Gamaliel

This article is about Gamaliel the Elder. For other individuals and uses, see Gamaliel (disambiguation).
R. Gamaliel depicted in a medieval miniature.

Gamaliel the Elder (/ɡəˈmeɪliəl, -ˈmɑː-, ˌɡæməˈliːəl/;[1] also spelled Gamliel; Hebrew: רַבַּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הַזָּקֵן Rabban Gamlīʾēl hazZāqēn; Koinē Greek: Γαμαλιὴλ ὁ Πρεσβύτερος Gamaliēl ho Presbýteros), or Rabban Gamaliel I, was a leading authority in the Sanhedrin in the early first century CE. He was the son of Simeon ben Hillel and grandson of the great Jewish teacher Hillel the Elder. He fathered Simeon ben Gamliel, who was named for Gamaliel's father,[2] and a daughter, who married a priest named Simon ben Nathanael.[3]

Rabbinical eras

In the Christian tradition, Gamaliel is recognized as a Pharisaic doctor[further explanation needed] of Jewish Law.[4] Gamaliel was named as a member of the Sanhedrin in the fifth chapter of Acts and the teacher of Paul the Apostle in Acts 22:3.[5] Gamaliel encouraged his fellow Pharisees to show leniency to the apostles of Jesus in Acts 5:34.[6]

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel; Gimson, A.C. (1977). Everyman's English Pronouncing Dictionary. London: J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd. p. 207.
  2. ^ Schechter, Solomon; Bacher, Wilhelm. "Gamliel I". Jewish Encyclopedia.
  3. ^ Avodah Zarah 3:10
  4. ^ "Gamaliel". Catholic Encyclopedia.
  5. ^ Köstenberger, Andreas J.; Kellum, L. Scott; Quarles, Charles (2009). The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament. B & H Publishing Group. p. 389. ISBN 978-0-8054-4365-3.
  6. ^ Raymond E. Brown, A Once-and-Coming Spirit at Pentecost, page 35 (Liturgical Press, 1994). ISBN 0-8146-2154-6