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Act 5:4. Μένον, whilst remaining) That is, whilst the land remained unsold.-σοὶ ἔμενε, it remained to thee) The making of one’s goods common property, was a matter of option.-ἐν τῇ σῇ ἐξουσίᾳ, in thine own power) A mere purpose, where there is no vow, does not bind to do anything which is good in itself, and yet not necessary. Comp. Joh. Val. Schmidii diss. jur., delivered at Leipsic, A.D. 1712, “de proposito in mente retento nihil operante,” § 18.-τί ὅτι, wherefore) Ananias sinned most freely (unscrupulously) and with long-continued purpose.-ἔθου, laid up [‘conceived’]) The same sin originated at once from the man and from Satan.-τῷ Θεῷ, unto GOD) What thou hast professed to give to God, thou hast appropriated to thyself. The relation (ratio) of the Holy Spirit in the sentence is contained under the government of the particle ἀλλὰ, but, not under that of the particle οὐκ, not. Therefore this is the sense: Ananias lied unto God and His Spirit, not unto men and Peter. Venture, if thou durst, O Socinian, to express it thus, “He lied not to the Holy Spirit and Peter, but to GOD.” The lie of Ananias, as he lied to the Holy Spirit, and as he lied to GOD, is altogether the same sin, and equally grievous: nay, in some measure it is more grievous, as he lied to the Holy Spirit. Comp. Mar 3:28, “He that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness.” A most solid argument, whereby it is proved that the Holy Spirit is a person, and a person of the Godhead.