal Study Bible ). R. Brockhaus, Wuppertal 1965, p. 111.
  2. ↑ Heinz-Werner Neudorfer: The Acts of the Apostles of Luke 1st part. (= Edition C: B Bible Commentaries. Volume 8). Hänssler, Neuhausen-Stuttgart, ISBN 3-7751-1125-5 , p. 112.