And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and died: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
All Commentaries on Acts 5:5 Go To Acts 5
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Ananias . fell down and gave up the ghost. St. Augustine says, this severe judgment was to strike a terror of such dissembling fraudulent dealings into the new Church. It was also to show that St. Peter, and the apostles, had the gift of prophecy. (Witham)
Origen thinks his death was occasioned by the sudden fright and shame, with which he was seized. Pliny relates a similar accident in the sudden death of Diodorus Dialecticus, lib. vii. cap. 53.
Menochius and Cornelius a Lap ide think, that God struck him interiorly, as Peter spoke. There are likewise different opinions among the Fathers, respecting the salvation of Ananias and Saphira. Some are of opinion, that as their fault was great, they died, and perished in their sin. but the ideas we are fond to cherish of the infinite mercy of God, would rather incline us to say, with St. Augustine, "I can believe that God spared them after this life, for his mercy is great. They were stricken with the scourge of death, that they might not be subject to eternal punishment. "(St. Augustine, Serm. cxlviii. olim. 10. et in Par men.)
St. Benedict also, in the 57th chapter of his rule, insinuates, that their death was only corporal. (Haydock)
It is not unreasonable, that the first violators of laws, should be punished with severity. It was thus that the Almighty treated Adam, the adorers of the golden calf, the first who broke the sabbath-day to prevent the effects of bad example. (Calmet)
