The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1959-11-07

( priSonment were not getung
! satisfactory results.
GAMALIEL'S. A d VIC E
+ SAVES THE APOSTLES:
'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 little
space" Later on in life
he gained prominence for
himself as a man of profound
wisdom and a scholar of the
Jewish law. He was a Phari-
see and was probably given
a minority report when he
stood up to address the coun-
Gil, for it appears from verse
II that the council was COM
posed mainly of SadduceeS.
Yet because of his reputation
among the people as a man
of esteem, integrity, and pro-
found respect even by those
OF other parties. "And said
until them. Ye men of Israel.
take heed to yourselves what
We intend to do as touching
these men" Gamaliel
could clearly see that the
council was heading in the
wrong direction, for it was act
ing upon impulse rather than
upon calm deliberation. For
before these days rose up
Theudas, Boosting himself to
be somebody; to whom a num-
Der of men, about four hun
dred, joined themselves: who
was slain; and all, as many as
obeyed him, were scattered,
and brought to nought"
Theudas was a magician who
fooled great number of peo-
pie into following him as their
prophet. He led them to the
river Jordan and assured
them that he would divide the
water and lead them across
by his own power, but they
were all killed.
after this man rose up Ju-
das of Galilee in the days of
the taxing, and drew away
much people after him: he al
so perished; and all, even as
many as obeyed him, were dis
perSed" Judas of Galilee
is said to have stirred up an
uprising against the taxation
which took place about the
time of the birth of Jesus.
According to some sources Jul
das was destroyed and his fol-
lowers dispersed by Cyrenius,
governor, or proconsul, of Sy-
ria and Judea. "And now | say
unto you, refrain from these
men, and let them alone: for
if this counsel Or this work be
of men, it will come to
nought" Notice that Ga
maliel cites his examples first
and states his position later,
very shreWd and convincing
method of augmentation
from a psychological view
point. But if it be of God,
we cannot overthrow it; lest
haply ye be found even to
fight against God" This
is what experience had taught
Gamaliel, and he counseled
the safest thing, that the in
evitable be allowed to deal
with the situation concerning
the followers of Jesus rather
than run the risk of fighting
against God.
THE APOSTLES ARE RE-
LEASED:
"And to him they agreed:
and when they had called the
apostles, and beaten them,
they commanded that they
should not speak in the name
of Jesus, and let them go" !.
The beating of the apos-
ties was probably to further
warn them and to intimidate
them. In this the counsel of
Gamaliel was not followed, for
he favored letting them alone
and permitting the merit of
their cause to determine
whether they could continue
or not.
"And they departed from
the presence of the council,
rejoicing that they were coun-
ted worthy to suffer shame
for his name" This is just
what Gamaliers counsel sug-
gested, t h a t persecution