WAEC Christian Religious Studies (CRS) 2023 Theory — Question 13

Model answer

Among the early believers, everything was held in common, and no one claimed private ownership of their possessions. Some members sold their lands or houses and brought the full proceeds to the apostles for distribution to the needy - Barnabas being cited as an example of one who did this. Ananias and his wife Sapphira also sold a piece of property, but with Sapphira's full knowledge and consent, they secretly kept back part of the proceeds while presenting the rest to the apostles as though it were the whole amount. Peter, discerning this by the Spirit, confronted Ananias, asking why Satan had filled his heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, pointing out that the property and its proceeds had been entirely his to dispose of as he wished, and that he had therefore lied not to men but to God. Upon hearing this, Ananias fell down and died immediately, and great fear gripped everyone who heard of it; some young men then carried his body out and buried him. About three hours later, Sapphira came in, unaware of what had happened to her husband. Peter asked her to confirm the price for which the land was sold, and she repeated the same lie. Peter told her that the men who had buried her husband were at the door and would carry her out also, and she immediately fell down and died at his feet.