11. “Compelled.” Strove to force them to “blaspheme,” deny Jesus, and regard Him as an impostor. In this, he generally failed, the majority of the Christian converts being so staunch and firm. Possibly some few from time to time may have weakly yielded and apostatized. “Punishing them” (22:19). “Yet more mad,” raging with all the fury of a maniac. “Foreign cities,” outside the confines of Judea. Damascus is specially known as one of them. He may have visited other foreign cities, as well, though