“Wise Counsel”


BIBLE READING: Acts 5

            In Jewish Tradition, Gamaliel was considered a Pharisee doctor of the Jewish Law.  He was highly esteemed, by not just the Council of the Sanhedrin, but by all Jews in general.  Many young Jewish men studied the Law at the feet of Gamaliel, namely the Apostle Paul.  The Scriptures do not say much about Gamaliel, but what we do find in Acts 5 is worthy of our mentioning.  A few of the Apostles had again been arrested because they had continued preaching in the name of Jesus.  This is the second time they had been arrested for said crime but were released under the condition that they would cease teaching in the name of Jesus.  Well of course we see how that turned out, when the disciple said that “we cannot speak of what we have seen or heard” (Acts 4.20).  Today’s reading describes how this time an angel of the Lord breaks them out of prison and commands them to continue with their teaching and preaching.  When the Council found out that they are right back doing the very thing that they have already tried twice before, to stop them from doing, we find the only recorded words of Gamliel in Scripture.  "Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!" So they took his advice,” (Acts 5:35-39).  I’m not sure if they understood just how wise his counsel was on this matter.  Gamaliel must have thought something like this, “Look guys, we tried to stop them not once, but twice and now they are brought before us again this third time.  Short of killing these men, we have done everything we know to do to encourage them to stop, but nothing has worked.  Maybe it is best if we just leave them alone and let them continue doing what they are doing.  We already know of others who tired this and failed on their own, but if this is really from God, we will never be able to stop it.”  We would do well to follow the same advice that Gamaliel had for the Council.  There are times when God is trying to nudge us in the right direction.  It may come in the form of a sermon, a class or even an opportunity, yet we keep fighting it.  Why?  Why do we continue to resist the pleas of God as He gently tries to point us in the right direction?  I really don’t know the answer. Maybe we are just stubborn, maybe we are just oblivious to it or maybe we’re just trying to fight it.  We all need to heed the words of Gamaliel’s counsel, if we are attempting to fight God and His purpose for us, we will always lose.



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