Gamaliel

Gamaliel according to Acts 5 was a man held in high reputation among the Jews. Years later Paul testified of his earlier life and he said 'I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers,' This statement indicated that Gamaliel was a renowned ecclesiastical leader. Historical records indicate that he is the same man mentioned in the Jewish Talmud as Rabban Gamaliel. The name Rabban was a title only given to a few and it means “Our teacher” Gamaliel was a Pharisee and history tells us that he was the grandson of the famous Jewish Scholar Hillel. And yet while the counsel of Gamaliel saved the apostles here it is counsel that fell short for a man who was expert in the Old Testament Scriptures. He came so far and yet did not come far enough.