Gamaliel's advice

Yesterday, I lamented that the Jewish voice had not been given sufficient hearing in the New Testament. You can prove me wrong today that at least a piece of Jewish advice survives in the New Testament. It is the advice given by Gamaliel, a respectable Rabbi during the apostolic time. The Jewish Council was infuriated by Peter because he made use of God to counter-attack them. They intended to kill all the apostles but Gamaliel advised otherwise (Acts 5:27-40). So, who was this Gamaliel? Was he a Christian, or a Christian sympathizer?
The gospel of John tells us that Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were Jesus' disciples. They were Pharisees and was a minority voice to defend Jesus in the Jewish Council. They were afraid of exposing their identities to their fellow Pharisees. Only after Jesus had died on the cross did they come forth to bury his corpse.
Probably, Gamaliel was also a Christian in secret. Saul had been one of his disciples (Acts 22:3). Obviously, his sympathetic views towards Christians were known among his disciples. Therefore, his view survives in the New Testament. Saul was an over zealous Pharisee (Acts 22:3). He might have clashed with his master over how to deal with Christians. In the end, Saul went his way to persecute Christians in Jerusalem and beyond. Gamaliel must have grieved over this but there was little he could do.
Saul's relationship with Gamaliel enlightens us teachers. We teachers share our best with out students. Yet, we have to tolerate their rebellions. Hopefully, with God's grace, we will be reconciled in the future. Probably, their achievements may even tower over us. They are our pride.
Let's return to Gamaliel. Assuming that he was not a Christian nor a sympathizer, was his advice a sound one? Gamaliel quoted two cases of false Messiahs, Theudas and Judas the Galiean, to support his view of tolerance.
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 men, it will fail;
but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God! (Acts 5:38-39).
On the surface, it was. Let Christians alone and they would disintegrate if they were a cult. If their religion was true, the Jewish Council was fighting against God. Gamaliel gave Christians the benefit of doubt.
But there was a price to pay. Many people would be brainwashed to do a lot of crazy things. Fighting against them would have saved thousands of lives! Saul must have this view in mind when he fervently persecuted the Christians. In modern times, we have seen enough mass murders and suicides among cult members while we don't have enough Saul's to purge them. This is a price we have to pay in order to uphold the sanctity of religious freedom which we are committed to preserve at all costs.

My Lord, grant me the strength to control my temper and impatience. Help me tolerate rebellious students and help them through their stormy stage of adolescence. Have mercy on them that they may mature through these struggles. Amen.