the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Encyclopedias
Sapphira
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (Σαπφείρη , a sapphire stone, or beautiful), The wife of Ananias, and his accomplice in the sin for which he died (Acts 5, 1-10). A.D. 30. Unaware of the judgment which had befallen her husband, she entered the place about three hours after, probably to look for him; and, being there interrogated by Peter, repeated and persisted in the "lie unto the Holy Ghost" which had destroyed her husband; on which the grieved apostle made known to her his doom, and pronounced her own" Behold, the feet of them who have buried thy husband are at the door and shall carry thee out." On hearing these awful words, she fell dead at his feet. The cool obstinacy of Sapphira in answering as she did the questions which were probably designed to awaken her conscience deepens the shade of the foul crime common to her and her husband, and has suggested to many the probability that the plot was of her devising, and that, like another Eve, she drew her husband into it. The interval of three hours that elapsed between the two deaths, Sapphira's ignorance of what had happened to her husband, and the predictive language of Peter towards her are decisive evidences as to the supernatural character of the whole transaction. The history of Sapphira's death thus supplements that of Ananias, which might otherwise have been attributed to natural causes. (See ANANIAS).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Sapphira'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/s/sapphira.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
