You can die for lying?

[EvangelistVictor]

The early church in the book of Acts shared everything in common and lived for a while as a communal society till their dispersion in 70 A.D.

Now an interesting event happened where Ananias and Sapphira lied to St. Peter and they both died.

What’s some of your views on why God did this to them in such a harsh manner?

Acts 5 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
Ananias and Sapphira
5 But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; 2 with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us[a] but to God!” 5 Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. 6 The young men came and wrapped up his body, then carried him out and buried him.

7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price.” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.

 

[veritatisstella]

I think God struck them dead as a just punishment that served the purpose of demonstrating Peter’s primacy and the fact that the Church is a divine institution. Peter asked, “How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test?” If they did indeed put the Spirit of the Lord to the test then Peter must not be the same as any leader in another religion, but is rather the head on earth of a Church of divine origin that is guided by the Holy Spirit.

 

[Mary888]

Simeon received baby Jesus at the Temple and asked “release me” and then he died. Death is not necessarily a punishment. And also…we don’t know everything so we can’t answer your question.

 

[kill051]

Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Luke 4:12

Enough said.

 

[Seagull]

Cool reminder - on the seriousness - of getting the church - established.

The one thing that struck me -
They were a Bonnie and Clyde type of husband and wife.
Who knows - if they had kids …

 

[kill051]

Something we should keep in mind: lying, like other mortal sins, is called ‘mortal’ because it leads to the death of the soul; or, more properly, to the death of our connection with God, our state of grace. One way of looking at this passage from Acts regarding Ananias and Sapphira is that it is a figure of spiritual death. This is not to say that it is a metaphorical passage, or that Ananias and Sapphira did not die in the way it states. But I think the reason it is in Scripture at all, or one of the reasons, is that it shows us the danger into which we stray even by such seemingly innocuous transgressions as ‘sins of omission’. Better to love Christ with all our hearts and all our souls, and keep His commandments in all things.