Lives of Scripture

Gamaliel was a Pharisee and teacher of the law, "held in high esteem by all the people," a member of the Sanhedrin who later trained the young Saul of Tarsus, who would call himself "educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers" (Acts 5:34; 22:3). When the apostles were arrested for continuing to preach in Jesus's name despite an earlier order to stop, some council members wanted them put to death; Gamaliel had them removed briefly and addressed his fellow council members with careful, historically grounded reasoning (5:33-35). He recalled two earlier movements -- led by Theudas and by Judas of Galilee -- that had drawn significant followings but collapsed and scattered once their leaders were killed, and argued the same pattern would apply here: "if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God" (5:36-39). The council was persuaded, had the apostles flogged, ordered them again not to speak in Jesus's name, and released them (5:40). Gamaliel's counsel reflects genuine wisdom and restraint rather than personal faith in Christ -- Scripture never states he became a believer -- but his cautious argument inadvertently protected the earliest apostles at a critical moment, and his most famous student would go on to become the New Testament's most consequential missionary and writer.