<p>22:3 <i>I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel<em>- </em></i>It is quite possible that Paul heard most of the speeches recorded in the Gospels, and saw many of the miracles. The reason is as follows. Every faithful Jew would have been in Jerusalem to keep the feasts three times per year. Jesus and Paul were therefore together in Jerusalem three times / year, throughout Christ's ministry. It can be demonstrated that many of the miracles and speeches of Jesus occurred around the feast times, in Jerusalem. Therefore I estimate that at least 70% of the content of the Gospels (including John) Paul actually saw and heard 'live'. Another indirect reason for believing that Paul had met and heard Jesus preaching is from the fact that Paul describes himself as having been brought up as a Pharisee, because his father had been one (Acts 23:6). Martin Hengel has shown extensive evidence to believe that the Pharisees only really operated in Palestine, centred in Jerusalem, where Paul was &ldquo;brought up&rdquo; at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). Hengel also shows that &ldquo;brought up&rdquo; refers to training from a young child. So whilst Paul was born in Tarsus, he was really a Jerusalem boy. Almost certainly he would have heard and known much about Jesus; his father may even have been amongst those who persecuted the Lord. See Martin Hengel, <em>The Pre-Christian Paul</em> (London: S.C.M., 1991).</p><p><em>Instructed </em><i>according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are this day<em>- </em></i>Paul says he was &quot;<em>taught</em> NEV &quot;instructed&quot; according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers&quot; by Gamaliel, receiving the highest wisdom possible in the Jewish world; but he uses the same word as Stephen in Acts 7:22, describing how Moses was <em>&quot;learned</em>&quot; in all the wisdom of Egypt. Remember he heard Stephen&rsquo;s speech live. Paul felt that he too had been through Moses' experience- once mighty in words as the rising star of the Jewish world, but now like Moses he had left all that behind in order to try to save a new Israel from Judaism and paganism. As Moses <em>consciously</em> rejected the opportunity for leading the 'world' of Egypt, so Paul probably turned down the chance to be High Priest. God maybe confirmed both him and Moses in their desire for humility by giving them a speech impediment (the &quot;thorn in the flesh&quot; which Paul was &quot;given&quot;, 2 Cor. 12:7?).</p>