Gamaliel

Gamaliel (meaning: recompense of God; camel of God) appears in two distinct biblical contexts. The first Gamaliel was the son of Pedahzur and the appointed leader of the tribe of Manasseh at the census in the wilderness (Numbers 1:10; 2:20), who presented the offering of his tribe at the dedication of the tabernacle (Numbers 7:54). The second and more historically significant Gamaliel was a renowned Pharisaic teacher in Jerusalem, a member of the Sanhedrin, and the teacher under whom Paul received his rabbinic training (Acts 22:3).

This Gamaliel — Gamaliel the Elder — is described as held in honor by all the people (Acts 5:34). When the Sanhedrin debated executing the apostles, Gamaliel counseled moderation: if the movement was of human origin it would fail on its own, but if it was of God, they could not overthrow it and might find themselves fighting against God. His pragmatic wisdom secured the apostles' release with only a beating. Jewish tradition honors Gamaliel as one of the great teachers of the oral law, and his tolerant posture toward the early Christians stands in marked contrast to the zeal of his most famous pupil before Paul's conversion.