Damascus Jews' Reaction to Paul's Teaching and Plot

Sources

1. Acts “Acts 13:45 (YLT) — and the Jews having seen the multitudes, were filled with zeal, and did contradict the things spoken by Paul--contradicting and speaking evil.”
2. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Paul — (small, little). Nearly all the original materials for the life St. Paul are contained in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Pauline epistles. Paul was born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia. (It is not improbable that he was born between A.D. and A.D. 5.) Up to the time of his going forth as an avowed preacher of Christ to the Gentiles, the apostle was known by the name of Saul. This was the Jewish name which he received from his Jewish parents. But though a Hebrew of the Hebrews, he was born in a Gentile city. Of his parents we know nothing, except that his fathe”
3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Syria — Originally included Mesopotamia -- Ge 25:20; 28:5; De 26:5; Ac 7:2. More properly the country around Damascus -- 2Sa 8:6. Damascus the capital of -- Isa 7:8. Abana and Pharpar rivers of -- 2Ki 5:12. Governed by kings -- 1Ki 22:31; 2Ki 5:1. Inhabitants of Called Syrians. -- 2Sa 10:11; 2Ki 5:20. Called Syrians of Damascus. -- 2Sa 8:5. An idolatrous people. -- Jdj 10:6; 2Ki 5:18. A warlike people. -- 1Ki 20:23,25. A commercial people. -- Eze 27:18. Spoke the Syriack language. -- 2Ki 18:26; Ezr 4:7; Da 2:4. Israel followed the idolatry of -- Jdj 10:6. David Destr”
4. Dead Sea Scrolls “Damascus Document (Cairo Damascus) (c. 100 BCE (composition possibly earlier)), section 4: laws: "And they also defile the Temple, for they do not separate according to the Law, but lie with her who sees the blood of her discharge." Columns V-VIII: The New Covenant in the Land of Damascus Columns V-VI continue the legal and theological polemic, and Columns VII-VIII introduce the distinctive motif of the "New Covenant in the land of Damascus": "But all who have been brought into the covenant shall not enter the Temple to light His altar in vain. They shall be the ones who shut the door, as God ”
5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Paul — =Saul (q.v.) was born about the same time as our Lord. His circumcision-name was Saul, and probably the name Paul was also given to him in infancy "for use in the Gentile world," as "Saul" would be his Hebrew home-name. He was a native of Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia, a Roman province in the south-east of Asia Minor. That city stood on the banks of the river Cydnus, which was navigable thus far; hence it became a centre of extensive commercial traffic with many countries along the shores of the Mediterranean, as well as with the countries of central Asia Min”
6. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: liveth: but what? immediately he strictly expounded the doctrine—“that this is the Son of God. And all that heard him were amazed,” etc. ( v. 21 .) They were reduced to utter incredulity. And yet they ought not to have wondered only, but to worship and reverence. “Is not this he,” etc. He had not merely been a persecutor, but “destroyed them which called on this Name”—they did not say, “on Jesus;” for hatred, they could not bear even to hear His name—and what is more marvellous still, “and came hither for this purpose,” etc. “We cannot say, that he a”
7. Acts (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Acts 9:23: Luke here makes no mention of Paul's journey into Arabia, which he tells us himself was immediately after his conversion, Gal 1:16, Gal 1:17. As soon as God had revealed his Son in him, that he might preach him, he went not up to Jerusalem, to receive instructions from the apostles (as any other convert would have done, that was designed for the ministry), but he went to Arabia, where there was new ground to break up, and where he would have opportunity of teaching, but not learning; thence he returned to Damascus, and there, three years after his conversion, this h”
8. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: Homily XXI. Acts IX. 26, 27 “And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the Apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way.” One may well be much at a loss here to understand how it is that, whereas in the Epistle to the Galatians Paul says, “I went not to Jerusalem,” but “into Arabia” and “to Damascus,” and, “After three years I went up to Jerusalem,” and “to see Peter” ( Gal”
9. Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 9:22: 9:22-25 Despite the bewilderment of his hearers, Saul so compellingly presented the evidence for the claims of Jesus as Messiah that the non-believing Jews in Damascus found themselves unable to refute it. Apparently this went on for some time (see Gal 1:18), so some of the non-believing Jews launched a plot on his life, but he was spared when some believers let him down out of the city in a large basket. Paul recounts this incident in 2 Cor 11:32-33.”
10. CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: but willfully, well knowing what they did. For this we have the testimony of the Evangelist. “Many of the Jews believed on Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” ( John xii. 42, 43 .) And Christ again said to them, “How can ye believe, who receive honor one of another” ( John v. 44 .)? and the parents of the blind man “said these things for fear of the Jews, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.” ( John ix. 22 .) Nay the Jews themselves sa”
11. Acts (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Acts 9:23: And after many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him--Had we no other record than this, we should have supposed that what is here related took place while Saul continued at Damascus after his baptism. But in Gal 1:17-18 we learn from Paul himself that he "went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus," and that from the time of his first visit to the close of his second, both of which appear to have been short, a period of three years elapsed; either three full years, or one full year and part of two others. (See on Gal 1:16-18). Th”
12. Acts (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Acts 15:2: No small dissension and disputation - Paul and Barnabas were fully satisfied that God did not design to bring the converted Gentiles under the yoke of circumcision: they knew that Jesus Christ was the end of the law for righteousness (justification) to every one that believed, and therefore they opposed the Judaizing teachers. This was one of the first controversies in the Christian Church; but, though the difference of sentiment was considerable, it led to no breach of Christian charity nor fellowship among themselves. They determined that Paul, etc. - This verse is ”
13. Acts (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Acts 15 (introduction): Certain teachers from Judea insist on the necessity of the converted Gentiles being circumcised, Act 15:1. Paul and Barnabas are sent to Jerusalem to consult the apostles on this subject, Act 15:2. They come to Jerusalem, and inform the apostles of the conversion of the Gentiles; and of the trouble which certain Pharisees had occasioned concerning circumcision, Act 15:3-5. The apostles having assembled to consider the question, Peter delivers his opinion, Act 15:6-11. Barnabas and Paul relate their success among the Gentiles, Act 15:12. James delivers his”
14. Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 22:1: 22:1-21 Paul’s premier defense of his life and faith before his own people in Jerusalem illustrates his flexibility as a missionary, just as his speech to the Greek philosophers in Athens had done (17:22-31; see 1 Cor 9:20-23). Paul begins by recognizing his kinship with his people, explaining his Jewish background and training under the noted rabbi Gamaliel the Elder and describing his zealous desire to honor God in everything, which they shared (Acts 22:1-3). Paul then describes his persecution of Christians (22:4-5), the revelation of Jesus to him on the way to D”
15. Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 26:1: 26:1-23 In his eloquent defense before King Agrippa, Paul argued that his preaching was completely consistent with the Jewish faith. The defense begins with a courteous acknowledgement of Agrippa’s competence to hear the evidence (26:2-3), outlines the nature of Paul’s background, Jewish training, and membership in the Pharisees (26:4-5), and explains that the charges against him are merely for believing the fulfillment of Jewish hopes for the resurrection (26:6-8). Paul then tells the story of his conversion from strong opponent of Christianity (26:9-11) through a ”