When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

When the European and American forces came against Hitler in World War II, they had an unlikely ally in Communist Russia. While the Russian way of governing and ruling over its people left plenty to be desired in comparison to democracies and republics, which were governed by the people or the people’s representatives, Communist Russia was definitely better than the dictatorship in Germany, trying to commit genocide against the Jews.

Here, in the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jewish people, an unlikely ally comes to the defense of the Apostles — Gamaliel. He reasoned with the rest of the rulers of the Sanhedrin, that they should let this preaching just play out. If it was of man, it would fail; but if it was of God they would not be able to stop it anyways.

This was a crucial point in the formation of the Church, and God leaned upon a Pharisee to stand up for the Apostles. What confidence we can have in God to come through in big (and somewhat unlikely) ways for us as we spread the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Lord, thank you for using an unlikely ally to accomplish your plan of continuing to spread the gospel throughout the world.