SEV Biblia, Chapter 22:3
¶ Yo de cierto soy judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia, mas criado en esta ciudad a los pies de Gamaliel, enseado conforme a la verdad de la ley de la patria, celoso de la Ley, como todos vosotros sois hoy.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 22:3
Verse 3. I am verily a man which am a Jew] A periphrasis for, I am really a Jew: and his mentioning this adds weight to the conjecture in the preceding note. He shows that he could not be ignorant of the Jewish religion, as he had had the best instructer in it which Jerusalem could produce. Yet brought up, &c.] Bp. Pearce proposes that this verse should be thus read and translated: but brought up in this city; instructed at the feet of Gamaliel, according to the most exact manner, being exceedingly zealous for the law of our fathers, as ye all are this day.
Born in Tarsus] See the notes on chap. ix. 11; xxi. 39.
Feet of Gamaliel] See a full account of this man in the note on chap. v. 34.
It has been generally supposed that the phrase, brought up at the feet, is a reference to the Jewish custom, viz. that the disciples of the rabbins sat on low seats, or on the ground, whilst the rabbin himself occupied a lofty chair. But we rather learn, from Jewish authority, that the disciples of the rabbins stood before their teachers, as Vitringa has proved in his treatise Deuteronomy Synag. Vet. lib. i. p. 1, cap. 7. Kypke, therefore, contends that para touv podav, at the feet, means the same as plhsion, near, or before, which is not an unfrequent mode of speech among both sacred and profane writers. Thus, in chap. iv. 35, 37; v. 2, etiqoun para touv podav twn apostolwn, they laid it at the apostles' feet, means only, they brought it to the apostles. So in 2 Macc. iv. 7, para podav hdh ton fohn orwntev keimenon, they saw death already lying at their feet; that is, as the Syriac translator has properly rendered it, they saw death immediately before them. So Themistius, Or. 27, p. 341, who adds the term by which the phrase is explained, esti kai plhsion aei tw dunamenw lambanein, ante pedes id temper et prope est, illi qui accipere potest.
Also Lucian, Deuteronomy Conser. Hist. p. 669, wn para podav oi elegcoi. The refutation of which is at hand. The same kind of form occurs in the Hebrew, Exod. xi. 8: All the people that are at thy feet, ylgrb beragleica, i.e. who are with thee, under thy command, 2 Sam. xv. 16.
And the king went out, and all his household, wylgrb beraglaiv, at his feet; that is, with him, in his company. See Kypke. The phrase is used in the same sense among the Hindoos: I learned this at my father's feet-instead of, I learned it of my father. I was taught at the feet of such a teacher-my teacher's feet say so; meaning, simply, such and such persons taught me.
According to the perfect manner] That is, according to that strict interpretation of the law, and especially the traditions of the elders, for which the Pharisees were remarkable. That it is Pharisaism that the apostle has in view, when he says he was taught according to, akribeian, the most extinct manner, is evident; and hence, in chap. xxvi. 5, he calls Pharisaism akribestathn, the most exact system; and, under it, he was zealous towards God; scrupulously exact in every part of his duty, accompanying this with reverence to the supreme Being, and deep concern for his honour and glory.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. I am verily a man which am a Jew , etc.] By birth, a thorough genuine one; an Hebrew of the Hebrews, both by father and mother side, both parents being Jews, and so a true descendant from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia ; (see Gill on Acts 21:39). yet brought up in this city ; the city of Jerusalem; though Tarsus was the place of his birth, he had his education at Jerusalem: at the feet of Gamaliel ; of whom (see Acts 5:34) it was the custom of scholars among the Jews, to sit at the feet of their masters, when instructed by them; (see Deuteronomy 33:3) hence that saying of Jose ben Joezer f1129 ; let thy house be an house of resort for the wise men, and be thou dusting thyself, hylgr rp[b , with the dust of their feet: which by one of their commentators is interpreted two ways, either as if it was said that thou shouldst walk after them; for he that walks raises the dust with his feet, and he that goes after him is filled with the dust which he raises with his feet; or else that thou shouldst sit at their feet upon the ground, for so it was usual, that the master sat upon a bench, and the scholars sat at his feet upon the floor.
This latter sense is commonly understood, and adapted to the passage here, as illustrating it; though it may be, that the sense may only be this, that the apostle boarded in Gamaliels house, ate at his table, and familiarly conversed with him; which he modestly expresses by being brought up at his feet, who was a man that was had in great reverence with the Jews; and this sense seems the rather to be the sense of the passage, since his learning is expressed in the next clause; and since; till after Gamaliels time, it was not usual for scholars to sit when they learned; for the tradition is f1131 , that from the times of Moses to Rabban Gamaliel, they (the scholars) did not learn the law but standing; after Rabban Gamaliel died, sickness came into the world, and they learned the law sitting; and hence it is said, that after Rabban Gamaliel died, the glory of the law ceased.
It follows, [and] taught according to the perfect law of the fathers ; not the law which the Jewish fathers received from Moses, though Paul was instructed in this, but in the oral law, the Misna, or traditions of the elders, in which he greatly profited, and exceeded others, ( Galatians 1:14). And was zealous towards God ; or a zealot of God; one of those who were called Kanaim, or zealots; who in their great zeal for the glory of God, took away the lives of men, when they found them guilty of what they judged a capital crime; (see Matthew 10:4, John 16:2). The Vulgate Latin version reads, zealous of the law; both written and oral, the law of Moses, and the traditions of the fathers: as ye all are this day ; having a zeal for God, and the law, but not according to knowledge.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - The apostle addressed the enraged multitude, in the customary style of respect and good-will. Paul relates the history of his early life very particularly; he notices that his conversion was wholly the act of God Condemned sinners are struck blind by the power of darkness, and it is a lasting blindness, like that of the unbelieving Jews. Convince sinners are struck blind as Paul was, not by darkness, but by light They are for a time brought to be at a loss within themselves, but it is in order to their being enlightened. A simple relation of the Lord' dealings with us, in bringing us, from opposing, to profess and promot his gospel, when delivered in a right spirit and manner, will sometime make more impression that laboured speeches, even though it amounts no to the full proof of the truth, such as was shown in the change wrough in the apostle.
Greek Textus Receptus
εγω 1473 P-1NS μεν 3303 PRT ειμι 1510 5748 V-PXI-1S ανηρ 435 N-NSM ιουδαιος 2453 A-NSM γεγεννημενος 1080 5772 V-RPP-NSM εν 1722 PREP ταρσω 5019 N-DSF της 3588 T-GSF κιλικιας 2791 N-GSF ανατεθραμμενος 397 5772 V-RPP-NSM δε 1161 CONJ εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF πολει 4172 N-DSF ταυτη 3778 D-DSF παρα 3844 PREP τους 3588 T-APM ποδας 4228 N-APM γαμαλιηλ 1059 N-PRI πεπαιδευμενος 3811 5772 V-RPP-NSM κατα 2596 PREP ακριβειαν 195 N-ASF του 3588 T-GSM πατρωου 3971 A-GSM νομου 3551 N-GSM ζηλωτης 2207 N-NSM υπαρχων 5225 5723 V-PAP-NSM του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM καθως 2531 ADV παντες 3956 A-NPM υμεις 5210 P-2NP εστε 2075 5748 V-PXI-2P σημερον 4594 ADV
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. At the feet. Referring to the Jewish custom of the pupils sitting on benches or on the floor, while the teacher occupied an elevated platform. Gamaliel. One of the seven Rabbis to whom the Jews gave the title Rabban. Rab, "teacher," was the lowest degree; Rabbi, "my teacher," the next higher. and Rabban, "our teacher," the highest. Gamaliel was a liberal Pharisee. "As Aquinas among the schoolmen was called Doctor Angelicus, and Bonaventura Doctor Seraphicus, so Gamaliel was called the Beauty of the Law. He had no antipathy to the Greek learning. Candor and wisdom seem to have been features of his character" (Conybeare and Howson). See ch. v. 34 sq.Instructed (pepaideumenov). See on chastise, Luke xxiii. 16.
According to the perfect manner (kata akribeian). Lit., according to the strictness. See on perfect understanding, Luke i. 3; and diligently, Acts xviii. 25. Compare, also, Acts xviii. 26; xxvi. 5.
Zealous (zhlwthv). Or a zealot. On the word as a title, see on Mark iii. 18.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
22:3 {I am a Jew} (egw eimi aner ioudaios). Note use of egw for emphasis. Paul recounts his Jewish advantages or privileges with manifest pride as in #Ac 26:4f.; 2Co 11:22; Ga 1:14; Php 3:4-7. {Born} (gegennemenos). Perfect passive participle of gennaw. See above in #21:39 for the claim of Tarsus as his birth-place. He was a Hellenistic Jew, not an Aramaean Jew (cf. #Ac 6:1). {Brought up} (anateqrammenos). Perfect passive participle again of anatrefw, to nurse up, to nourish up, common old verb, but in the N.T. only here, #7:20ff., and MSS. in #Lu 4:16. The implication is that Paul was sent to Jerusalem while still young, "from my youth" (#26:4), how young we do not know, possibly thirteen or fourteen years old. He apparently had not seen Jesus in the flesh (#2Co 5:16). {At the feet of Gamaliel} (pros tous podas gamaliel). The rabbis usually sat on a raised seat with the pupils in a circle around either on lower seats or on the ground. Paul was thus nourished in Pharisaic Judaism as interpreted by Gamaliel, one of the lights of Judaism. For remarks on Gamaliel see chapter #5:34ff. He was one of the seven Rabbis to whom the Jews gave the highest title rabban (our Rabbi). Rabbi (my teacher) was next, the lowest being Rab (teacher). "As Aquinas among the schoolmen was called _Doctor Angelicus_, and Bonaventura _Doctor Seraphicus_, so Gamaliel was called _the Beauty of the Law_" (Conybeare and Howson). {Instructed} (pepaideumenos). Perfect passive participle again (each participle beginning a clause), this time of paideuw, old verb to train a child (pais) as in #7:22 which see. In this sense also in #1Ti 1:20; Tit 2:12. qen to chastise as in #Lu 23:16,22 (which see); #2Ti 2:25; Heb 12:6f. {According to the strict manner} (kata akribeian). Old word, only here in N.T. Mathematical accuracy, minute exactness as seen in the adjective in #26:5. See also #Ro 10:2; Gal 1:4; Php 3:4-7. {Of our fathers} (patrwiou). Old adjective from pater, only here and #24:14 in N.T. Means descending from father to son, especially property and other inherited privileges. patrikos (patrician) refers more to personal attributes and affiliations. {Being zealous for God} (zelwtes huparcwn tou qeou). Not adjective, but substantive {zealot} (same word used by James of the thousands of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, #21:20 which see) with objective genitive tou qeou (for God). See also verse #14; 28:17; 2Ti 1:3 where he makes a similar claim. So did Peter (#Ac 3:13; 5:30) and Stephen (#7:32). Paul definitely claims, whatever freedom he demanded for Gentile Christians, to be personally "a zealot for God"even as ye all are this day" (kaqws pantes humeis este semeron). In his conciliation he went to the limit and puts himself by the side of the mob in their zeal for the law, mistaken as they were about him. He was generous surely to interpret their fanatical frenzy as zeal for God. But Paul is sincere as he proceeds to show by appeal to his own conduct.
