Thursday Devo
Scripture:
Acts 5:33-39
33 When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 35 Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. 37 After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.
38 “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”
33 When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 35 Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. 37 After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.
38 “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”
Commentary:
5:33 On the Jews’ pattern of resistance (cf. 7:51; 12:1–3; 13:45; 25:7; 28:24), see note on Amos 4:6.
5:34 The lone voice in the Sanhedrin to speak against an immediate death sentence was that of Gamaliel. He was the most prominent rabbi of his day and the teacher of Paul (22:3). He belonged to the Pharisaic minority on the Sanhedrin but had considerable influence.
5:36 Gamaliel cited two examples from Jewish history to support his basic argument that movements not backed by God always come to nothing. Both examples were failed movements, the first being that of a revolutionary named Theudas, and the second that of “Judas the Galilean” (v. 37), who is said to have come “after him.” Judas the Galilean is well known, having led a tax revolt in a.d. 6 (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 18.23), and this is evidently the person to whom Gamaliel is referring. Although there is no historical record of the “Theudas” mentioned here (other than this statement by Gamaliel), most likely this “Theudas” was one of many otherwise unknown leaders of such movements following the death of Herod the Great in 4 b.c. Although Jewish historian Josephus (writing in a.d. 95 in Jewish Antiquities 20.97) mentions someone named “Theudas” who led a movement at a later date (a.d. 44–46), it is clear that Josephus’s reference is to a different person, since the movement to which he refers occurred many years after the speech by Gamaliel (c. a.d. 30 or 33).
5:34 The lone voice in the Sanhedrin to speak against an immediate death sentence was that of Gamaliel. He was the most prominent rabbi of his day and the teacher of Paul (22:3). He belonged to the Pharisaic minority on the Sanhedrin but had considerable influence.
5:36 Gamaliel cited two examples from Jewish history to support his basic argument that movements not backed by God always come to nothing. Both examples were failed movements, the first being that of a revolutionary named Theudas, and the second that of “Judas the Galilean” (v. 37), who is said to have come “after him.” Judas the Galilean is well known, having led a tax revolt in a.d. 6 (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 18.23), and this is evidently the person to whom Gamaliel is referring. Although there is no historical record of the “Theudas” mentioned here (other than this statement by Gamaliel), most likely this “Theudas” was one of many otherwise unknown leaders of such movements following the death of Herod the Great in 4 b.c. Although Jewish historian Josephus (writing in a.d. 95 in Jewish Antiquities 20.97) mentions someone named “Theudas” who led a movement at a later date (a.d. 44–46), it is clear that Josephus’s reference is to a different person, since the movement to which he refers occurred many years after the speech by Gamaliel (c. a.d. 30 or 33).
Questions:
- The apostles break out of jail and continue to preach Jesus, making the high council so furious that they decide to kill them. But there was one member of the council, a respected Pharisee, that defends the apostles and warns the council to leave them alone just in case this all might be part of God's plan. He said, "if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!” It's easy for us to see as we read Acts that the religious leaders are obviously working AGAINST God's plan. But this can be difficult to discern in our own lives if we aren't careful. How do we know for sure that we are on God's side when it comes to our beliefs, our choices, even our political platforms? How often do you weigh your life by this standard, being on God's side or the world's?
- One thing is for sure... these early church believers went against the grain of culture. They were adamant that they obey God rather than anyone else, no matter the consequences. What would that kind of obedience look like in your own life? Do your thoughts, actions and beliefs run counter to culture?
Prayer Topics:
- That you would choose obedience to God every day.
- That you would live counter-culturally.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
1. Who is Jesus? I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time and Paul.
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
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