{Upon the whole church} (eph' hol(886e) t(886e) ekkl(8873)ian). Here
ekkl(8873)ia for the first time in Acts of the believers in
Jerusalem. Twice already in the Gospels, once of the whole body
of believers or the Kingdom ( Mt 16:18 ), the other of the local
body ( Mt 18:17 ). In  Ac 7:38  it is used of the whole
congregation of Israel while in  19:32  it is used of a public
assembly in Ephesus. But already in  Ac 8:3  it is applied to the
church which Saul was persecuting in their homes when not
assembled. So here the etymological meaning of "assembly"
disappears for "the church" were now the scattered saints hiding
in their separate homes. The whole body of believers in Jerusalem
and all who heard of the fate of Ananias and Sapphira (beautiful,
her name means) were in awe and dread. It was already a dangerous
thing to be a follower of Christ unless one was willing to walk
straight.