Gamaliel was an influential Pharisee and an expert of the law in the Jewish religion during the days of the Apostolic Church. He was also a key member of the highest Jewish council called the Sanhedrin.

Gamaliel was also Saul’s mentor and teacher before Saul was converted and changed his name to Paul. The name Gamaliel means, “God is my reward or recompense.”

1. Gamaliel and the Early Christians

Gamaliel is mostly remembered for intervening and defending Peter and the other apostles before the Jewish council that intended to kill them (Acts 5:34).

The Sanhedrin had commanded the apostles not to preach in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18). But they went ahead and preached, taught, and even performed miracles in Jesus’ name. In fact, we read in Acts 5:12-16 that the early Christian church grew in numbers and experienced great success.

This did not sit well with the high priest and a group of Jews called the Sadducees. So, they cast the apostles into prison. But that very night, God’s angel went to the prison and freed them and then commanded the apostles to return to the temple to preach (Acts 5:19).

In the morning, the high priest called a council to deal with the issue, but then discovered that the apostles were not in prison but were preaching in Jesus’ name yet again. So, they proposed to kill the apostles, and that’s when Gamaliel stepped in.

Let’s read the account straight from the Bible:
“Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. And he said to them: ‘Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.’ And they agreed with him…” (Acts 5:34-39).

2. How Did Gamaliel Convince the Sanhedrin Not to Kill the Apostles?

To take a stand against such a murderous Sanhedrin was dangerous. It required tact, reason, knowledge and wisdom. So how did Gamaliel do it? Let’s look at some of Gamaliel’s characteristics and some of the decisions he made that assured him success in protecting the apostles:

• Gamaliel Was a Pharisee and Doctor of the Law (Acts 5:34) This made him respectable. He was educated and could express himself with conviction.
• He Had a Good Reputation (verse 34) He must have been viewed as one who had the interests of the council and Israel at heart, so they listened to his arguments.
• He Was a Man of Authority (verse 34) He made a request, and his command was obeyed. This means that his authority was highly regarded in the council.
• He Was Discrete (verse 34) By ordering the apostles to leave, he showed that he respected the council. He did not want to expose the discussions of the council to non-members, like the apostles. And this must have increased his credibility with the Sanhedrin.
• He Was Wise (verse 35) He gave good advice, asking the Sanhedrin to “take heed [pay attention]” but did not force his views on them. This was a sincere request that invited the council to reevaluate their decision and drew their attention to the rest of his argument.
• He Used History (verses 36-37) After winning the attention of the Sanhedrin, he used his deeper knowledge of history to present his arguments. He told the stories of Theudas and Judas of Galilee who perished and whose followers eventually dispersed.
• He Was Tactful (verse 38) After presenting his case, he tactfully brought his argument to a conclusion, urging his colleagues on the right track by saying, “And now I say to you…”
• He Was Fearless (verse 38) It required courage to speak against the Sanhedrin. His words “keep away from these men and let them alone” proved his boldness.
• He Warned the Sanhedrin of Their Danger (verse 39) He had previously stated that if these teachings were not of God then they would also fail. Then he warned that if they were from God, then the Sanhedrin could not win since they would be fighting against God.
• He Was Persuasive (verse 40) Eventually, the council agreed to follow his wise counsel. Though they beat the apostles, they did not kill them.

3. How Did Gamaliel Impact Paul?

Paul says that he was taught by Gamaliel. He said of himself, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city [Jerusalem]. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors” (Acts 22:3).

In Paul’s letters we see that he was very educated. Peter also testifies to this in 2 Peter 3:16, and even Festus attests to his exceptional education (Acts 26:24).

Paul’s writings demonstrate a deep understanding of the Old Testament prophecies, especially those relating to Jesus. He explains the subject of the law and grace like no other writer. Gamaliel, as Paul’s teacher, played a huge role in Paul’s mastery of these themes.

4. What Can We Learn From Gamaliel?

From Gamaliel, we see the importance of being guided by the Holy Spirit. Gamaliel was open to the influence of the Holy Spirit, even though he was a Pharisee among other Pharisees who desired to kill the apostles.

We also learn from him the importance of being firm. His firm efforts to defend the truth preserved the early church. We should not shy away from standing for what we believe is right, even when we face opposition.

We also need to equip ourselves with knowledge. In our defense of the truth, we must be wise, knowledgeable and convincing. And beyond being knowledgeable, we need to present the truth in a reasonable manner so that even those who are against it will discern its authenticity and have no way to oppose it.

We should also mentor other people just like Gamaliel trained Paul. He equipped Paul with the knowledge of the law that enabled him to teach the truths of the Old Testament in the light of Jesus Christ.