To join himself to, to be admitted to intimate fellowship and communion with, the disciples. They were all afraid of him; Paul was sufficiently known by name and face at Jerusalem, and many had felt his rage. And believed not that he was a disciple; but how could the disciples be ignorant of his conversion so long, if it was three years after, as it seems by Galatians 1:18 ? To answer which may be considered:
1. The great distance between Jerusalem and Damascus, six days journey.
2. The little correspondence between the kings of those places, Herod and Aretas.
3. The persecution which was at Jerusalem might hinder the converts of Damascus them going thither.
4. Paul might have spent a great part of the three years in his journey amongst the Arabians, of which before.