In Acts 5 the apostles were arrested for teaching about Jesus. That night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”
That next day they were arrested again and brought before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. The apostles response to the high priest made the members of the Sanhedrin so mad that they wanted to kill them.
But one Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up. The distinction made of him being honored by all the people, speaks to his character. Gamaliel shares some insight with the other members of the Sanhedrin. He recalls two accounts where a person of influence created a following but as soon as he died the followers were dispersed (of course this is what they thought was going to happen when they killed Jesus, yet here are these men doing signs and wonders in his name). So he says,
“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.”
One man with a wise response can affect great change. Instead of the apostles being killed, they were flogged.