The physician Luke wrote how the apostles were put in prison for teaching and preaching, and after an angel freed them, they were teaching and preaching again when the high priest confronted them and asked, “Did not we straightly command you that you should not teach in this name? and, behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged on a tree. Him has God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God has given to them that obey him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them”, and in chapter five and verse thirty-four of the book of Acts Luke shared about a man named, “Gamaliel” where we read:
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;
The verse begins, “Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, ...” Luke began with the words, “then stood there up” which means “at that time arose and stood” “one in the council” or “a particular and certain man who belonged to the assembly of religious leaders or the “Sanhedrin”, “a Pharisee” which means “a member of the sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to Old Testament books the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition a standard of belief and life”, “named Gamaliel” or “whose name was Gamaliel which means my recompenser is God”, “a doctor of the law” which means “a teacher and interpreter pertaining to the Jewish law of God”. Luke shared how “Gamaliel” who was a “Pharisee” and member of the “Sanhedrin” as well as one who was versed in “Jewish law” stood up to speak among the other religious leaders.
The verse continues, “... had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;” Luke added the words, “had in reputation” which means “was precious, held in honor, esteemed and especially dear” “among all the people” or “with each, every, the whole and everyone of the human beings both male and female”, “and commanded” which means “and ordered by word and bid” “to put the apostles forth a little space” or “to make Jesus' delegates, messengers and sent out ones to go outside or out of doors for a short time or distance”. Luke shared how “Gamaliel” ordered the “apostles” of Jesus to be put a short distance away from the meeting place of the religious leaders.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Gamaliel” took over this meeting of the religious leaders. His first action was to stand among the other leaders and order the “apostles” to be put outside of their meeting place. This action was meant to keep the “apostles of Jesus” from hearing what he was going to declare, but we see how “Luke” discovered these things anyway. “Gamaliel” will have much to say in our next few verses, but for now let us realize his influence among the other religious leaders was great, and because he was well-versed in the “Jewish law”, they would listen to what he had to say. God desires to have a personal relationship with every person, and when they submit to His Son Jesus as their “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life. Their walk with God may be subject to difficulties like these “apostles”, but He will always be with them and provide an eternal solution for what they endure. Let all who read these words consider this man “Gamaliel”, and understand he was being used by God to fulfill His plan to spread the “gospel” to all mankind.
Next time Luke shares how, “Gamaliel” says, “for before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
No comments:
Post a Comment