Some of the strongest language used by our Lord while walking the earth in ministry was reserved for religious people who were masters of deception in the sense that they deceived others in making them think one way about themselves (holy/pious) when in reality they were something altogether different (wicked/evil/malicious). These masters of deception were the religious people of Jesus’ day, largely leaders and authority figures within the religious system, who worked hard at making others think of them in a way that was not really true. Jesus minced no words and often referred to them as “white-washed tombs,” “a brood of vipers” and even “sons of Satan.” Jesus often used these masters of deception as examples of how not to pray, give, serve, worship, etc… when He was teaching His disciples the ways of Kingdom living.
The most frequent word Jesus used to describe these people was the word “hypocrite.” Our English word “hypocrite” comes from the Greek word that was used to identify an actor on stage that would wear a mask in order to live up to the role he or she was assigned. The mask was not who the person really was but only a false representation of who they really were. That is really what hypocrisy is—wearing a mask so that others think one way about me but in reality I am something or somebody totally different.
As we read the Gospel accounts of Jesus interaction with the hypocrites of the day we quickly conclude that He certainly was not a fan of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy was a major issue during His day and He addressed it openly and honestly. Hypocrisy was one of the first major internal issues that the early Church had to face and our passage lays out in detail how it was dealt with.
ACTS 4:32-5:11
Joseph (Barnabas)
While Ananias and Sapphira are the primary players of Acts 5 we cannot truly understand their actions until we look at somebody who is largely overlooked in the story. His name is Joseph. He was a Jewish man who became a follower of Christ through the preaching of Jesus by the early church. There was more to him than the name Joseph could communicate for the Scriptures say that Apostle’s called him Barnabas. So faithful and Spirit filled was this man the Apostle’s changed his name to reflect who he really was—an encourager. He was an encourager both to the Apostle’s and to his fellow believer. Joseph was the real deal. These passages of Scripture that describe the early activity of the Church are not hypothetical, “pie in the sky” hopes of what they wanted to be but was actually descriptive of what was actually happening in the early Church. So pure in spirit was Joseph/Barnabas he willingly sold a piece of valuable property on the island of Cyprus for a price and brought all the proceeds from the sale to the Apostle’s so that those who had need may be served by the Church.
But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira…
BUT. Every word that God chooses is purposeful and powerful. The first word of chapter five reveals to us that there is going to be a shift in what we are reading. We have just read about all the awesome stuff that was taking place in the Church and a personal example was given to us in Joseph/Barnabas. Now, however, something is about to change. There are a lot of times in the Bible where the word “but” marks a shift where something positive, promising and powerful is revealed such as in EPHESIANS 2:1-5. This time, however, the word “but” is used to introduce to us a couple whose actions are not positive, promising or powerful but wicked, evil, deceptive and hypocritical.
ANANIAS, SAPPHIRA AND GENEROSITY. These too were Jewish people who became followers of Christ through the ministry of the early Church as well just like Joseph/Barnabas. Their names are interesting because Sapphira means “beautiful” and Ananias means “God is gracious” and few people’s lives have contradicted their names so blatantly as these two. In response to what others were doing, namely Joseph/Barnabas, Ananias and Sapphira decided to sell some of their own personal property and bring the proceeds from the sale to the Apostle’s for the sake of funding the ministry as well. The problem was, however, that they conceived in their own hearts to lie about what was given to the Church. They sold the property for one amount yet gave the Church another. The discrepancy between the two amounts is because they decided to keep a portion of the proceeds for themselves. It is important to note that there is nothing wrong with what they did in keeping back a portion of the proceeds for themselves. Nowhere in the Book of Acts do we find there to be a command for the Christians to sell off all they had and bring all the proceeds to the Church. The generosity that arose in the early Church was a voluntary response to the salvation they had received from Jesus. A lot of times we hear teaching and preaching from the Bible about generosity and assume that it is a command where in reality the generosity that arises from those who have been saved by the blood of Jesus is a natural expression of our gratitude, thanksgiving and submission to Jesus as both Savior of and Lord over our lives.
THE LIE AND WHY. The problem with Ananias and Sapphira is that they had decided in their hearts to do something different than they said that they had done. They decided to be somebody who they really were not. They decided to paint a picture of themselves that was not an accurate representation of who they really were and what they had really done. Apparently they were enamored with the reception that Joseph/Barnabas received when he brought his large gift to the Apostle’s that came from the sale of his property. It can be assumed that the Apostle’s probably used Joseph/Barnabas as an example of generosity and encouragement to the Church at large and Ananias and Sapphira wanted a piece of the public accolades so they decided to lie in order to make it look like they were doing something more than what they actually were. They liked the idea of having their names publicly mentioned in a sermon as an illustration so they lied in order to put themselves in a position to be used as such. They were used as an illustration for the Church but not in they way in which they had hoped for.
HYPOCRISY DEALT WITH. Apparently Ananias announced publicly, or at least to Peter, that he and his wife had done exactly as Joseph/Barnabas had in the selling of personal property and giving of “all” the proceeds to the Church. While the Church at large was probably impressed with Ananias, Peter had received a revelation from God that this man was a hypocrite and lying about what was going on. Peter addresses Ananias about his sin before the Church and after addressing the sin God deals with the hypocrisy swiftly and completely and Ananias died right there before the Church. Later on in the day (3 hours later) Sapphira comes to Peter and the Church. She is probably wondering where her husband is and did not want to miss out on the presumed celebration and reception over their gift. Upon her arrival she did not find her husband but found Peter waiting for her. Peter addressed her in the same manner that he addressed her husband and she, because she chose to play the hypocrite rather than be honest, faced the same fate as her husband.
WHY DID GOD DEAL SO HARSHLY WITH ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA? God dealt with the issue of hypocrisy strongly and swiftly at this point in Church history because the Church was still in those formative days where they were just beginning to figure out what being the Church was all about. God was protecting the Church by dealing with this issue so strongly and swiftly because He knew the hindering effects sin would have on the Church if not dealt with quickly. What we are seeing here is that Satan, after being unsuccessful in stopping the Church by using external opposition, attempts to hinder the ministry of the Church by polluting the Church with hypocrisy from within. I believe that Satan understood that undergirding the powerful, life-changing ministry of the early Church was the unified commitment to personal holiness in the lives of those who comprised the Church. If he could only “muddy the waters” of holiness in the Church then maybe, just maybe, he could hinder the life-changing ministry of the Church. If Satan could create an atmosphere of distrust among the believers then he knew that they would never be fully united as one thus forming a spiritual force where Jesus would change the world through them. If Satan could create an atmosphere in the Church were intentional, perpetual and unconfessed sin is not taken seriously then he knew that purpose for which the Church was formed would not be taken seriously as well.
IS IT DIFFERENT TODAY? One scholar said that if God dealt with hypocrisy in the Church today, as swiftly and harshly as He did back then in Acts 5 then every church would have to have a morgue in the basement and a mortician on staff. The truth of the matter is that if God dealt as swiftly and harshly with hypocrisy in the Church today as He did back then there would be no church and there would be no staff. While I have not heard of any reports of God striking hypocrites down as we find in this passage let us not make the mistake to think that somehow God does not take hypocrisy as seriously now as He did then. Hypocrisy is as much a heinous sin before God now as it was then.
ANOTHER OPTION. HONESTY OVERCOMES HYPOCRISY. I believe that Ananias and Sapphira had another option other than lying. They could have come before Peter and just said, “We sold a piece of property and want to give a portion of the proceeds to the Church. We are keeping a portion back for our own needs and purposes because we just are not where Joseph/Barnabas is at this point in our walk with Christ.” If they would have just been honest about the fact that they were not as far along in their walk with Christ as Joseph the outcome could have been much differently. For some reason they were not comfortable admitting their weakness but were comfortable trying to portray themselves as somebody they were not.
IT’S OK TO NOT BE OK BUT IT IS NOT OK TO STAY THAT WAY. I don’t believe that Jesus ever intended that His Church would be a place where people are more comfortable walking in hypocrisy because the atmosphere is such that honesty about life and our walk with Christ is discouraged. I am not sure when or where the enemy succeeded in creating an atmosphere whereby we do not feel comfortable sharing with one another our weaknesses but that is not the way Jesus intended it to be. When is the last time you had a fellow brother or sister in Christ, whether it be in a one on one relationship or in a small group setting, submit a request for prayer over a weakness they have in their lives knowing that the Lord wants so much more for them than to be stuck in that sin and to pretend before others that it does not exist? I am a pastor and have only had a handful of those experiences in 12 years of pastoral ministry. For some reason or another we are not comfortable being open and honest with God and with one another. God says in EPHESIANS 4:25 that we need to put off falsehood with one another and walk in honesty before God and with one another. We need to understand and let the world know that the Church is a place where IT IS OK TO NOT BE OK BUT IT IS NOT OK TO STAY THAT WAY. The Church should be a place where we admit our faults, failures and weaknesses and accept others with their faults, failures and weaknesses with the understanding that Jesus saves people with faults, failures and weaknesses and makes us new. Therefore, the Church is the place where it is OK TO NOT BE OK BUT NOT OK TO STAY THAT WAY. Remember in the opening I said that some of Jesus’ harshest and hardest words were reserved for the religious hypocrites of His day. Well, on the other hand, some of Jesus’ kindest, most tender and compassionate words went out to those who chose not to hide their sin but admitted it for good or otherwise.
THE MOST DANGEROUS HYPOCRISY IS… the hypocrisy that says “I am a Christian!” “I have been saved!” but in reality you have not. This is where the “IT IS NOT OK TO STAY THAT WAY.” really comes in. There are a lot of people who claim Jesus as Savior but have lives that totally contradicts that confession. Jesus said without apology that those who are His own will be known by the new life that shines forth from them. Remember, the Church is the place where it is OK TO NOT BE OK. We are broken and messed up people that Jesus is fixing but the reality is that He is fixing us and that is where the whole IT IS NOT OK TO STAY THAT WAY comes in. The hypocrisy that says, “I’m a Christian” where in reality you are not is only successful in deceiving yourself. It does not deceive God and it really is not deceiving others as much as you may think. This is a call to examine ourselves which flows from 2 CORINTHIANS 13:5.
