GAMALIEL, (Heb., 'God is a re ward'). A noted Pharisee, twice referred to in the Book of Acts : (1) In v. 34-39, where, as a member of the Sanhedrin, he counseled, from the point of caution, moderate measures regarding Peter and the other Apostles; and (2) in xxii. 3, where Paul speaks of him as his instructor in the law. Jew ish tradition identifies him with the famous Rabbi Gamaliel, the elder, the son of Simon and the grandson of Hillel, the founder of the more liberal of the two Pharisaic schools. This Gamaliel was the first of the seven Jewish doc tors who received the honored title of Rabban, and was held in such reputation that.when he died, according to Mishna (Sota ix. 15), "reverence for the law ceased, and purity and abstinence died away." At the same time, in Gamaliel's day, instruction in the law was much more in sympa thy with the spirit of practical life than was the case in the time of the later law schools of Palestine and Babylon. In fact, Gamaliel him self at several points modified the restrictive customs of Jewish exclusivism and Jewish Sab batism, while he protected the interests of wives in the matter of divorce, and the interests of fatherless children in the matter of inheritance. He was even liberal enough to be a student of Greek literature, which was held in ab horrence by narrow-minded rabbis. In view
of these facts it is not difficult to understand his tolerant position in the Sanhedrin council of Acts v., though it is to be doubted whether any appreciation of Christianity entered into his motives, the legend of his subsequent conversion to the Christian faith being worthless. It is also not difficult to understand the attraction to him of Saul of Tarsus; though the fact that Saul afterwards became a persecutor has been made a ground for denying the historicity of the narrative in Acts v., or the actuality of any relations between him and Saul. The develop ment of one of his pupils in fanatical directions, however, may after all be due more to the pupil's unique surroundings and their influence upon his growing conviction that salvation was by works, rather than to any inherent bigotry of spirit within the pupil that would make un likely instruction at such a teacher's feet. Gama liel died evidently some time before 70, since his son Simon was then in public life, guhile he him self seems to have been forgotten. Many tradi tions are ascribed to him which belong to his grandson, Gamaliel II., with whom he is con stantly confused.