Who Was Gamaliel?
In the Acts of the Apostles, Gamaliel comes to the defense of the nascent Jesus movement. This prominent Pharisee, who Luke describes as “a teacher of the Torah held in high honor by all the people” (Acts 5:34), is the same sage who taught the apostle Paul. Although Christian tradition tends to paint the Pharisees as “legalistic,” the New Testament presentation of Gamaliel tells a different story. Instead of being overly strict or narrow in his Torah teaching, Gamaliel sought the most accurate interpretation of Scripture and promoted the justice of God.
When some members of the Sanhedrin become upset by the apostles’ teaching, Gamaliel intercedes with his fellow councilmen. Luke records Gamaliel saying, “In the present case, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, for if this plan or this work is of human [origin], it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God” (Acts 5:38-39). The council takes this sagacious advice, and Jesus’ followers are set free. This incident shows that the Pharisaic leader submitted to the divine will over that of human beings, and that Gamaliel’s steadfast dedication to God’s plan saved the apostles from persecution.
Later in Acts, Paul stands before his people in Jerusalem and declares, “I am Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city [of Jerusalem], educated at the feet of Gamaliel” (Acts 22:3a). In translating the latter half of this verse, most English translations have Paul say that Gamaliel taught him “according to the strict manner of the Law” (22:3b ESV; cf. ASV, NKJV, NRSV). By suggesting that Gamaliel’s teaching of the Law was “strict,” this rendering encourages Christians to think of Pharisees as narrow legalists whose sole concern was meticulous Torah observance. However, the word used in this verse, ἀκρίβεια (akrībeia), denotes “accuracy” or “truth” rather than strictness. This meaning is clear from the only time the term appears in the Greek Septuagint. When Daniel has visions that he does not understand, he approaches one of the divine beings near him and states, “I sought to learn from him the truth (ἀκρίβεια; akríbeia) of all these [visions], and he told me the truth (ἀκρίβεια) and made known to me the interpretation” (Dan 7:16 LXX). Daniel does not wish to know about the “strict” interpretation of his visions, but rather their “accurate” meaning. In the same way, Paul proclaims that Gamaliel taught him according to the most accurate interpretation of the Torah.
This description of Gamaliel’s teaching aligns with what the later rabbis say about him. According to the Mishnah, “Gamaliel used to say, ‘Appoint a teacher for yourself, avoid doubt, and do not make a habit of tithing by guesswork’” (m. Avot 1:16). Gamaliel’s aversion to “doubt” or “guesswork” is indicative of someone dedicated to teaching the truest interpretation of Scripture. Gamaliel taught his son Simon with the same concern for truth with which he taught Paul. Simon states, “On three things does the world stand: On justice, on truth (אמת; emet) and on peace, as it says, ‘Render judgment of truth and peace in your gates’ [Zech 8:16]” (m. Avot 1:18). These glimpses of Paul’s teacher in the Mishnah corroborate his depiction in Acts: Gamaliel was a man devoted to the judgment of God, peace between his fellow Jews, and the truest interpretations of Torah.
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