1 Frank D. Felker 31 July 2010 ENG 105 Dr.

Robert Vaughn, Instructor Pharisee of Pharisees It needs to be said in preface that the following is a total work of fiction. No veracity of content is intended or implied. What is intended is that all respect due the subject matter is accorded. The scene is set in Jerusalem in c. 32 AD, approximately 3 years after the trial and crucifixion of Yeshua of Nazareth. Saul of Tarsus is in his personal quarters and just finishing preparations for his trip to Damascus, to commence the next morning. It is too hot to sleep and Saul is pacing back and forth, reviewing in his mind a conversation that took place earlier in the day between himself and his old teacher and mentor, Gamaliel. Gamaliel is one of the most highly respected teachers of the Law and a member of the Council of the Jerusalem Temple. Saul was his student and himself a Pharisee, a sect of Jews, highly versed in, and adhering to, the Law. They also are believers in resurrection, in contrast to the Sadducees, another sect of the Jews at the time. Saul has also become the most active of the persecutors of The Way, a name for the followers and disciples of Yeshua. Saul, also known as Paul (probably due to duel Roman and Jewish citizenship), had just received letters of commission from the high priest to the synagogues of Damascus to detain and return followers of The Way, to Jerusalem for trial. Paul had gone to Gamaliel, excited and anxious to tell of his trip. Paul was dismayed to find his old teacher prepared to talk him out of his trip.

2 Paul had gone to Gamaliels dwelling, meeting him in the cooler part of the courtyard where palm trees shaded a large fountain. Paul was surprised to find, that, upon hearing his news, his old friend did not answer immediately, and when he did it was just one word, Why? Excuse me, Rabboni? It was the only thing he could think to say. What did he mean by, Why? The old man expanded on his question by wanting to know why Paul felt it was necessary to go to such extremes to punish these people. After all, he had asked, what was their crime? Believing in the resurrection of the dead? Paul was flabbergasted. Didnt he realize that these people were blasphemers, heretics, bent on destroying what they both had believed in all their lives? Now, after the stoning of their first martyr, Stephen, this band of lunatics was on the run. They were going into all the nations of the world, spreading their lies and filth to a new, unsuspecting audience. They had to be stopped! Before Paul could get the words out, Gamaliel asked a new, totally different, question. Did you ever meet this man, Yeshua, I am speaking of? and then, You are about his age, you know? You are few years younger, perhaps. He was really quite interesting. Of course, Paul had been in Jerusalem during Passover of 29 AD. His studies with Gamaliel were just coming to completion and, according to Jewish law and tradition; it was his obligation to be in the Holy City at that time. He could not help but keep up with the happenings in the city. The whole place was in turmoil. Part of the people even wanted to proclaim this Yeshua, king of the Jews. Another part was afraid they would and bring the Roman garrison down around their ears. Had he met him?! He would rather shake hands with Beelzebub, than meet him and told Gamaliel as much. Now, well, now it appeared his old friend was trying to talk him out of trying to stop these degenerates. Paul Just could just not understand his old teachers reasoning. Perhaps that was the case, old age. He could tell by looking at the edges of the

3 phylacteries on the wrinkled forehead, that were Gamaliel to take them off, the scars from the impression would be with him for the rest of his life. That was not the case though and Paul knew it. This old man was as clear headed and intelligent as he was 20 years previous when they had first met. Gamaliel had not tried to brow-beat Paul with insistence that he stay home. Instead he reasoned with him. He had asked Paul to remember the times they were living in. They were in the midst of Pax Roma, although some, especially Jewish zealots that did not consider it all that peaceful. Over the past years there had been many who claimed to be Messiah. Some years previously there had been a man named Theudas with a following of several hundred, he also was slain and his following fell apart. After this was another named Judas, he also died and never came to anything. Gamaliels reasoning was thus, if this Yeshua was nobody, a nothing, now that He had been put out of the way, His following would crumble and nothing more need be done. There was a caveat to this way of thinking. If this Yeshua was who He portended to be, Paul might find that he was fighting against God Himself. Paul was far from ignorant and argued his plaint with Scripture and Law. Was not the Messiah to be of the lineage of David and to be born in the town of Bethlehem, Davids own home? This man, Yeshua, came from Nazareth in Galilee. The Messiah was to reign as king, wresting power from the oppressors and returning it to the Jewish nation. This man spoke of peace and turning the other cheek. Most of all, yes, most of all, this man proclaimed to be the Son of God, putting Himself on an equal footing with God. Blasphemy! Gamaliel responded in kind; also quoting Scripture and the prophets. Brought up was Isaiah, prophesying concerning the Holy One of Israel being betrayed by His own. The teacher was not remiss by leaving out the many Psalms, by David himself proclaiming the Christ to be his own Lord. How then could the Messiah be the son of David? The discussion lasted from late

4 morning to early evening, with neither man gaining a convert. Each understood the others reasoning. Neither could deny the others logic or emotional appeal. There could be no real refutation of either persons argument. It ended in impasse. This, then, was what was rankling Paul. He loved his mentor and teacher. However, more than love, he respected the man and his beliefs. When it came to the Law, Paul would recognize no one as his better and it had been Gamaliel who had taught him. Any other man he could have shrugged off and never thought more of it. He knew also that he, Paul, had the respect of Gamaliel; for that reason, Gamaliel had not proclaimed Paul wrong, out of hand, rather they reasoned together as equals. Be all that as it may, it was now time for sleep. God willing tomorrow would bring the answers he required. Above all else, Paul believed and trusted in his God. God had never failed him and would not now at this crucial time in his life.

Resources The Holy Bible, NKJV, The Acts of the Apostles The New Compact Bible Dictionary, Bryant, Alton, T., Zondervan Publishing House, 1979

5 The Missing Books of the Bible, Vol.1, Halo Press, Ottenheimer Publishing, 1996