Scripture Reading: Acts 4:32-5:16 32 The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common. 33 With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all. 34 For there was no one needy among them because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them and bringing the proceeds from the sales 35 and placing them at the apostles’ feet. The proceeds were distributed to each, as anyone had need. 36 So Joseph, a Levite who was a native of Cyprus, called by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and placed it at the apostles’ feet. 1 Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property. 2 He kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge; he brought only part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of the land? 4 Before it was sold, did it not belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God!” 5 When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped all who heard about it. 6 So the young men came, wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, but she did not know what had happened. 8 Peter said to her, “Tell me, were the two of you paid this amount for the land?” Sapphira said, “Yes, that much.” 9 Peter then told her, “Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!” 10 At once she collapsed at his feet and died. So when the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear gripped the whole church and all who heard about these things. 12 Now many miraculous signs and wonders came about among the people through the hands of the apostles. By common consent they were all meeting together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high honor. 14 More and more believers in the Lord were added to their number, crowds of both men and women. 15 Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and put them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow would fall on some of them. 16 A crowd of people from the towns around Jerusalem also came together, bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits. They were all being healed. Main ThemesThe GoodOur reading begins immediately after we are told that all the believers were “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 4:31). There seems to be a pattern that after such outpourings of the Spirit the community experiences power and unity.One Heart and MindWe are told first that the community is of “one heart and mind.” This expression is not exclusive to biblical writers. The exact same expression and also close variations of it were used by other writers to express unity, particularly in friendship relationships (although not exclusively). I think that this is an important clue. I have been in several situations where believers wonder what such unity means and how to achieve it. Perhaps the answer is familiar—too familiar—so we rather avoid it. We should be true friends of our brothers and sisters in Christ.Moreover, the expression “one heart and mind,” literally “one heart and soul,” seems to recall the Old Testament. The mention of heart and soul in the same phrase appeared in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament). Undoubtedly the reference that would have been in every ancient Jew’s mind would have been the Shema prayer in Deuteronomy 6:5-6. (The Shema prayer is one of the most famous prayers in the Bible. It was a daily prayer for ancient Israelites and is still recited by Jewish people today.)Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You must love the Lord your God with your whole mind [literally, heart], your whole being [literally, soul], and all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5-6The Ideal CommunityWe have already discussed the “ideal community” that was the early church in chapter 2. At the end of chapter 4, we encounter that ideal community again. Everything was held in common. (The imperfect verbs suggest not a sale of all property upon conversion but believers selling their property when needs arose and contributing to a common fund supervised by the apostles.)Much like the idea of being of “one heart and mind,” the idea of holding everything in common was especially attributed...
