“Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;”
But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the apostles be taken outside for a little while - Gamaliel (ben Gamaliel) was a famous rabbi, a teacher of the law (nomodidaskalos) held in high esteem (timē eichon panto tō laō). His intervention is pragmatic wisdom interrupting religious zealotry. The Pharisees, unlike the Sadducees, believed in resurrection, making Gamaliel theologically less threatened by the apostolic message.
Church Fathers on Acts 5:34
This Gamaliel was Paul's teacher. And one may well wonder, how, being so right-minded in his judgment, and withal learned in the law, he did not yet believe. But it cannot be that he should have continued in unbelief to the end. Indeed it appears plainly from the words he here speaks. He commanded, it says, to put the men forth a little space [and said to them.] Observe how judiciously he frames his speech, and how he immediately at the very outset puts them in fear. And that…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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