Acts 5:34

But there stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in honor of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while.

Regarding Gamaliel:

Josephus the Jewish historian tells us that the party of the Pharisees was small in number but commanded such popularity and influence among the people that the Sadducees dared not take any action that the Pharisees opposed. The influence of Gamaliel's advice reflects that situation.[39]

Furthermore, Gamaliel himself was a man of heroic stature among the Jews of that generation. Saul of Tarsus had been his pupil. (Acts 22:3); and he was widely hailed as the greatest teacher of the Law in his day. Lightfoot further embellished the reputation of Gamaliel by affirming that he was the son of that Simon who took the Saviour in his arms (Luke 2), and the grandson of the famous Hillel. He is said to have died eighteen years after Jerusalem was destroyed, and that he died, as he had lived, a Pharisee.[40]

It is a mistake to view Gamaliel as any true friend of the apostles, his advice in the instance before us being founded utterly upon policy, rather than upon any belief of the truth which the apostles proclaimed.

[39] Everett J. Harrison, op. cit., p. 401.

[40] Albert Barnes, op. cit., p. 104.