Be encouraged by Gamaliel

Acts 5:33-39 ³³ When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. ³⁴ But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. ³⁵ And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. ³⁶ For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. ³⁷ After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. ³⁸ So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; ³⁹ but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!”

Let’s assume that Gamaliel’s argument is a good one. I don’t think Luke is presenting Gamaliel as offering appalling logic that, fortunately, presuaded the Jewish authorities. It seems, rather, that he is offering them sound advice, which they are wise enough to take.

If this is so, what do we do with the present-day phenomena of Islam, or secular humanism, or Darwinism, or …? Do we conclude that Gamaliel’s logic was flawed after all, and (assuming Luke’s presentation is as I make out) that Acts is flawed? Or do we conclude that these other movements are really “of God” and become religious pluralists?

Shouldn’t we, instead, be greatly encouraged? It is clear from what these movements teach that they are not (considered absolutely) “of God”. Therefore we can apply Gamaliel’s thinking and say that they will die out. Yes, they have grown to bigger proportions than Theudas’s following of 400 people, but they will be as short-lived as Thuedas when weighed by the God to whom a thousand years are like a day. Islam will fizzle and die. As will secular humanism.

But the gospel of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, as preached by Peter and John in Acts 4, is most definitely “of God”. It will not fizzle and die. Those who oppose it are opposing God, which means they are opposing the One who, by definition, wins. So apostolic Christianity will instead grow and flourish. (Again, considered on an appropriate timescale – see my previous post on expectations when it comes to the timing of kingdom growth)