Shalom Yankev,

It's great to hear from you! I would understand that the key issue is not when Rebbi Yehoshua was elevated to Nasi, but rather the timing relative to the deposition of Raban Gamliel and the appointment of Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah. I don't know for certain, but I have a suggestion as follows.

We know that Chazal derive conclusions from the order in which people are listed. A classic example is the burial of Avraham (Bereishis 25:9), where the Torah says that Yitzchak and Yishmael buried Avraham, even though Yishmael was older. Chazal (Bava Basra 16b) infer from this that Yishmael deferred to Yitzchak, acknowledging his spiritual superiority and thereby repenting.

Applying a similar principle here: in Makos 24b, the traveling Sages are listed as Raban Gamliel, Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah, Rebbi Yehoshua, and Rebbi Akiva. In Berachos 27b-28a, however, when Raban Gamliel was deposed, the Chachamim first considered Rebbi Yehoshua as a candidate to be Nasi but rejected him because he had been involved in the incident. They then considered Rebbi Akiva but rejected him because he lacked sufficient ancestral merit. Finally, they appointed the young Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah, who was only eighteen at the time.

If the episode in Makos had taken place before this event, it would be difficult to explain why the story in Makos lists Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah before Rebbi Yehoshua and Rebbi Akiva, who in Berachos were considered more obvious senior candidates for Nasi. By analogy to the inference made regarding Yitzchak and Yishmael, it may be reasonable to suggest that the Makos episode occurred after Raban Gamliel was deposed and Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah had already been elevated to be Nasi.

This also explains why Raban Gamliel is still listed first: as Berachos 28a describes, Raban Gamliel and Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah alternated serving as Nasi (three weeks Raban Gamliel, one week Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah), so Raban Gamliel retained a unique senior status. Thus, the ordering -- Raban Gamliel, Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah, Rebbi Yehoshua, Rebbi Akiva -- would seem to fit naturally if the episode occurred after Raban Gamliel's deposition.

May you continue to attain greatness in Torah and Yir'as Shamayim!

Bi'Verachah,

Yishai Rasowsky