Sometimes we encounter a story in the Bible that leaves us scratching our heads, wondering where the spiritual kernel is and why it was included.
The book of Acts, authored by the evangelist Luke, features one of those stories. In chapter five, we are told about an early Christian couple, Ananias and Sapphira, who sold a piece of property and then lied about donating the full amount to the church when they had actually kept some of the money for themselves. After Peter confronted them about the deception, they suddenly dropped dead. When such a disturbing story appears, it helps to examine the context and order in which it is presented, which can reveal clues about why it might have been included in a biblical book.
The account immediately follows Acts 4, which describes Barnabas this way: “There was a Levite from Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (verses 36, 37, New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition).
