They sold their property because they expected the Kingdom of Heaven to be established imminently, making material possessions unnecessary.
Les Feldick teaches that these Jewish believers, convinced Jesus was the Messiah, believed the Kingdom was just over the horizon. The Old Testament promised a utopian Kingdom with no poverty, so they liquidated assets to support the community and the apostles' preaching. However, Israel rejected the Kingdom, funds ran dry, and they became poor.
Acts 2:44-45 — Describes the early believers selling possessions and distributing to all, as the basis for Les's explanation.
Acts 2:44-45 records that all who 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 further notes that there was no lack among them, 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.
Les Feldick emphasizes that the selling of property by early believers was not ordinary church practice but was driven by their expectation of the imminent Kingdom. He explains that these were primarily Jewish believers who accepted Jesus as the Christ, and they believed that if the whole nation of Israel responded, Christ would return and set up the Kingdom. Since the Kingdom promised a utopia with no poverty, they gladly sold houses and lands to support the common kitty and the apostles' preaching. However, Israel rejected the Kingdom, so the funds ran out, leaving many destitute. This subsequently led to Paul's collections among Gentile believers for the poor saints in Jerusalem.
Les Feldick explains that these believers were convinced the Kingdom of Heaven was just over the horizon. They saw the nation of Israel responding to the apostles' preaching, and they believed that if the whole nation would respond, Christ would return and establish the Kingdom. In that Kingdom, there would be no poverty or need for personal wealth, so they sold their property and put the proceeds into a common kitty.
The common kitty eventually ran dry. Les compares it to modern entitlement programs that cannot sustain endless distribution. Once the funds were exhausted, many of these believers became poor and destitute. God, in His sovereignty, then moved Gentile believers to take up offerings for the poor saints in Jerusalem, which Paul did on his missionary journeys.
Les is careful to distinguish this Jerusalem assembly from the church, the Body of Christ. He maintains that this was not church ground, but rather a Jewish assembly operating under the covenant program with Abraham. There was no mention yet of salvation based on Christ's death, burial, and resurrection; their belief was solely in who Jesus was—the promised Messiah. Thus, the selling of property was not prescriptive for later church practice.
Why Did Ananias & Sapphira Die? Acts 5 Explained
But nevertheless we have to understand that Peter is still under the covenant program that began with Abraham, and remember that all through Christ's earthly ministry. Why was he ministering to the Jew? To prove that he was the King coming in fulfillment of that Abrahamic covenant.
Funds Ran Dry
Les teaches that after Israel rejected the Kingdom, the common kitty ran dry, and the believers became poor, leading to Paul's collections.
Kingdom Expectation
Les explains that early believers sold possessions because they thought the Kingdom was just over the horizon, where no one would need houses or lands.
Community Support
Les describes how Barnabas and others sold land and brought the money to the common kitty, driven by the imminent Kingdom expectation.
Why They Became Poor
Les explains that having sold everything, the believers ran out of resources, and God used Gentile offerings to sustain them.
Common Kitty Exhausted
Les reiterates that the common kitty inevitably ran out, leading to destitution.
Life on Common Fund
Les uses the analogy of entitlement programs to show that a common kitty cannot sustain everyone indefinitely.
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Here these people that are now Paul�s new established converts to Christianity, dirt poor, and yet they bring together offerings for the Jewish believers back there in Jerusalem, where my land, civilization and everything has been head and shoulders above what these poor people were enjoying.
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 passage illustrates the early believers' practice of selling property and sharing proceeds, which Les bases his teaching on.
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 the continued practice and the belief that no one lacked, which is central to Les's explanation about the Kingdom expectation.
Yes, according to Acts, they sold lands and houses and placed the proceeds at the apostles' feet. Les explains they did this willingly because they expected the Kingdom to come soon and believed they would no longer need material wealth.
Because they had liquidated all their assets and put them into a common fund. When the Kingdom did not come immediately, the money ran out, leaving many destitute.
Les explains this was not church practice but a unique situation for the Jewish assembly in Jerusalem, driven by their expectation of the Kingdom. It is not a model for the church today.
Watch the Teaching: Why Did Ananias & Sapphira Die? Acts 5 Explained