Who Was Gamaliel? In today’s reflection, I wish to draw some insights from the wisdom displayed by Gamaliel.
Gamaliel was a Jewish Pharisee, distinguished in learning whose wisdom and erudition were well-known and influential in his day (around 20 to 50 AD). The New Testament mentions him twice in the Acts of the Apostles. One is in Acts 5 (today’s first reading), wherein he advises the Sanhedrin to be careful how they handle the apostles. The second mention is in Acts 22 (Acts 22:3), wherein Paul mentions that he was educated under Gamaliel in Jerusalem, heightening the influence of Gamaliel as a prominent teacher. Hence, Gamaliel’s contributions to unfolding the post-resurrection events are essential in several ways.
Gamaliel’s Statements About God and the Apostles
First, Gamaliel’s advice proclaimed that whatever God has ordained and remains part of cannot be upended by man. This statement approves Jesus, His ministry, and the continuation of His ministry within the Jewish environment that seemed to have initially rejected Him. Using examples from past insurrections, which were unfortunately looked at as being similar to Christ’s, Gamaliel posited a great distinction: “If what these men are doing is of God, you will not be able to stop it or stop them, but rather you may be fighting against God”(Acts 5:39). In the sixteenth chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus prophesied that there will be a time when people who persecute and kill His followers will claim to be doing God’s work (cf John 16:2). Apparently, the Pharisees thought they were on the side of God in working against Jesus and His disciples. They wanted to forcefully stop the disciples’ life of evangelization until Gamaliel’s intervention.
Trusting in the Provenance of God
If we work for God, we ought to learn and know the ways of God to understand when to let God be God. There are times we may wish to see justice amid the cruelest injustice. Times we may feel like we’ve hit the wall and there is no way out. Other times, maybe in ministry, we might experience a severe lack—support from authority, requisite anointing, finances, encouragement, and maybe resources to meet urgent needs of the people—these are some of the moments we need to practice letting God be God. God has a way of provisioning circumstances that expose human limitations so that He might be glorified when He intervenes.
Take a closer look at today’s gospel (John 6:1-15), the beginning of the bread of life discourse. Jesus tasked His apostles to feed the people. Philip’s response to the Lord’s ask—”Where can anyone find food to feed all these people”(John 6:5)?—shows they do not have what it takes to fulfill what the Lord is asking them to do. In such a situation, what would you do? Letting God be God! Jesus expects them to return to Him and ask how to deliver the result He was expecting from them. Serving God becomes enjoyable if we master the habit of utter dependence on God for directions.
When God sends you on a mission, He will never abandon you. And if anyone decides to fight you on your God-sent mission, the person will have God to contend with God. Your duty is to let God be God, trust His plan and timing, and know He is always with you.
