great culture, for it was the seat of the third university of the world. There were many learned professors there, whose students were much sought after as tutors and professors in other places. In studying the character and life of Paul it is of the utmost importance to remember that he grew up in the atmosphere of a great and busy city, for it greatly influenced him in many ways. His cosmopolitan culture he owed to the influence of his training and surroundings in Tarsus. It was always easy for him to associate with all classes, with the cultured and refined as well as with the common people. He could deal with men, with individuals, and with the masses. In his letters, his politeness and thoughtfulness for others are everywhere apparent. He knew how to turn a compliment and say pleasant things to those whom he wished to win. It is impossible not to see a great difference between him and the Twelve in this respect, and this is due largely to the fact· that he was a child of the city, while they were of the country.

He is known to us by two names, Saul and Paul. A good deal of ingenuity has been expended in trying to explain why he is called Saul up to a certain place in the Acts (xiii. 9), and after that, with rare exceptions, Paul. Most writers have supposed that he actually changed his name; but that is extremely improbable, and the difficulty is easily explained in another way. It was common for the Jews, especially those who lived in the

Diaspora, to have two names, the one Jewish, the other Greek; and often these two were much alike in sound. One who bore the name of Joshua would also be called Jason. Undoubtedly Paul bore both names from his childhood. It is not to be supposed that the author of the Acts wrote this book simply from his own knowledge of the events or from hearsay. He himself tells us in the prologue to his Gospel that he had used written sources in its composition, and as in the Acts he narrates events that were far apart in both time and place, it is very probable that he would look about for written sources for this work also. The first chapters of the Acts differ from the later ones, and there are several peculiarities which make it probable that he got much of his information from an Aramaic writing which was a narrative of some of the events in Palestine, and in this the name Saul was used. But later, as he labored more and more among the heathen, he made use exclusively of the name Paul. The same thing is apparent in the case of John Mark. At first both his names are given, but later he is simply called Mark, because, as he was among the heathen, his Jewish name dropped out of use. A similar example is found in Col. iv. 11, where Jesus is said also to have had the name of Justus.

The time of his birth and consequently his age are unknown. There are only two passages that give any hint as to how old he was. At the

time of the violent death of Stephen, probably 33 or 34, he is spoken of as a "young man," a term which was generally applied to those between eighteen and thirty years of age. But in common speech it was by no means used with such exactness that we can conclude that Paul was no more than thirty nor less than eighteen. In his letter to Philemon (ver. 9) written about 62 A. D., he speaks of himself as "Paul the aged." It is scarcely probable that he would use such language of himself unless he was at least fifty years old; but the expression is indefinite, and apparently Paul applied it to himself in a half-playful way.

Although a Jew he was a Roman citizen;1 that is, he had all the rights which an inhabitant of Rome possessed. We do not know how his father obtained this right, whether by service or by purchase. Of his family we know almost nothing. He had a sister who lived at Jerusalem; or, at least, her son was there. His parents were of the tribe of Benjamin, and although living among the heathen, seem to have remained Jews of the strictest sort. More than once Paul speaks of his early life and training, and always emphasizes the fact that he had been brought up in accordance with the strictest rules of Phariseeism. He was one of those Pharisees who with his whole heart endeavored to keep the law.

Although he lived in a university city, his education was wholly Jewish. The Phariseeism of his 1 Acts xvi. 37, xxii. 28, and elsewhere.

family would prevent his mingling with the students and professors of a heathen school. Moreover, he does not in his writings show any trace of the Greek education of the period. To be sure, he quotes the Greek poets. "For we are also his offspring" (Acts xvii. 28) is a line from Aratus, a Cilician, and therefore a countryman of Paul. And Cleanthus of Mysia had also given expression to the same thought. "Evil company doth corrupt good manners" (1 Cor. xv. 33) is a quotation from Menander. And the very uncomplimentary saying about the Cretans is from Epimenides: "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons" (Titus 1-12). But three quotations from Greek poets by no means prove that he had a Greek education. In the first place, they are all of a proverbial character, and likely to be in every one's mouth, just as Shakespeare is quoted every day by many who have never read one of his plays. Besides, it must be remembered that Paul had been for years associating in the most intimate way with Greeks, and it would be strange indeed if he had not become master of many such quotations which were so commonly used. This was by no means a Greek education, for that consisted in the study of philosophy, literature, and rhetoric. His style is Aramaic rather than Greek. It is far from elegant, and lacks clearness. He piles up words after the Aramaic fashion in such a way that it is almost impossible to tell what their connection and relation are. From his style, one would almost be

persuaded to believe that he always thought in Aramaic, and had to translate it into Greek.

His

It was determined that he should become a Rabbi, and for the purpose of completing his education he went to Jerusalem, where he chose for his instructor Gamaliel, who was famous as one of the most liberal and learned Rabbis of his times. But whatever else he may have got from his teacher, he did not get his moderate discriminating spirit. As a Hellenist Rabbi, he studied the Old Testament in both Hebrew and Greek. quotations from the Old Testament correspond more closely to the Greek text of the Septuagint than to the Hebrew text. The Aramaic translations of the Old Testament existed orally, though probably they had not yet been reduced to writing. He got something from these, for in Gal. iii. 19, he speaks of the law as having been "ordained through angels," a fact which is not stated in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, but is an addition which is found in the Targums. Again in Gal. iv. 29, he says that Esau persecuted Jacob, which is also an addition that is found in the Targums, but not in the Hebrew. He heard also from his teacher the traditional exegesis, which consisted mainly in repeating what former noted Rabbis had said. Each teacher quoted the opinions of others and then added his own. As a debater he has seldom been equaled. His skill in reasoning is astonishing; he heaps up arguments in the most prodigal way, as if he knew that his supply was unlimited.