John Chrysostom

"I am a man," he says, "which am a Jew:" which thing they liked most of all to hear; "born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia." That they may not again think him to be of another nation, he adds his religion: "but brought up in this city." He shows how great was his zeal for the worship, inasmuch as having left his native city, which was so great and so remote too, he chose to be brought up here for the Law's sake. See how from the beginning he attached himself to the law. …

Homily on Acts 47 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

With such a beginning he paves the way for his speech: "I," he says, "am a Jew." To hear this was most pleasant of all for them. But lest they again think that he is a Jew by nationality and not by faith, he adds: "born in Tarsus of Cilicia, brought up in this city." He shows his great devotion to the faith, such that, having left so far away and so glorious a homeland, he desired to study the law here. …

Commentary on Acts ↗

Bede

Educated according to the truth, being a zealot of the paternal law. In Greek it is added more: Being a zealot of God, according to that in Romans: For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Retractions on Acts ↗