Gamaliel is NOT a character from Lord of the Rings, although the name sounds as though he should be. Rather, he is a man that lived during the time of the apostles. (If you have never read the story of Gamaliel, then I encourage you do so. You can find it in Acts 5: 33-39 or by clicking here. If you would like to read the story of Gamaliel in context, click here.)
Gamaliel was a well respected Pharisee, "honored by all the people." The gospels are rife with instances where the Pharisees stood in direct opposition to the message of Christ, as well as their attempts to have Christ killed. So, one would hardly expect a Pharisee to speak objectively and persuade a group of fellow Pharisees to refrain from putting the apostles to death, especially when the apostles acted contrary to the Pharisee's "strict orders." Yet, this is precisely what Gamaliel did.
Gamaliel urged his fellow Pharisees to wait to see if the apostles' message withstood the test of time: if it did, then it was of God; if it did not, then it was of man and would die on its own accord. Two-thousand years removed, we can now see that the apostles' message of forgiveness was in fact of God. However, Gamaliel did not have the advantage of hind-sight. Rather, he stood up amidst his peers to echo a voice of reason that was contrary to the will of the mob.
I have always admired this man for his ability to step back from a heated situation and critically analyze what would be the right thing to do. The ability to think objectively, critically, and independently is one we should all strive to master. It made a difference in the apostles' lives, and I'm confident we would benefit as well.
Soli Deo Gloria.
2 comments:
Gamaliel must have had great insight-even though he was "on the other side". This causes me to reflect on times that I was "on the right side" but chose not to speak or stand up for what is right for fear of ridicule and persecution.
A good thought to consider Gil, thanks.
It has always amazed me that this man had the ability to step back from the situation and serve as a voice of reason amongst an otherwise passion driven mob.
There is no evidence in the book of Acts (at least none that I can tell) that Gamaliel ever accepted the message of the apostles--the message of Christ. I cannot help but think (and hope) that he recognized, and embraced, the Truth.
I hope all is well in the windy city.
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