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Bruce, F.F. (1988). "Acts 4:32-5:11." In The Book of Acts (Revised). (pp. 100-108). William B. Eerdmans Publishing,
Bruce observes that while the summary statement in Acts 2:43-47 reviewed the end of an event, the one here in Acts 4:32-35 looks forward to an upcoming event (Bruce 1988, p. 100). The community financial arrangement described ws entirely voluntary. This is not the kind of forced sharing rejected in Jewish teaching. While the apostles as leaders received the offerings, Bruce takes them to have delegated distribution to others, as they were busy about testifying to the resurrection (Bruce 1988, p. 101). The community continued to experience favor.
Joseph, also called Barnabas, shows himself in verses 36-37 as a participant in the generosity. Bruce observes that, though Barnabas was a Levite, he owned some land. This suggests the prohibition of Levites and priests owning land was not currently beingobserved (Bruce 1988, p. 101).
The narrative of sharing continues in Acts 5:1, where a married couple, Ananias and Sapphira, sold some land, kept some of theproceeds, and gave the rest as an offering. Bruce notes a strong parallel to the deceit of Achan in Joshua chapter seven, using similar language in Acts to that event in the Septuagint (Bruce 1988, p. 102). The deaths of both Ananias and Sapphira, accoring to Bruce, could be a natural reaction to learning they were found out in a grave, premediated sin (Bruce 1988, p. 103). Peter's confrontation of them is reminiscent of the contfrontations Elijah and Elisha had with those who were in sin. Bruce notes that commentators have a tendency to soften the possibility that Peter would have called down God's judgment on the couple (Bruce 1988, p. 104). However, Bruce does leave the door open to the possibility. He sees Luke's purpose in this passage as emphasizing the work of the Holy Spirit and the necessity of acting in a holy manner. The couple was free to do what they wanted with their land and money, but not to misrepresent their actions. In verse three, Peter is aware of the misrepresentation. Peter saw this as an attempt to deceive the Holy Spirit (Bruce 1988, p. 105). Bruce reiterates that the giving was entirely voluntary. The reason of death is not given, and Bruce chooses not to speculate. Verse six describes a very prompt burial, which Bruce notes was common in that time due to the climate (Bruce 1988, p. 106).
Sapphira was ignorant of her husband's death and burial when she came to Peter in verse seven (Bruce 1988, p. 106). Bruce notes that Peter had probably been reflectingo n the serious nature of the deceit during the three hours which had passed. He therefore gave her an opportunity to be truthful (Bruce 1988, p. 107). Bruce suggests that in later years Peter might have mentioned Ananias' death at first, but this is pure speculation. In any case, the two were complicit in their attempt to deceive the Holy Spirit. Bruce reflects based on verse eleven that we have no way of testing the genuineness of the faith of Ananias and Sapphira. However, we know that the "church" (in the first use of the word in Acts) is moved by the event.