Acts 4:34

That lacked. Rather, “that was in need.” The Greek seems to connect this verse with the previous one by the conjunction gar, “for,” which is not translated in the KJV.

Gar suggests the close relationship that existed between the Christians’ liberality and the grace they enjoyed (see on v. 33).

Possessors of lands. Some of the new Christians were persons of substantial means. The genuineness of their brotherly love manifested itself in self-sacrifice for the welfare of their less fortunately situated brethren.

Sold ... brought. The forms of the verbs used here suggest that this was an occurrence that happened repeatedly as one after another the believers parted with their possessions for the common good of the church. In doing this, their motives were love, and the impulsions of benevolence. Although Luke makes no mention of it, the possibility also exists that the Christians were impressed by their Lord’s warnings of wars and coming troubles (Matt. 24:5-12), and thus with the fact that earthly possessions are unstable. Certainly land and property in Palestine must often have been valueless when the troubles the Lord prophesied became fact. Just as Jeremiah had shown his faith in the future restoration of his people to Palestine by his purchase of a field at Anathoth (Jer. 32:6-15), so the Christians showed by a reverse process in the sale of their property a proof of their faith in the certainty of the message to which they witnessed.