ACC ~ Acts 4 v32 - 37

OVERVIEW:

This is the second of the three summary statements in the early part of Acts (the others are Acts 2:42-47; 5:11-16), and it is the favorite of the early interpreters, as can be seen by the sudden abundance of available commentary. Modern commentators note how the two contrasting accounts of Barnabas on the one hand and Ananias and Sapphira on the other are framed by this summary statement and the one that follows (Acts 5:11-16). Augustine cites this passage more than fifty times in his writings, and it is often, as here, to show the binding power of love among believers as a reflection of the love in the Trinity. Others, such as Basil and Chrysostom, reflect on the peace of mind that comes from seeing nothing as one’s own or on how it is simply the truth about this present life. One can catch a glimpse of the enthusiasm of the Fathers as they contemplate Luke’s description of what Christian community can be. Those of one heart can be separated in body but not in affection (FULGENTIUS). They are as one born of the same mother (BEDE).What belongs to God belongs to all (CYPRIAN), so they lacked nothing (CHRYSOSTOM). To show that they were willing to trample on covetousness, they laid their possessions at the apostles’ feet (JEROME). They laid up treasures where there can be no loss (ARATOR). The spirit of Barnabas, the son of encouragement, was empowered by the Spirit of consolation (BEDE).

4:32 | Those Who Believed

THE TRINITY IS UNITED BY LOVE. AUGUSTINE: If love made one soul of so many souls and one heart of so many hearts, how great must be the love between the Father and the Son! Surely it must be greater than that between those people who had one heart. If, then, the heart of many brothers was one by charity, if the soul of many sisters was one by charity, would you say that God the Father and God the Son are two? If they are two Gods, there is not the highest charity between them. For if love is here so great as to make your soul and your friend’s soul one soul, how can it be, then, that the Father and the Son are not one God? Let true faith banish the thought. In short, understand from this how excellent that love is: the souls of many people are many, and if they love one another, it is one soul; still, in the case of people, they may be called many souls, because the union is not so strong. But there it is right for you to say one God; two or three Gods it is not right for you to say. From this, the supreme and surpassing excellence of love is shown to you to be such that a greater cannot be. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 14.9.

GOD IS LOVE. AUGUSTINE: For … the love that God puts in people makes one heart of many hearts and makes the many souls of people into one soul, as it is written of them that believed and mutually loved one another, in the Acts of the Apostles, “They had one soul and one heart toward God.” If, therefore, my soul and your soul become one soul, when we think the same thing and love one another, how much more must God the Father and God the Son be one God in the fountain of love! TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 18.4.

THE WEALTH OF NONPOSSESSION. CHRYSOSTOM: Thus they had all things and had nothing: for “they said that none of the things which they possessed was their own”; therefore all things were theirs. For he that considers all things to be common will not only use his own but also the things of others as if they belonged to him. But whoever divides things up and sets himself as master over only his own things will not be master even of these. And this is plain from an example. He who possesses nothing at all, neither house nor table nor garment to spare, but for God’s sake is bereft of all, uses the things which are in common as his own; and he shall receive from all whatsoever he may desire, and thus he that has nothing possesses the things of all. But whoever has some things will not be master even of these. For first, no one will give to him who has possessions; and, second, his property shall belong to robbers and thieves and informers and changing events and be anybody’s rather than his. HOMILIES ON 1 CORINTHIANS 15.14.

LOVE CALLS FORTH LOVE. CHRYSOSTOM: And not this only, but also because love is increased by the gathering [of ourselves] together; and love being increased, of necessity the things of God must follow also. “And earnest prayer” (it is said) was “made by” the people. “As the manner of some is.” Here he not only exhorted but also blamed [them].

“And let us consider one another,” he says, “to provoke to love and to good works.” He knew that this also arises from “gathering together.” For as “iron sharpens iron,” so also association increases love. For if a stone rubbed against a stone sends forth fire, how much more soul mingled with soul! But not to emulation (he says), but “to the sharpening of love.” What is “to the sharpening of love”? To the loving and being loved more. “And of good works,” that so they might acquire zeal. For if doing has greater force for instruction than speaking, you also have in your number many teachers who effect this by their deeds. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 19.3.

A CHRISTIAN IS NOT HIS OWN. BASIL THE GREAT: The Christian ought to regard all the things that are given him for his use, not as his to hold as his own or to lay up. Moreover, giving careful heed to all things as the Lord’s, he should not overlook any of the things that are being thrown aside and disregarded, should this be the case. No Christian should think of himself as his own master, but each should rather so think and act as though given by God to be slave to his fellow brothers and sisters. But “every person in his own order.” LETTER 22.1.

THE NEED TO DISCERN. BASIL THE GREAT: For he said that experience was needed in order to distinguish between cases of genuine need and of mere greedy begging. For whoever gives to the afflicted gives to the Lord and from the Lord shall have his reward; but he who gives to every vagabond casts to a dog, a nuisance indeed from his importunity but deserving no pity on the ground of need. LETTER 150.3.

FAITH, THE PRINCIPLE OF UNITY. FULGENTIUS OF RUSPE: Hence it is that any creatures, that is, of the same nature, can be separated from one another because each one individually cannot be everywhere in its entirety; for when, through the grace of faith it happens that they have “one heart and soul of the multitude of believers,” still in their persons they can be separated by being in different places even though they are not separated by the affection of the heart; and some of the faithful can become unbelievers and be severed from the fellowship of that one soul. LETTER 14.5.

IMITATORS OF GOD. CYPRIAN: This is truly to become a son of God by spiritual birth; this is to imitate the equity of God by the heavenly law. For whatever belongs to God belongs to all by our appropriation of it, nor is anyone kept from his benefits and gift, nor does anything prevent the whole human race from equally enjoying God’s goodness and generosity. WORKS AND ALMSGIVING 25.

LOVE OF BROTHERHOOD. BEDE: Those who had completely left the world behind by no means pushed themselves forward, one over the other, glorying in the nobility of their birth. Rather, as though born from the womb of one and the same mother, the church, they all rejoiced in one and the same love of brotherhood. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 4.32.

4:33 | Great Grace Was on Them

THE GENEROSITY AND HUMILITY OF THE GIVERS. CHRYSOSTOM: This is why the grace [was upon them all,] for that “there was none that lacked.” That is, from the exceeding ardor of the givers, none was in want. For they did not give in part and in part reserve: nor yet in giving all, give it as their own. And they lived moreover in great abundance: they removed all inequality from among them and made a goodly order. “For as many as were possessors,” etc. And with great respect they did this: for they did not presume to give into their hands, nor did they ostentatiously present, but they brought to the apostles’ feet. To them they left it to be the dispensers, made them the owners, that thenceforth all should be defrayed as from common, not from private, property. This was also a help to them against vainglory. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 11.

THAT WEALTH OF GREATER INTEREST. ARATOR: Generous one, you do not do these things as a seller of property, but, ambitious one, as one who wishes to keep his privileges, and you abandon for a short time what you desire to be yours forever. Thus, to scatter the fields was [really] the desire not to be in need; for of what advantage is property that perishes even though it is guarded? Whoever loses it has it to greater advantage laid up in the citadel of heaven. Seek there, creditor, the wealth of greater interest and lay up treasures where they can suffer no loss; there no misfortune wears away perpetual wealth; you will possess everlastingly what you cause the Lord to owe. ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1.

4:35 | Money Placed at the Apostles’ Feet

A SYMBOLIC GESTURE. JEROME: Then, as you know, believers sold their possessions and brought the prices of them and laid them down at the apostles’ feet: a symbolic act designed to show that people must trample on covetousness. LETTER 71.4.

4:36 | Barnabas, Son of Encouragement

THE HOPE OF THINGS TO COME. BEDE: Wherever the sacred Scriptures give the names of things or persons with an interpretation, it certainly indicates that a more sacred sense is contained in them. Rightly, therefore, is a person called a son of consolation [encouragement], who, despising present things, is consoled by the hope of things to come. And to be sure, the Holy Spirit is given the name Paraclete because through the inner pouring out of his favor he grants the paraclēsis, that is, the consolation, of heavenly joys to those who have distress in the world. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 4.36B.