Gamaliel was a Pharisee and was grandson of the famous Rabbi Hillel. Like his grandfather, Gamaliel was known for taking a rather lenient view of the Old Testament law in contrast to his contemporary, Rabbi Shammai, who held to a more stringent understanding of Jewish traditions.
The first biblical reference to Gamaliel is read in Acts 5. In a meeting of the Sanhedrin, John and Peter were standing trial. After having been warned not to preach in the name of Jesus, the apostles continue to do so, infuriating the council. Peter said defiantly, “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (Acts 5:29).
Peter’s attitude angered the council, and they began to seek the death of the apostles. Gamaliel, “who was honored by all the people” (Acts 5:34), ordered the apostles removed from the room and then encouraged the council to be cautious in dealing with Jesus’ followers: “In the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God” (Acts 5:38–39). The Sanhedrin was persuaded by Gamaliel’s exhortation, suggesting his influence to be considerable.
However, Gamaliel may be better known for his most famous pupil—another Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus (Acts 22:3), who went on to be the apostle Paul. It was under Gamaliel's instruction that Paul developed his expert knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. His credentials equipped him to preach in the synagogues wherever he traveled (see Acts 17:2), and his grasp of Old Testament history and law aided his presentation of Jesus Christ as the One who had fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17).
Outside the Bible, Gamaliel is also mentioned by the historian Josephus, who wrote of the nobility of Gamaliel’s son, Simon. Josephus’ description of Gamaliel’s family is consistent with the image conjured by the book of Acts. The Talmud also mentions Gamaliel, but as with many figures from ancient history, our knowledge of him is limited. It seems clear, however, that Gamaliel was revered as a man of wisdom and judgment, and importantly, he preserved the lives of the early church apostles and helped to equip the greatest of all Christian missionaries.
