Gamaliel the Old one

Rabban Gamaliel the Old one ( haZaqen ) (or Gamliel , of Gamla, city of the Golan), grandson of Hillel, high ranking authority of the Judaism Pharisee, Tanned Mishna, Rabban Gamaliel is, as well with the eyes of the Judaïsme, as of the Chrétiens, a character of importance so high which it reaches sometimes the extent of the legend.

Grandson of Hillel, wire of Shimon Ben Hillel, married with the girl of Shimon Ben Nathanael ha Cohen, he becomes president of the Sanhédrin with died of Shammaï, task which will be taken again by his/her son Shimon II. Many descendants will bear its name, until a Gamaliel VI. He died towards 50 EC., before the destruction of the Temple.

Jewish tradition

Rabban Gamliel strews the pages with the Talmud (still that it is sometimes difficult to say about which Gamliel it is). Three letters were preserved of him: two relate to the dîme intended for the Temple, the third relates to the intercalation of the additional month of the embolismic year. Among the Mishnayot which are allotted to him, let us quote

( Pirké Avot 1,16): " Be caught a Master, moves away from the doubt and does not give the dîme by approximation".
(Treated Yevamot 16:7): “With regard to a remarriage, only one pilot can be enough to attest death of the first husband, if it provides with the reasonable evidence”.

Source: Mireille Hadas-Lebel: Hillel. Wise at the time of Jesus Albin-Michel, rééd.2005

Christian tradition

Gamaliel appears in the Acts of the Apostles. It would have intervened in their favor while they were to appear before the Sanhédrin to have continued to preach in spite of the prohibition enacted by the Jewish authority:

“a pharisee, named Gamaliel, doctor of the law, estimated of all the people, rose in the sanhédrin, and ordered to make leave one moment the apostles. Then he says to them: Hommes Israélites, take guard so that you will make with regard to these people. Because, it is not a long time which Theudas appeared, which was given for something, and to which approximately four hundred men joined: he was killed, and all those which had followed it were put in rout and reduced to nothing. After him, Judas Galiléen appeared, at the time of the census, and it attracted world with its party: he also perishes, and all those which had followed it were dispersed. And now, I say it to you you do not occupy more these men, and let suit them. If this company or this work comes from the men, it will be destroyed; but if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy it. Do not run the risk to have fought against God. ” (Ac 5,34-39).

The text also states that Paul de Tarse would have been its pupil, although there is no indication on this subject in the Epistles pauliniennes:

“I am Juif, born in Tarse in Cilicie; but I high in this city, and was informed with the feet of Gamaliel in exact knowledge of the law of our fathers, being full with zeal for God, as you all are to it today. ” (Ac 22,3)

A Christian tradition (Clement, Recognitiones , 1,65) lends to Gamaliel a secret conversion with the Christianisme with his/her son. Both would have been baptized at the same time as Nicodème by the Apôtre S Pierre and Jean. In the same spirit, the body of Gamaliel miraculeusement would have been miraculeusement found at the 5th century in the same tomb as Saint Etienne, Saint Nicodeme and of the son of Gamaliel, Abibas, is held also for saint by the catholics from his convertion with Christianity. Saint Etienne would rest since with Pisa in Italy.

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