Jerusalem was the seat of what may be called the great Jewish
University. The Rabbins or teachers, united in themselves, not merely
the sources of Biblical and theological learning, but also the whole
system of instruction in that civil law, by which their nation were
still allowed to be governed, with only some slight exceptions as to
the right of punishment. There was no distinction, in short, between
the professions of divinity and law, the Rabbins being teachers of the
whole Mosaic system, and those who entered on a course of study under
them, aiming at the knowledge of both those departments of learning,
which, throughout the western nations, are now kept, for the most part,
entirely distinct. Saul was therefore a student both of theology and
law, and entered himself as a hearer of the lectures of one, who may,
in modern phrase, be styled the most eminent professor in the great
Hebrew university of Jerusalem. From him he learned the law and
the Jewish traditional doctrines, as illustrated and perfected by
the Fathers of the ♦Pharisaic order. His steady energy and resolute
activity were here all made available to the very complete attainment
of the mysteries of knowledge; and the success with which he prosecuted
his studies may be best appreciated by a minute examination of his
writings, which everywhere exhibit indubitable marks of a deep and
critical knowledge of all the details of Jewish theology and law. He
shows himself to have been deeply versed in all the standard modes of
explaining the Scriptures among the Hebrews,――by allegory,――typology,
accommodation and tradition. Yet though thus ardently drinking the
streams of Biblical knowledge from this great fountain-head, he seems
to have been very far from imbibing the mild and merciful spirit of
his great teacher, as it had been so eminently displayed in his sage
decision on the trial of the apostles. The acquisition of knowledge,
even under such an instructor, was, in Saul, attended with the somewhat
common evils to which a young mind rapidly advanced in dogmatical
learning, is naturally liable,――a bitter, denunciatory intolerance
of any opinions contrary to his own,――a spiteful feeling towards all
doctrinal opponents, and a disposition to punish speculative errors as
actual crimes. All these common faults were very remarkably developed
in Saul, by that uncommon harshness and fierceness by which he was so
strongly characterized; and his worst feelings broke out with all their
fury against the rising heretics, who, without any regular education,
were assuming the office of religious teachers, and were understood
to be seducing the people from their allegiance and due respect to
the qualified scholars of the law. The occasion on which these dark
religious passions first exhibited themselves in decided action against
the Christians, was the murder of Stephen, of which the details have
already been fully given in that part of the Life of Peter which is
connected with it. Of those who engaged in the previous disputes with
the proto-martyr, the members of the Cilician synagogue are mentioned
among others; and with these Saul would very naturally be numbered;
for, residing at a great distance from his native province, he would
with pleasure seek the company of those residents in Jerusalem who
were from Cilicia, and join with them in the study of the law and the
weekly worship of God. What part he took in these animated and angry
discussions, is not known; but his well-known power in argument affords
good reason for believing, that the eloquence and logical acuteness
which he afterwards displayed in the cause of Christ, were now made use
of, against the ablest defenders of that same cause. His fierce spirit,
no doubt, rose with the rest in that burst of indignation against the
martyr, who fearlessly stood up before the council, pouring out a flood
of invective against the unjust destroyers of the holy prophets of
God; and when they all rushed upon the preacher of righteousness, and
dragged him away from the tribunal to the place of execution, Saul also
was consenting to his death; and when the blood of the martyr was shed,
he stood by, approving the deed, and kept the clothes of them who slew
him.
♦ “Pharasaic” replaced with “Pharisaic”