Ananias and Sapphira died because they lied to the Holy Ghost and to God, an offense that Les Feldick places in the unique setting of the approaching Kingdom.
According to Acts 5, Peter directly accused Ananias of lying not to men but to God, and Sapphira was part of the same agreement. Les teaches that these believers were living on the verge of the Kingdom, when the King was about to set up His reign. Because of that setting, even a 'little' lie brought immediate removal from the scene.
Acts 5:1-11 — Records the lie, Peter's confrontation, and the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira.
The account of Ananias and Sapphira begins in Acts 5: '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.' Peter's question exposes the true nature of the deed: 'Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.' Ananias fell down dead when he heard these words, and great fear came on all who heard it. About three hours later, Sapphira came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her if they had sold the land for so much, and she confirmed the same false amount. Peter said, 'How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.' She also fell down dead. The text presents this not as a punishment for a mere human falsehood, but as a lie directed against the Holy Spirit and against God.
Les points to the setting of the account as the key to understanding the severity. The believers in Jerusalem were not simply generous; they were selling property and laying the proceeds at the apostles' feet because they fully expected the King, the Messiah, to establish His Kingdom. In that Kingdom, Les explains, there would be no poverty and everyone would have everything, so holding onto houses and land was not a concern. This expectation made their willingness to sell property and give it to the apostles understandable. Given that context, Ananias and Sapphira's lie about the price was not a minor matter. Les says 'the minute they committed the sin of even lying a little bit, and it wasn't that bad, what happened? Hey they were gone.' He contrasts this with believers today who have done far worse and are not taken away. The reason, he says, is that 'here this is approaching the Kingdom.' The immediate judgment showed that the King's authority and knowledge could not be deceived, even in what might seem like a small lie. Les does not teach this as a pattern for the Church; he teaches it as a consequence of the unique Kingdom-oriented circumstances of Acts.
Ananias and Sapphira sold a possession and brought only a part of the price to the apostles, but Peter identified the act as a lie to the Holy Ghost. 'Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?' The sin was the deception itself, not simply holding back money. As Peter said, 'Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?'
Les emphasizes that these events took place as the Kingdom was on the horizon. The Jewish believers had sold their property because they believed the King was about to reign, and in the Kingdom there would be no poverty. Under that expectation, the lie was committed in the very presence of the coming King. The sudden deaths showed that even a small lie could not be treated lightly in that Kingdom context.
No. In Acts 23, Paul is brought before the high priest Ananias, who commands those standing by to strike Paul on the mouth (Acts 23:2). In Acts 9, the Lord appears in a vision to a disciple named Ananias in Damascus and sends him to Saul (Acts 9:10). Les's transcripts refer to the high priest Ananias and to the Damascus disciple Ananias as different men from the Ananias of Acts 5. The Ananias of Acts 5 is the husband of Sapphira who died for lying to the Holy Spirit.
Kingdom Context of the Judgment
Les teaches that Ananias and Sapphira died immediately because their lie happened as the Kingdom was approaching; believers today who have done worse are not taken away because circumstances are different.
Different Ananias: The High Priest
Les recounts that in Acts 23 the high priest Ananias commanded Paul to be struck on the mouth, showing a different man named Ananias from the one in Acts 5.
Why Paul's Gospel Is Different From Peter's — Acts 9 & Galatians 1
See the difference? And in that of course, that�s what we call the Gospel of the Kingdom. That Christ was the King of Israel, and He was ready to give them the Kingdom, but they had to repent, and be water baptized in order to be ready for that Kingdom. And so Ananias is one of these, and of course he�s the one that Saul was coming after, and others like him.
Different Ananias: The Disciple in Damascus
Les describes the disciple Ananias of Damascus in Acts 9 whom the Lord used to minister to Saul, further showing a distinct Ananias.
Introducing Paul: Why God Stopped the Prophetic Clock
Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man how much evil he hath done to the saints at Jerusalem, to the Jewish followers of Christ. And here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Now watch this. This is before Saul even has come out of his temporary blindness. And the Lord tells Ananias, verse 15, Go thy way.
Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen? — 2 Corinthians 1 Explained
Verse 15, But the Lord said unto him, that is, unto Ananias, Go thy way, don't argue with me, for he, Saul, is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles, see, that's first, and kings, and the children of Israel. And now look at verse 16, For God says even to Ananias, while old Saul is still recovering from his experience out there on the road, for I will show him how great things…
Character of the Damascus Ananias
Les explains that the Damascus Ananias was a believing, law-keeping Jew, reinforcing that this is not the same Ananias of Acts 5.
Why Paul's Gospel Is Different From Peter's — Acts 9 & Galatians 1
And here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all that call on thy name. Now let's go over to chapter 22 a minute and see what kind of a man this Ananias really was. Acts chapter 22, and here Paul now writing or speaking in the first person, many years after the Damascus experience, and he is recounting this conversion to the multitude of Jews.
Acts 5:3: But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Peter's first words identify the sin as a lie to the Holy Ghost.
Acts 5:4: Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
The text clarifies that the property was theirs; the sin was in the deception.
Acts 5:5: And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
Immediate judgment follows the exposure of the lie.
Acts 5:9: Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
Sapphira shares the guilt of the same deception.
Acts 5:10: Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
The same judgment falls on Sapphira.
Acts 23:2: And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by to smite him on the mouth.
Identifies a different Ananias, the high priest.
Acts 9:10: And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
Identifies a different Ananias, a disciple in Damascus.
No. Peter told Ananias that before the sale the property was his own and after the sale the money was in his own power. The sin was not in keeping part of the price, but in lying about it to the Holy Spirit.
No. Les explicitly contrasts this with the present circumstances, saying believers today have done much worse and are not taken away. The severe consequence was tied to the unique Kingdom setting of the early Acts period.
The Bible records that Ananias fell dead after Peter's accusation, and Sapphira died when she confirmed the same lie. Les teaches that the suddenness reflects the approaching Kingdom, where the King's authority could not be treated lightly.
Watch the Teaching: Why Did Ananias & Sapphira Die? Acts 5 Explained