They shared because they expected the Kingdom of heaven to arrive imminently, so private property and material resources would no longer be needed.
Les Feldick explains that these Jewish believers knew the King was just over the horizon. In the Kingdom there would be no poverty, so they gladly sold houses, lands, and possessions and laid the money at the apostles' feet. When Israel rejected the Kingdom, the common fund ran out, and the believers were left destitute — which is why Paul later collected offerings for the poor saints at Jerusalem.
Acts 2:44-45 — Records that the believers had all things common, sold their possessions and goods, and parted to all as every man had need.
Acts 4:34-35 — Shows that no one lacked and that the proceeds were laid at the apostles' feet for distribution.
Acts 2:44-45 records that all that believed were together and had all things common. They sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men, as every man had need. Acts 4:34-35 adds that no one among them lacked, because those who owned lands or houses sold them and brought the money to the apostles' feet. Distribution was then made to every man according as he had need. The Bible presents this as the actual practice of the early Jewish believers in Jerusalem.
Les teaches that the early Jewish believers sold their property because they were looking for the Kingdom just over the horizon. According to the Old Testament program, after Israel rejected the Messiah, wrath would come and then the King. With the Kingdom imminent, they were not worried about keeping property. They knew that in the Kingdom there would be no poverty and everyone would have everything, so houses and lands did not matter. They therefore gladly brought the money to the apostles, hoping the apostles could preach the Kingdom and bring in more Jewish believers faster. But Israel rejected the kingdom, the Kingdom did not come, and the common kitty eventually ran dry. The believers were left destitute, and God laid it on the hearts of Paul's Gentile converts to take up offerings for the poor saints at Jerusalem.
Acts 2:44-45 says they were together and had all things common, selling their possessions and goods and parting them to all as every man had need. Acts 4:34-35 says no one lacked, because those with lands or houses sold them and laid the proceeds at the apostles' feet. Les describes this as putting everything into a common kitty, which was probably rather large when it started out, and everyone lived from it.
Les explains that they knew that as soon as the King set up the Kingdom, they did not have to worry about houses and lands. In the Kingdom there will be no poverty; everyone would have everything. So this was their prospect: they were looking down the pipe at the Kingdom just over the horizon. They gladly brought the money to the apostles' feet, because the more the apostles could preach the Kingdom, the more Jews would be brought in as believers, and the faster the King would come.
Les says the common fund ran dry. Because Israel rejected the Kingdom, the Kingdom did not come in, and everyone who had sold everything was left destitute. He compares it to entitlement programs that cannot continue handing money out until the source runs out. These believers became poor, and that is why there were so many poor saints at Jerusalem.
Paul was always taking up collections among his Gentile congregations for the poor at Jerusalem. Les explains the reason: the Jerusalem believers had cashed in everything and the kitty ran dry. Even Paul's newly established Gentile converts, themselves poor, brought together offerings for the Jewish believers, because they saw themselves as debtors to Israel for spiritual things.
Why Paul's Gospel to Gentiles Is Different From Peter's
that is the twelve in particular, but you see, they didn't realize that their program was slipping through the cracks. God was now turning to the Gentile, and Israel is going to, in just a few years, lose the Temple, lose the priesthood, lose their city, lose their nation, and they're going to be dispersed into every nation on earth. But the twelve as yet were unaware of that.
The Kingdom Expectation and the Empty Kitty
Les teaches that believers sold their property because they expected the King to set up the Kingdom soon; after the kitty ran dry they were left destitute, which is why Paul took collections for the poor at Jerusalem.
The Common Fund Runs Dry
Les says they sold everything into a common kitty, no one lacked at first, but the kitty ran out because Israel rejected the Kingdom; God then used Gentile believers to give offerings for the poor saints.
Why the Common Fund Could Not Last
Les compares the common fund to entitlement programs, showing that you cannot keep handing money out until it runs out — exactly what happened to the Jerusalem believers.
Gentile Offerings for Jewish Believers
Les highlights that poor Gentile converts sent contributions back to the Jewish believers in Jerusalem, a different outlook that is connected to Romans 15:26-27.
All Things Common in Acts 2
Les points out that all the Jewish believers had all things common, sold their possessions, and everyone lived out of that common kitty, which was probably rather large at the start.
No Poverty in the Coming Kingdom
Les explains that the believers were willing to sell property because they knew the Kingdom was just over the horizon and in the Kingdom there will be no poverty.
The Kitty That Ran Empty
Les says these Jewish believers were a called-out group living from one common kitty, and that kitty ran empty; God's grace covered it by having Paul take collections for the poor saints in Jerusalem.
Acts 2:44-45: And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
This is the first record of the early believers sharing all their material goods.
Acts 4:34-35: Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
This shows that no one was in need because the proceeds were distributed by the apostles.
Romans 15:26-27: For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
This links Paul's Gentile collections to the poor Jewish saints in Jerusalem.
Les teaches they sold their property willingly because they expected the King to set up the Kingdom soon. In the Kingdom they would not need houses and lands, so they gladly turned their possessions into cash for the common fund.
Israel rejected the Kingdom and the Kingdom did not come in. Since everyone was living from the common kitty and no new kingdom was established, the money eventually ran dry and the believers became destitute.
God laid it on the hearts of Paul's Gentile converts to take up collections for the poor saints at Jerusalem. Even poor Macedonian and Achaian believers sent contributions, regarding themselves as debtors to Israel.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul's Gospel to Gentiles Is Different From Peter's