Many years ago, a dear friend and second-Mother asked me an intriguing question. That question comes to my mind multiple times each year even to this moment. Paraphrased, the question would be something like:
"If you could hold a dinner party to talk with any ten people, living or dead, other than the obviously invited guests of Jesus and the disciples, who would you invite and why?"
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Dinner Guest #9: Gamaliel - Pharisee and Mystery
The Introduction
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the Law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brothers, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished. But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus at about noon, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’"
(Acts 22:3-8)
The History
Saul of Tarsus was a tenacious Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, and terror of the early Christians. He was a fierce defender of the Law, and when we are first introduced to Saul in Acts chapter 7, we learn of his zeal of the law and abhorrence of Christians as he stands by approvingly at the stoning of Stephen. In Acts chapter 8 we see Saul raiding Christian homes in Jerusalem and having Christians he seized cast into prison. Others scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. In Acts chapter 9, we see Saul's zeal expand his persecution of Christians to areas outside of Jerusalem with the intent of starting in Damascus. From the text, we see not only his tenacity but the fear he cast among believers.
When they had driven him [Stephen] out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Now Saul approved of putting Stephen to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles. Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned loudly for him. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and he would drag away men and women and put them in prison.
Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem. Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.” The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
(Acts 7:58, Acts 8:1-3, Acts 9:1-9)
In the verses following, once at Damascus, Saul was prayed for by a man named Ananias at God's instruction. Saul was instantly healed of his blindness. He immediately began preaching Jesus for many days in Damascus. Now a Christian himself, he found himself the target of the same persecution from the Jews in Damascus that he had been dealing out to Christians so that he had to flee back to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, he sought the disciples, but the disciples still feared him greatly until Barnabas took him in. Afterward, Saul became known as Paul.
You may be asking, "What in the world does this mini-biography of Paul have to do with Gamaliel in the title?"
The Person
You can read Acts 5:12-33 yourself to see the set-up between the apostles and the Jewish leaders: the preaching, the miracles, the arrest of the apostles, their miraculous release, the recapture, the Council's order for the apostles to desist preaching Jesus, and the apostles refusal. The scene culminates with the furious Jewish Council ready to order the apostles' execution.
This is where we encounter Paul's teacher, Gamaliel.
But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful as to what you are about to do with these men. For, some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee appeared in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he also perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. And so in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, for if the source of this plan or movement is men, it will be overthrown; but if the source is God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”
(Acts 5:34-39)
Gamaliel was promoting caution and leniency regarding the Christians at a time that his student, Saul, was tenaciously persecuting them. But who was he?
In the years prior to Jesus' birth, two influential rabbis, Hillel and Shammai, established different schools of thought regarding approaches to the Law. Their views on how a law was to be properly and fully observed opposed one another constantly. Scholars note that their commentaries on the Talmud were debates over rituals, ethics, and theology and helped shape how the Law was observed. Shammai's teachings were generally a more hardline legalistic approach while Hillel's were a more lenient approach. After the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, the Shammaite school diminished and much of it lost while the Hillelite school became the dominate school of thought continuing to shape observance of law for hundreds of years.
In Jewish scriptural interpretation, an established school of thought is referred to as a yoke of that particular rabbi's interpretation. Talmidim (students) would be trained under a particular yoke following the teachings of that founder's interpretations in order to themselves become a rabbi (teacher) of that yoke.
Maybe understanding of rabbis and yokes gives you a new understanding of Jesus' actions of teaching, His interpreting, and His harshness with the teachers of Israel:
- During His Sermon on the Mount when He says many times: "You have heard .... But I say to you...." (Matthew 5:21-48).
- He rebukes of the Pharisees for overburdening people with many legalistic rituals (Matthew 23:1-4), and gently calls His followers to take on them His yoke: "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30)
- How those who heard Jesus teach were amazed because He interpreted and taught scripture with a new authority: And they were all amazed, so they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” (Mark 1:27) And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee; and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; and they were amazed at His teaching, because His message was delivered with authority. (Luke 4:31-32)
Jesus' disciples took on His yoke, learned His teachings, then taught His teachings making more disciples.
Gamaliel was the grandson of Hillel. He was also the leading and most celebrated scholar of the school of Hillel, or, Hillel's yoke. Gamaliel was greatly respected, honored, and beloved. Paul's speech connecting himself to the esteemed Gamaliel as his teacher was an association to recognized and venerated authority. Gamaliel was apparently esteemed enough for his wisdom to influence the infuriated Council that was ready to have the apostles killed for threatening their power and influence over the people.
Gamaliel’s renown is summed up in the words recorded in the Talmud: “When Rabban Gamaliel the Elder died, regard for the Torah [Jewish Law] ceased, and purity and piety died.”
(Credit: Brittanica.com, article: Gamaliel I)
Yet somehow, when Hillel was no longer, Gamaliel did not rise to the position of leading his grandfather's school of thought. Rather its leadership was passed to another rabbi: Johanan ben Zakkai.
The Conversation
Why he didn't succeed his grandfather, and the potential interactions between him and Paul, whets my curiosity. It makes one wonder many things about this man.
+ When did he first learn about Jesus?
+ What were his thoughts about Him and His interpretations of scripture, His yoke?
+ Did he, like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, become a follower of Christ?
+ Was it because he became a Christian that he did not lead his grandfather's school of thought?
+ Was it because he became a Christian that he urged caution against martyring the apostles, or was it simply his more lenient stance on issues?
+ What were communications like with Paul before and after Paul's conversion?
+ What was his life and work like after addressing the Council?
+ If he didn't become a Christian, why not; what was the stumbling block that prevented it?
The Why
Gamaliel was obviously a man of importance and of immense influence not only in his lifetime but for hundreds of years.
Tradition, based on literature of indeterminate or questionable legitimacy, claims that Gamaliel became a Christian and was baptized by Peter and John. Based on those sources, the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches venerate him to sainthood.
That brief passage in Acts 5, and his mention by Paul in Acts 22 are all we know of Gamaliel from scripture. We know about his teachings historically from the Jewish literature. No ancient Jewish text supports or refutes whether he came to faith in Jesus, or how his life story progressed and eventually ended.
Was his life a gospel win or fumbled woe?
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