33 When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them. 34 Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing.
A member of the Sanhedrin defended the apostles (Acts 5:33-42). Gamaliel warned his fellow members of the council not to make a swift decision about them. He gave two examples of how bad decisions of the Sanhedrin backfired on them.
Luke’s purpose in the historical account of Acts 5:33-42 was to show the persistent rebellion of the nation Israel against God.
5:33
When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them.
When the council heard that the apostles continued to preach the gospel aggressively (Acts 5:29-32), they began to plot to kill them. Their fury blinded their decision making.
5:34
Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel,
Although the Sadducees were the majority, the leading Pharisee stood to warn the council about their hasty decision making.
a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people,
Gamaliel, a teacher of the Torah, was respected by everyone. This man was a prominent rabbi of the first century. He was an instructor of the apostle Paul (Acts 22:3).
and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while.
The council temporarily removed the apostles from the courtroom.
5:35
And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men.
Gamaliel began to warn the council about taking hurried action with the apostles.
5:36
For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody.
With this verse, Gamaliel began to give two examples of previous rash decisions by the council. The first example came from a situation about Theudas.
A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing.
Theudas gathered about 400 men to join him in a rebel cause, but he was killed, and his followers disbanded. The Jewish historian Josephus described another Theudas who came on the scene 10 years after the first Theudas, around AD 44. Luke’s account is starkly different from Josephus’s account. Theudas was a common name, making it easy to confuse the two men.
PRINCIPLE:
God has His sovereign hand on those who preach the gospel.
APPLICATION:
The gospel always provokes those without Christ. If the preaching of the gospel is not clear enough to cause a reaction among unbelievers, then the preaching is insufficient. Preaching must bring conviction. God always sovereignly intervenes when people preach the gospel (Jn 16:8-11).
