And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.
εγενετο δε ως ωρων τριων διαστημα και η γυνη αυτου μη ειδυια το γεγονος εισηλθεν
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
"About three hours later." The wife did not know, and none of those present told her, although there had been enough time for the news to spread. But they were afraid. The writer speaks of this with wonder: "his wife came in, not knowing what had happened."
"After three hours had passed." Three hours passed, and the wife did not learn what had happened to her husband. None of those present told her, because they were afraid. Therefore, marveling at this, the writer set forth both facts: that three hours had passed, and that she entered without knowing what had happened. Notice that Peter does not summon her. Rather, he waits for her to come in when she wishes, giving her time to come to her senses voluntarily. As for no one daring to tell her what had happened, this came from fear of the teacher and obedience to him.
But at this time there occurred the sorrowful event of the moral fall of one Christian couple. A certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold his real estate, as other Christians did, in order to entrust the proceeds to the apostles for the benefit of the whole Christian community. Yet they delivered to the apostles only a certain part of the price and kept the rest of the money for themselves. Before the apostles and the other believers, however, they presented themselves as people who had renounced all their property for the common benefit. In the deed of Ananias and Sapphira, hypocrisy was revealed in addition to love of money. If the first vice was especially dangerous for the unhappy slaves of it themselves, the latter could have affected the whole Christian community.
The spirit of hypocrisy, outward righteousness, and the desire to display oneself before men, so characteristic of Pharisaic righteousness, could have entered and taken root in the Christian community. Until then its members had been marked by sincerity of piety, openness of conscience before every believer, and unfeigned, selfless love for their neighbors. It is now understandable why the deed of Ananias and Sapphira was judged and punished so severely. In them, the spirit that had mastered them was chastised and decisively driven out of the Apostolic Church. In his accusatory speech to Ananias (vv. 3-4), the Apostle Peter ascribes the birth of the hypocritical intention in his heart to Satan. Yet since man preserves freedom of moral self-determination despite Satan's external actions upon his heart, the apostle blames Ananias himself. He had allowed Satan to enter his heart with his tempting actions. At the same time, the apostle teaches that the Holy Spirit dwells in the Church of Christ. Therefore a lie before the Church is also a lie before the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God. Consequently, the lie of Ananias and Sapphira is a great and unforgivable sin.
"About three hours later": the precision of the time indicates the accuracy and complete reliability of the narrative. These three hours passed in preparing Ananias for burial and in the burial itself, especially if the burial place was not nearby. "His wife came in": it seems that the same assembly continued, in the midst of which the punishment of her husband had taken place. Thus Peter, asking Sapphira for how much they had sold the land, was probably pointing to the money brought by her husband, still lying at the apostle's feet. "Peter did not summon her, but waited until she came herself. None of the others dared to tell her what had happened. This is fear before the teacher. This is the reverence and obedience of disciples.
After three hours, the wife had not learned it, and none of those present told her, though there had been enough time for the report to spread. But they were in fear. The writer speaks of this with amazement: not knowing what had happened" (Chrysostom; cf. Theophylact).
The burial of Ananias took place quickly, for the circumstances required it. The custom of the hot South did not hinder this, especially since burial there was incomparably simpler than among us. The deceased was only wrapped in cloths and carried to ready-made recesses or caves. Access to these was free and convenient for all who wished to see the deceased. Therefore, if Ananias' wife was not informed of his death, she could, upon learning of it, see the deceased at any time. This was probably with greater convenience than in the presence of the apostles, who were evidently then in a common prayer assembly. As for the performers of the burial, called young men, neoteroi, in contrast to elders or presbyters, these young people evidently usually fulfilled this duty.
It required strength of every kind (cf. 1 Pet 5:1-5; 1 Tim 5:17). The unfortunate wife of Ananias, Sapphira, soon came into the church assembly. And the Apostle Peter asked her: was it for that sum that you sold the land, which Ananias brought to us? She lied and said: yes, for that much. The apostle also gave her time and opportunity to repent. Moreover, she was standing near him, so that others might not hear her confession. Thus she had no reason to be ashamed before outsiders. But it is evident that they had a firm agreement. In herself she fully corresponded to her husband. That is, she was just as covetous, hypocritical, and false. She was likewise lacking in faith and blind in the works of God then being performed for the establishment of Christ's Church.
Greek text, 15 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS