“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 men be put outsided for a little while. The he addressed them:…”Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” –Acts 5:34; 38b-39 (NIV. Read Acts 5:29-42)
The Acts of the Apostles contains an enthusiastic account of how the early church grew. As we read what Luke wrote of occurrences shortly following Jesus’ ascension, we are amazed at the boldness of Peter, John and the other disciples and the power of God demonstrated among the people. We are also amazed at how persecution of Christ’s followers grew in proportion as the church itself grew. The religious leaders represented by the Jewish Sanhedrin were on shaky ground. If they opposed the new movement, kept putting the apostles in jail, then the growing number of Christians among the people would think that body did not represent God. If they allowed the disciples to continue openly preaching, teaching, breaking bread with joy from house to house, healing the sick, and performing other miracles, then their own authority would be in great jeopardy. What to do? Then a brave leader of the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, stepped forward, and in a council meeting of the Sanhedrin made a logical statement. He declared that if the movement be by God’s authority, nothing the Jewish rulers could do would stop it.
We can admire Gamaliel for his boldness in taking a stand. There is no record in Scripture that he became a Christian. But the very fact that he stood up for the apostles at this point in the early church’s growth shows his wisdom. He was able to gain a reprieve for the apostles in their important early work in spreading the Word and building up the church of the living Christ. He squelched the plan of the Sanhedrin to have the apostles killed. If their work were purely human, he reasoned, it would have its end anyway. But if it be of God, nothing the Sanhedrin could do would be able to stop it.
We need to ask an important question: “By whose authority do we conduct our good works? By God’s direction or man’s?” That which is of God, a revelation of His heart to the heart of man, will succeed. This principle is as true in our present-day church and its work as it was in the days of the early church when Christianity spread from a small group of believers throughout the then known world. What is done by God’s authority cannot be stopped with persecution or death. God will raise up and send forth those by whom His Word will spread.
We can admire Gamaliel for his boldness in taking a stand. There is no record in Scripture that he became a Christian. But the very fact that he stood up for the apostles at this point in the early church’s growth shows his wisdom. He was able to gain a reprieve for the apostles in their important early work in spreading the Word and building up the church of the living Christ. He squelched the plan of the Sanhedrin to have the apostles killed. If their work were purely human, he reasoned, it would have its end anyway. But if it be of God, nothing the Sanhedrin could do would be able to stop it.
We need to ask an important question: “By whose authority do we conduct our good works? By God’s direction or man’s?” That which is of God, a revelation of His heart to the heart of man, will succeed. This principle is as true in our present-day church and its work as it was in the days of the early church when Christianity spread from a small group of believers throughout the then known world. What is done by God’s authority cannot be stopped with persecution or death. God will raise up and send forth those by whom His Word will spread.
c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Wednesday, April 14, 2010
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