I am verily a man who is a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as you all are this day.
Read Chapter 22
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
The scholars sat much below their master; and the nearest the master were such as had made the greatest proficiency. (Philo, de Essenis)
I am a man, he says, which am a Jew: which thing they liked most of all to hear; born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia. That they may not again think him to be of another nation, he adds his religion: but brought up in this city. (p. 282, note 4.) He shows how great was his zeal for the worship, inasmuch as having left his native city, which was so great and so remote too, he chose to be brought up here for the Law's sake. See how from the beginning he attached himself to the law. But this he says, not only to defend himself to them, but to show that not by human intent was he led to the preaching of the Gospel, but by a Divine power: else, having been so educated, he would not have suddenly changed. For if indeed he had been one of the common order of men, it might have been reasonable to suspect this: but if he was of the number of those who were most of all bound by the law, it was not likely that he should change lightly, and without strong necessity. But perhaps some one may say: To h...
