We first discussed how Ananias and his wife fell dead immediately for deceiving the Holy Spirit, which led to an earlier discussion about the Holy Spirit being one of the three persons of the Trinity. This discussion addressed why, from both God’s and humanity’s perspectives, the number three is precisely fitting. Second, we discussed how the number of those who believed in the Lord increased through signs (miracles) and wonders, emphasizing that miracles serve to testify to the word of His grace—our pursuit should be Christ Jesus Himself. Third, we examined the arrest of Peter and the apostles, the Lord leading them out of prison to preach, and their subsequent re-arrest due to obedience to God. The fourth part addresses Peter and the apostles’ obedience to God in testifying to the Lord’s resurrection before the Sanhedrin. It references two previous articles that thoroughly examined scriptures on obedience to God and explicitly stated the need to give the Jews an opportunity to repent. Finally, we examine the figure of Gamaliel, his counsel and motives, and his influence on Peter and the apostles, emphasizing that “what God tells us through Bible is consistent.”
1. Ananias and Sapphira immediately fell dead for deceiving the Holy Spirit
“But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it. The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him. Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.”(Acts 5:1-11)
Regarding Ananias and Sapphira’s immediate death after deceiving the Holy Spirit, the scripture details the process clearly. Please read these verses yourself; I won’t elaborate further. Previously, in “1148 Punishment, Salvation, Logic, and the Truth of the Trinity – Genesis(3)14-24,” under “3. The meaning of God being a Trinity and its biblical basis,” it was stated at the outset: “The word ‘LORD (H3068, singular) God (H430, plural)’ appears repeatedly because there is only one God, so it is singular, and God is three, namely, God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, so it is plural, that is, God the Father is God, Jesus Christ is God, and the Holy Spirit is also God, this is the Trinity.” It discusses the biblical basis for the Holy Spirit being God, citing Acts 5:1-4. It also explains why, from both God’s and humanity’s perspectives, the number three is precisely appropriate. Though the Bible does not explicitly use the term “Trinity,” it absolutely contains this concept. For details, please refer to this article.
If you examine the New Testament, you will find that apart from Ananias and Sapphira, who died for deceiving the Holy Spirit, there is no record of anyone else dying for deceiving the Holy Spirit who is within the Triune God. We see that “And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.”(Acts 5:11) Some interpret this to mean that the early church genuinely needed such fear to deter deceiving the Holy Spirit. Since this occurred only once, does that imply it is permissible today? Absolutely not. In the New Testament, it is true that Jesus’ death on the cross fulfilled God’s righteous demands, but this merely provides each person with an opportunity for eternal life. The path must still be walked through the narrow gate, and the judgment before the great white throne will only occur when Jesus returns. We know, “(“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.”)”(Revelation 16:15) It is not that He delays His coming, but because God is a God of mercy and grace, “who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”(1 Timothy 2:4) Therefore, He has given us more time until that unknown day.
2. More and more people are turning to the Lord through signs and wonders
“At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem. And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number, to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.”(Acts 5:12-16)
We see that many believed and turned to the Lord because of the miracles (signs) and wonders performed by the apostles. This shows that miracles and wonders are indeed very important. Therefore, “So Jesus said to him (a royal official at Capernaum), “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.””(John 4:48) Miracles and wonders truly open the door to faith, for “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”(Romans 5:1) This is justification, not sanctification—it is entering the door and gaining an opportunity.
Consider another passage: “So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”(John 10:7-10) We have shared that this passage only mentions having grass to eat. If a person, because of free will, refuses to eat the grass given to him, it is useless unless he actually eats it. Therefore, entering the right gate because of seeing miracles and wonders is good, but it is not enough to merely enter. Jesus made it very clear: ““Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”(Matthew 7:13-14)
Scripture often describes the same truth in different ways. The narrow gate mentioned here corresponds to what was discussed in “1161 Kingdom of God, young ruler, sitting, serving, and healing – Mark(10)13-52” under “1. One must become like a little child to enter the Kingdom of God.” That article explained, “Therefore, the child is at an age when he or she is completely dependent on his or her parents, just as Christians should be humble, looking to the Triune God for all things, obeying Him, and not relying on themselves. “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.”(Romans 7:18)” If one allows the Holy Spirit to lead Bible study, it will make them realize “what God tells us through Bible is consistent.”
From these passages, we again see what we discussed earlier: Peter truly took the lead. The prayer in Acts 4:29-30 essentially asks for three things: boldness to preach and signs and wonders. The prayer for healing the sick was also genuine, for it says here that all were healed. No wonder the sick hoped Peter would come. But note that there is no mention here, as some believe, of Peter’s shadow being able to heal.
Do not forget that the purpose of miracles and wonders is to testify to the word of His grace, as this verse states: “Therefore they (Paul and Barnabas) spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands.”(Acts 14:3) Do not lose faith simply because you do not often witness miracles and wonders. Do not put the cart before the horse. What we pursue is Christ Jesus Himself. That is why Paul declared, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 3:13-14) He certainly did not consider himself to have attained everything, for he knew that God is infinite while man is finite. God can open our eyes at any time to reveal more to us. No wonder he pressed on toward the goal, declaring, “If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know.”(1 Corinthians 8:2) Remember, after believing in the Lord, suffering does not cease. Rather, “…In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”(John 16:33)
3. The arrest of Peter and the Apostles, and the Lord leading them out of prison to preach and their subsequent arrest
“But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.” Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest and his associates came, they called the Council together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison house for them to be brought. But the officers who came did not find them in the prison; and they returned and reported back, saying, “We found the prison house locked quite securely and the guards standing at the doors; but when we had opened up, we found no one inside.” Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this. But someone came and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!” Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned).”(Acts 5:17-26)
As the scripture states, the council arrested the apostles out of envy. Here, the apostles refer to Peter and the other apostles, for the text says, “But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.””(Acts 5:29) But the Lord’s angel opened the prison doors by night and set them free, instructing them to go and preach. When the council sent men to the prison to bring the apostles before them, they found them absent—preaching instead. This demonstrates the mighty power of the Lord’s angel, who could open the prison doors and set them free without human awareness. Since the apostles were preaching, they were arrested again. The text notes that this time they used no violence, implying previous use of force. Yet violence was unnecessary; Christians, in obedience to God, would not resist violently. The process is clearly recorded in Scripture; please read it for yourself to understand.
4. Peter and the apostles obey God, testifying to the Lord’s resurrection before the Sanhedrin
“When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.””(Acts 5:27-32)
The council did indeed forbid them strictly, as the scripture says, “When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened.”(Acts 4:21) In last week’s “1172 Arrest of Peter and John, no other salvation, and filled with Spirit – Acts(4)1-37,” under “1. The arrest of Peter and John and the number of believers about five thousand in this event,” Peter and John were arrested for testifying about Jesus’ resurrection. This time, Peter and the other apostles faced the same situation. In “1172,” under “3. The council found no fault in them and released them because of the people,” their response was essentially the same as this time—both times they said they must obey God. We discussed their response in detail then and will not repeat it here. Please refer to that article.
Here we note, “He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 5:31) In “1171 Peter heals lame, testifies to faith in Jesus, and thus entering narrow gate – Acts(3)1-26” under “3. Peter testifies we must believe in Jesus, and thus we must enter through the narrow gate,” it states: “For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”(Acts 3:26) Doesn’t this essentially convey the same meaning as Acts 5:31 mentioned earlier? It explicitly offers the Jews an opportunity to turn back. We have already discussed this topic in detail there, so we won’t repeat it here. Please refer to that article.
5. The man Gamaliel and His Advice and Motives
“But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and intended to kill them. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”
They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”(Acts 5:33-42)
The name Gamaliel appears only twice in the New Testament, the other instance being in this passage: “I (Paul) am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.”(Acts 22:3) Thus we know Paul was originally his disciple. Evidently, he did not fully comprehend the Old Testament. Ultimately, as Paul stated, “For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”(Galatians 1:12) His counsel and motives are clearly recorded in Scripture. He was indeed a teacher of the Law respected by all the people. The council originally intended to kill them, but his advice was accepted. Therefore, they were merely beaten and warned not to preach again before being released.
Instead, they rejoiced in their hearts, considering it an honor to suffer for the name. This demonstrated what Paul said: “Rejoice always.”(1 Thessalonians 5:16) He made clear the source of his strength: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”(Philippians 4:4) He did not merely speak these words but lived them out himself. Thus, even in prison, “But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”(Acts 16:25)
Then the church seized every daily opportunity to proclaim Jesus as the Christ. This is what Paul meant when he said, “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”(2 Timothy 4:2) “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”(Romans 10:17) Only when one’s own life is sufficiently matured can one possess all patience. This is also what the Great Commission states: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them to belong to the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19, alternative translation in the Chinese Union Version) Only by setting an example can we make disciples of all nations. People have free will; if we lack spiritual life ourselves yet force others to believe, it is impossible—sometimes even causing resentment. Therefore, Paul does not want us to treat his command to preach the gospel as a Law to be kept; rather, we must uphold its true essence. This mirrors Jesus’ example: He observed the true essence of the Sabbath, not its legalistic timing.
Finally, note that the Chinese Union Version and the English version used here translate the Great Commission as: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”(Matthew 28:19) But Peter said clearly, “…Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”(Acts 2:38) A person is to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the alternative translation is correct. Some may say this is unimportant, but such individuals will fail to recognize that “what God tells us through Bible is consistent.”
Please note: This article is based on the Sunday (12/21/25) topicwise Bible study. Unless otherwise specified, verses refer to those in NASB95. Past articles referenced can be found on our website, ‘https://a-christian-voice.com/‘, under ‘On spiritual understanding about life.’
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