Philip the Arab and Christianity that appear—save for one reference to Ishmael—figure in the political history of the first three centuries of the Christian era. To Eusebius, the Saracens of the 4th century are direct-line descendants of the biblical Ishmaelites, descendants of the handmaid, Hagar, and the patriarch, Abraham. They are thus outcasts, beyond God's Covenant with the favored son of Abraham, Isaac. The twin images of the Ishmaelite and the Saracen—outcasts and "latrones", raiders of the frontiers—reinforce each other and give Eusebius' portrait of the Arab nation an unhappy color. He may have been reluctant to associate the first Christian emperor with a people
Ishmael ben Fabus been related to the biblical Elizabeth. His grandson is believed to have been Rabbi Ishmael of the sages, and he may have been related to the former High Priest, Joshua, son of Fabus. Ishmael ben Fabus Ishmael ben Fabus also known as "Ishmael ben Phiabi" () was a High Priest of Israel in the 1st century. He was High Priest of Israel from 15 CE to 16 CE and then again from 58 CE to 62 CE. He was appointed as High Priest by the Roman governor, Valerius Gratus, to replace the biblical Annas, and latter for a second term