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 “And
Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is,
being interpreted, The son of consolation,) ... Having land,
sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’
feet. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife
sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife
also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it
at the apostles’ feet. —“ (Acts 4: 36- 5: 1-f.)
Ananias
was not forced to sell his property — God did not impose a tax
on either Joses or Ananias. When Ananias pretended to give all
— as if to “keep up with Joses” — he was a pitifully
self-deceived man. With his attitude, he would not have measured
up to Joses’ stature, had he sold twice as much property and
given it all.
Joses
moved in keeping with the “great grace” that was upon “the
multitude” of the believers, and if Ananias was a part of that
mass (4: 32-f) he must have, at one time, had an unselfish
regard for possessions. But he allowed Satan to fill his heart.
Some have suggested that he coveted the praise (or recognition)
given to Joses. Maybe so —
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but he didn’t think enough of it to pay the
price — and it may surprise you to learn that I am not
thinking of the short-change in money. Ananias was trying to
serve two masters. With Satan in his heart, there was no room
for the “grace” that could make even a small gift
acceptable. Until he would give himself
there was not enough money in Judea to “keep up with Joses.”
Paul
used nine different words to describe the assistance which
gentile Christians sent their needy Jewish brethren. Grace,
fellowship, service, alms, sacrifice, and the like — all
saying something of the spirit back of the gift. (Even “collection”
had a religious connotation, as opposed to “taxation” Robertson,
Deissmann, Moulton—Milligan, etc.) Truly, “The gift without
the giver is bare.”
Ananias
couldn’t “keep up with Joses” because he aimed at
externals only. He neither understood the gift nor the giver.
Conversely, many try to “keep up with the Joneses” and never
perceive the folly of materialism.
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