Perhaps It Would Be Wise...

 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.

Acts 5:34

Peter and the Disciples had been teaching at the Temple after being ordered not to do so.  The Temple Guards arrested them and brought them before the High Council to answer for their crime.  In fact, when the High Council heard what they were teaching, the were FURIOUS!  They were SO furious, that they wanted to kill the Disciples right then and there.  Except for one member...a man named Gamaliel (you might remember that he was the teacher of Paul). 

I find it interesting that the writer of Acts makes a point to state that Gamaliel stood up.  You see, because he was revered by the members of the High Council, when he stood, they honored him with their respectful silence.  Gamaliel ordered the Disciples to be taken out of the chamber so he could address the Council.

He addressed the Council with these words, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men!"  You see, the people were listening to what the Disciples were teaching.  The people LIKED what they were teaching.  If the Council Members killed the Disciples, the people would have revolted and torn the Council Members to pieces.  So Gamaliel urged them to think the matter through.  In fact, he stated in verse 38, that if these Disciples were acting on their own, then they will prove themselves false and will be overthrown. 

Wise counsel....let them seal their own fate.  Yet Gamaliel goes even further in verse 39: "But if [their message] is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”  I, for one, have no desire to try to fight against God.