Gamaliel Cites Jesus?

There is an interesting anecdote found in the Babylonian Talmud where the renowned rabbi Gamaliel, who was the son of another prominent rabbi named Hillel, quoted the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here’s the Talmudic extract:

לְמָחָר הֲדַר עַיֵּיל לֵיהּ אִיהוּ חֲמָרָא לוּבָא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: שְׁפִילִית לְסֵיפֵיהּ דַּעֲווֹן גִּלְיוֹן, וּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ: אֲנָא לָא לְמִיפְחַת מִן אוֹרָיְיתָא דְּמֹשֶׁה אֲתֵיתִי [וְלָא] לְאוֹסֹפֵי עַל אוֹרָיְיתָא דְמֹשֶׁה אֲתֵיתִי, וּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ: בִּמְקוֹם בְּרָא — בְּרַתָּא לָא תֵּירוֹת. אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: נְהוֹר נְהוֹרָיךְ כִּשְׁרָגָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: אֲתָא חַמְרָא וּבְטַשׁ לִשְׁרָגָא.

The next day Rabban Gamliel brought the philosopher a Libyan donkey. Afterward, Rabban Gamliel and his sister came before the philosopher for a judgment. He said to them: I proceeded to the end of the avon gilayon, and it is written: I, avon gilayon, did not come to subtract from the Torah of Moses, and I did not come to add to the Torah of Moses. And it is written there: In a situation where there is a son, the daughter does not inherit. She said to him: May your light shine like a lamp, alluding to the lamp she had given him. Rabban Gamliel said to him: The donkey came and kicked the lamp, thereby revealing the entire episode. (Shabbat 116b; emphasis mine)

Avon galion (“sinful folio/margin”) was adopted by the rabbis as a Hebrew pun on and mockery of the Greek term evangelion, meaning the Gospel.

Now contrast this with the statements of Christ:

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Matthew 5:17-18

The reason why Gamaliel’s words are so interesting is because he was Paul’s rabbi, being the very man who instructed the holy Apostle in the ways of Judaism!

“As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he said, ‘Do you know Greek? Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago raised a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?’ But Paul said, ‘I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.’ And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, ‘Men, brothers, and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.’

“And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even quieter; and he said, ‘I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but having been brought up in this city, having been instructed at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strictness of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today, I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering both men and women into prisons, as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brothers, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.’” Acts 21:37-22:5

Gamaliel was also the one who warned his fellow Jews to refrain from persecuting Jesus’ Jewish followers, since if Christianity was a movement from God then they would never be able to vanquish it:

“But when they heard this, they became furious and intended to kill them. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time. And he said to them, ‘Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. But he was killed, and all who were following him were dispersed and came to nothing. After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all those who were following him were scattered. So in the present case, I also say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or you may even be found fighting against God.’ So they followed his advice. And after calling the apostles in and beating them, they commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for the Name.” Acts 5:33-41

History has proven Gamaliel was correct since Christianity is of God, which is why it has been spreading all over the world, and will continue doing so until our glorious, risen Lord physically descends from heaven.

Hence, the Talmud bears witness that Christ’s words about the Law even impressed the rabbis such as Gamaliel, who supposedly cited them to support his position.

Scriptural references taken from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).

Further Reading

The Talmud’s Messiah

THE MESSIAH OF THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD

The Jewish Talmud Confirms Jesus’ Messiahship

Judaism, God as an Angel & Malachi 3:1

THE RABBIS’ DILEMMA: WORSHIPING GOD’S ANGEL

The Talmud on OT Authorship

SIRACH & THE TALMUD

Talmud, Balaam & Bestiality

TALMUD, JEWS, GENTILES & DEATH PENALTY

The Demon Lilith in Jewish Tradition

Talmud, Maimonides, Minors, Puberty & Sex

TALMUD, MUHAMMAD & PEDOPHILIA

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