Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Acts 4:32 - 4:35
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_4:32-35
32And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. 33And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. 34For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales 35and lay them at the apostles' feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.
Act_4:32 "who believed were of one heart and soul" The spirit of unity among the believers (cf. Act_1:14) reflected the unity of the Triune God (cf. Joh_17:11; Joh_17:21; Joh_17:23; Eph_4:4-6). These very words are used in Mar_12:30 to reflect the first commandment in Deu_6:4-5.
▣ "all things were common property to them" They felt and acted like a family. This was the church's first attempt to finance ministry. It was voluntary and mutual, not mandatory. Love and concern, not government or social leveling, was the motive!
Act_4:33 "were giving testimony to the resurrection" This was the central truth of their message ( cf. 1 Corinthians 15). Jesus was alive!
▣ "and abundant grace was upon them all" We learn from Paul's letters that at a later time this church was very poor (cf. Rom_15:3; Gal_2:10). Abundant grace, like abundant living (cf. Joh_10:10) has little to do with material things. Notice this abundance was upon all of them, not just the leaders, the possessors of certain gifts, or those of a certain socio-economic level.
Act_4:34 The church felt a responsibility for one another. Those who had, gave freely to those in need (cf. Act_4:35). This is not communism, but love in action.
Act_4:35 "lay them at the apostles feet" This is a cultural idiom of giving something to another. They laid their goods and money at the Apostles' feet because they had laid their lives at Jesus' feet.
▣ "they would be distributed" This is an imperfect passive indicative, which shows continual action in past time. This follows the synagogue pattern of helping the poor and needy.
▣ "as any had need" There is an interesting comment in Klein, Blomberg, and Hubbard's Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, pp. 451-453, that Marx's manifesto contains two quotes from Acts:
1. "from each according to his ability" – Act_11:29
2. "to each according to his need"
The hermeneutical problem is that modern people try to use the Bible to support that which the Bible itself never addressed or realized. The Bible cannot mean to us what it never meant to the original author or hearer. We can apply the text in different ways to our cultural and existential situation, but our application must be inseparably linked to the original author's intended meaning. Every biblical text has only one meaning, but many applications or significances. (See my Biblical Interpretation Seminar at hyperlink )