“And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.”
Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events - the 'great fear' (phobos megas) now extends beyond those present to 'all who heard,' expanding the circle of awe. Luke's use of 'whole church' (holē tē ekklēsia) is significant; this is the first explicit reference to the ekklēsia as a unified entity in Acts. The fear is not terror but reverent awe, the appropriate response to a God who dwells among his people in consuming holiness.
Church Fathers on Acts 5:11
Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said to her, How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Holy Ghost? Behold, the feet of them which have buried your husband are at the door, and shall carry you out. Then she fell down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost; and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the Church, and…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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