Acts 5:3,4 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

But Peter said Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, which immediately suggested to him the fraud; Why has Satan Through thine own wickedness in yielding to his temptations; filled thy heart With such a degree of covetousness, falsehood, folly, and presumption, as to induce thee to lie to, or, as Dr. Waterland renders ψευσασθαι σε το πνευμα το αγιον, to put a fallacy, or cheat upon the Holy Ghost; that is, that thou shouldst attempt to impose upon the Spirit of God, namely, the Spirit with which the apostles were endued. Here we see St. Peter, under the infallible guidance of the Spirit of truth, of wisdom, and revelation, acknowledging and bearing testimony to the agency of Satan in exciting men to and promoting wickedness: and what faith then have they in the inspiration of the apostles, who call in question the very existence of the devil, and even venture to give it as their opinion that there is no such being in the universe? And to keep back part of the price When thou pretendest to have brought the whole. While it remained unsold, was it not thine own? It evidently appears from hence, that no Christian converts were obliged to sell their estates. And when it was sold, was it not still in thine own power To have given, or not given, the whole or any part of the price of it into the treasury of the church, as thou shouldest think proper? Why then hast thou conceived this thing, &c. So meanly and profanely to dissemble on this solemn occasion? Thou hast not lied unto men That is, to men alone, whose treasurers we are; but unto God Who resides in us by his Divine Spirit. Hence it is justly inferred, that the Holy Ghost is God; since lying to him is said to be lying to God.