Acts 4:37

Act 4:37. Ὑπάρχοντος αὐτῷ ἀγροῦ, having land) This must have been outside of the land of Israel, in which the Levites had no portion.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 4:37 . ἀγροῦ , better “a field” R.V.; the possession was not great, but if the field lay in the rich and productive island of Cyprus, its value may have been considerable. τὸ χρῆμα : rarely in this sense in the singular, only here in the N.T., and never in Attic Greek, but cf. Herod., iii., 38, and instances in Wetstein, and see Blass, in loco . The money, i.e. , the proceeds, the money got (German Erlös ). Lumby suggests that the word may be used here to indicate the entirety, the sum without deduction, in contrast to the action of Ananias and Sapphira, Act 5:2 . The same unselfish spirit manifested itself in Barnabas at a later date, when he was content to live from the produce of his hands, 1Co 9:6 . Possibly at Tarsus, so near his own home, he may have learnt with Saul in earlier days the craft of tent-making, for which the city was famous (Plumptre). In connection with this passage, and Act 9:26 , see Renan’s eulogy on the character of Barnabas. In him Renan sees the patron of all good and liberal ideas, and considers that Christianity has done him an injustice in not placing him in the first rank of her founders, Apostles , p. 191, E.T.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(37) Having land, sold it.—Better, perhaps, having a farm. (See Notes on Mar_5:14; Mar_6:36; Mar_6:56.) In the original polity of Israel the Levites had cities and land in common, but no private property (Num_18:20-21; Deu_10:8-9, et al.), and depended for their support upon the tithes paid by the people. The case of Jeremiah, however (Jer_32:7-12), shows that there was nothing to hinder priest or Levite from becoming the possessor of land by purchase or inheritance. The position of Barnabas’s sister Mary shows that she, also, was wealthy, and, though she did not sell her house, she, too, did not call it her own, but gave it up for the public use of the community. The self-chosen poverty of Barnabas led him afterwards to act as St. Paul did in working for his livelihood (1Co_9:6). It will not be out of place on this first mention of the name of a new disciple to note a few others whose membership of the Church dated probably from this period; Mnason, the “old disciple” of Act_21:16, of Cyprus, and probably, therefore, a friend of Barnabas; Andronicus and Junia (or, more probably, Junias, as a man’s name), in some sense kinsmen of St. Paul, who were “in Christ” before him (Rom_16:7), and whom we find afterwards at Rome; the seven who in Act_6:5 are prominent enough to be chosen as representatives of the Hellenistic members of the Church; Agabus (Act_11:28), Judas, and Silas (Act_15:32). The last three, however, as being “prophets,” may have been among the number of the Seventy; and, possibly, if we follow a fairly early tradition, Stephen and Philip among the Seven. (See Note on Luk_10:1.) We again note the absence of any measure of the interval between the events of this chapter and the history that follows. The picture of the peaceful expansion of the Church’s life implies, probably, as in Act_2:41-47, one of several months.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

37. having land] Lit. a field. It seems likely that Joses is chosen as an example of the primitive liberality of the Christian body, because there was something remarkable in the kind of gift or the nature of the sacrifice which he made.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Having land, sold it,.... Whether this was in Cyprus, or in Judea, is not certain; nor how he came by it, whether he had bought it, as the priests and Levites might, and as Jeremiah, who was of the priests, bought a field at Anathoth, Jer 32:9 or, whether it was his wife's dowry; for the Levites had nothing by inheritance: they had forty two cities, and the six cities of refuge to dwell in, and the field of the suburbs of these cities; which field or land was never to be sold, but to be a perpetual possession, Lev 25:34 but now the ceremonial law was abolished, and this precept was not attended to, if the land was of this sort. Moreover, the Jewish doctors interpret the above law otherwise; and understand it only of changing, and not of selling, which they allow of; one of their canons runs thus (y),

"the priests and Levites, "sell" always, and redeem always, as it is said, Lev 25:32, "the Levites may redeem at any time".''

Upon which canon, one of their commentators (z) says,

"they sell always; and not as an Israelite, who cannot sell less than two years before the jubilee;--but these "sell" even near the jubilee; "and they redeem always": if they sell houses in walled towns, they are not confirmed at the end of the year, as the houses in the walled towns of Israelites; and if "they sell fields", it is not necessary that they should remain in the hands of the buyer two years, but they may redeem them immediately, if they will.''

And another of them (a) has this observation,

"all agree that the Levites may not change a city, or suburb, or field, which are theirs, because it is said, Lev 25:34 "but the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold"; and the wise men of blessed memory say, the meaning of it is, it shall not be changed, for they do not change anything from what it was before.''

And agreeably to this is what Maimonides (b) elsewhere says,

"they do not make in the cities of the Levites a city a suburb, or a suburb a city, or a suburb a field, or a field a suburb, as it is said, Lev 25:34 "but the field of the suburbs of their cities shall not be sold"; from report (or tradition) we learn, that that is said, "shall not be sold", means, shall not be changed; but the field, suburbs, and city, everyone of these three shall be as they are for ever. Priests and Levites who "sell" a field, of the fields of their cities, or an house of any of the houses of their walled towns, do not redeem according to this order (i.e. as the other Israelites), but "they sell fields"; and even near to the jubilee, and redeem them immediately.''

So that if this land of Barnabas lay in Judea, as is most likely, it might be sold, and much more, if in Cyprus. But, be it what and where it will, he sold it:

and brought the money; from Cyprus or Judea, or that part of the land of Canaan where it lay, and where he had sold it:

and laid it at the apostles' feet; perhaps he might be the first person that did so, and set an example which was universally followed; however, he is particularly mentioned, being a man of note among the apostles, and of great usefulness in after times, and of whom frequent mention is made in other places.

(y) Misn. Eracin, c. 9. sect. 8. (z) Bartenora in Misn. Eracin. (a) Mainton. in ib. (b) Hilchot Shemitta Veyobel, c. 13. sect. 4, 5, 7.

Next: Acts Chapter 5

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Ver. 37. At the apostles’ feet] As the fittest place. Do we tread upon the minerals, and cannot we contemn them?

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Sold it, &c. It is probable, that the faithful of Palestine disposed of all their property, because they knew that presently Judea would be delivered up to its enemies, and they would be obliged to fly, to avoid the persecution of their countrymen, as well as of strangers. (St. Thomas Aquinas, ad Galatas. xi.) --- At the feet of the apostles, out of respect. Thus, the Sunamitess fell down and embraced Eliseus’s feet. Many that asked favours of Christ, fell down at his feet, and Mary kissed his feet. Such are signs of reverence paid both to Christ, and to other sacred persons, prophets, apostles, popes. See in St. Jerome, how the people of Jerusalem flocked together to the venerable bishop Epiphanius, in Cyprus, presenting their children for his blessing, kissing his feet, plucking the hem of his garment, so that he could not move for the throng. (St. Jerome, Ep. lxi. chap. 4. contr. error. Jovin.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

This is an instance of what was said Act 4:34,35; and Joses probably is instanced in it, either because he sold a greater quantity of land, as having large possessions, or as being one of the first that was remarkable in this kind of charity.

Laid it at the apostles’ feet: see Act 4:35.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

A field for land, A.V.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Having an estate - Probably of considerable value. It is not unlikely that it was in Cyprus. Being a Levite, he had no portion, no distinct inheritance in Israel.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

See notes on verse 36

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

37. ἀγροῦ, a field. Joseph is perhaps chosen as an example of the primitive liberality of the Christian community, because there was something remarkable in the kind of gift, or the nature of the sacrifice which he made. And the character of the man, who was to play a part in the history of the Acts, is also set before us by his first recorded action.

Chrysostom says: μέλλει διηγεῖσθαι τὸ κατὰ Ἀνανίαν λοιπὸν καὶ Σάπφειραν, καὶ θέλων δεῖξαι τὸν ἄνδρα χείριστα ἡμαρτηκότα, πρῶτον μέμνηται τοῦ κατωρθωκότος.

τὸ χρῆμα, the money, the price realized. The word is seldom found in the singular in this sense. Perhaps it is so used here to indicate the compactness, the entirety of what was brought. It was the sum without deduction, in contrast to the proceeding which follows in the next chapter.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

37. χρῆμα] Very unusual in this sense. See Herod. 3:38, ἐπὶ πόσῳ ἂν χρήματι βουλοίατο τοὺς πατέρας ἀποθνήσκοντας ἀποσιτέεσθαι, and other examples in Wetstein.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The money [το χρημα] . The sum of money.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.