One of the members of the Sanhedrim was a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a very learned man, much looked up to by all the Jews for his great wisdom. This man stood up, and having commanded the Apostles to be taken away for a short time, he spake to the other members of the Council, "and said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men." Then he reminded them, that on two former occasions, when false teachers had for a time led many of the people even to rebel against their rulers, it had ended in the false teachers being slain, and their followers dispersed, so that no evil consequences had arisen. He therefore advised that the Apostles should be left alone; "for," said he, "if this counsel or this work be of men" (an invention of men only), "it will come to nought: but if it be God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God." Gamaliel evidently began to think that what the Apostles said might be true, and that therefore, in persecuting them, the Jews might be fighting against God. To fight against God is to resist His will, to try to prevent what He wills from being done. This is folly as well as sin; for the Will of God must be done, and we "cannot overthrow it." Let us try to bring our Wills into subjection and agreement with the Will of God: where His Will contradicts our hopes and wishes, let us yield at once, and pray that we may at all times be able to say from our hearts, "Father, not my Will, but Thine be done." Those who through life resist, and fight against the Will of God, will be forced at last to submit to it, to their eternal misery. The other members of the Council agreed to follow the advice of Gamaliel; but they did not do so without making another attempt to frighten the Apostles from continuing their work. "And when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go." These commands had, of course, no more effect upon the Apostles than the former threats. "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." They felt it an honour to suffer for the sake of Him, Who had suffered so much for them, and were only strengthened in their determination to show their love, by faithfully doing the work which their beloved Master had given them to do. "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."