2 Maccabees 2:21
19 The story of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar, 20 and further the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and his son Eupator, 21 and the appearances that came from heaven to those who fought bravely for Judaism, so that though few in number they seized the whole land and pursued the barbarian hordes, 22 and regained possession of the temple famous throughout the world, and liberated the city, and re-established the laws that were about to be abolished, while the Lord with great kindness became gracious to them— 23 all this, which has been set forth by Jason of Cyrene in five volumes, we shall attempt to condense into a single book.
Galatians 1:14
12 For I did not receive it or learn it from any human source; instead I received it by a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I was savagely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation, and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But when the one who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I could preach him among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from any human being,
Notes and References
"... Prior to the Maccabean period Ioudaios (Jew) had been a name used by foreigners for persons belonging to Judea. From the 2nd century BC, the name was accepted and used by the Jews themselves as a self-designation in place of the older “Israelite” and “Hebrew.” So used, it functioned to distinguish Jew from non-Jew (compare Romans 1:16; 2:9-10; 3:9, 29; 9:24; 10:12; Galatians 2:14-15; 3:28). The national religion was correspondingly called Ioudaismos (Judaism) (2 Maccabees 2:21; 8:1; 14:38). Hence, by Paul’s time, “Jew” would have been a label accepted with pride by his contemporaries (compare 4 Ezra 6:55-59). In Romans 2:17 Paul used Jew in this sense. Later, in writings such as the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of John, “Jew” came to mean, for the most part, establishment synagogue Judaism ..."
Talbert, Charles H. The Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary: Romans (p. 87) Smyth & Helwys, 2002