Letters of Paul

Letter Writing in the First Century

• Materials:

  • Papyrus — VERY fragile

• Amanuensis — wrote letters

• Paul’s letters probably weren’t word for word

• A deliverer was needed to send the messages

  • Made sure the letter was read to the congregation

  • Had to clarify the letter

  • Phoebe carried letter to Rome

• Scribes — copiers

  • Sometimes took freedom when copying over

• No original manuscripts of the letters exist

Form

• Salutation — “dear”

• Greeting — Identified authors

• Blessing/Prayer to Receiver

• Body

• Greetings from Other People

Pseudepigrapha

• Pseudepigrapha — who authored the letter/book

• Literal Authorship — the author wrote with their own hand, from their own mind the letter/book

• Dictation — the amanuensis/secretary had to write word for word what the author said

• Delegated Authorship — the amanuensis/secretary freedom in crafting the letter

  • Author would still read over the letter and sign off on it before sending it

• Posthumous Authorship — author dies before the letter is completed and the amanuensis/students would finish the letter

• Apprentice Authorship — a student or school continues to write letters in the name of the author after they dies

• Honorable Pseudepigrapha — admirers write in the authors name

• Forgery — writing in another name without any authority

Pseudepigrapha in the New Testament

• Anonymous Letters - Hebrews, 1-3 John

  • Text does not explicitly state author

  • Up for debate who wrote them

• Universally Accepted Letters - Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon

  • Most scholars agree to the idea of the stated author

• Disputed Letters - Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, James, 1&2 Peter, Jude

  • “Deutero-Pauline Letters” - authorship is questioned (in this case Paul) — Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus

Why is Authorship Questioned?

• Language and style differences

• Theological differences

  • Ex. Paul believes that Jesus is the foundation of faith and has little respect for “apostolic authority” (Galatians), but calls the disciples the foundation of the faith in Ephesians

• Historical Anachronisms

  • If the letter references things from after their death

• Biographical Material

  • Refer to something/an event in the author’s life that we have no record of them doing

    • Ex. (1 Timothy/Titus) author mentions visiting towns that Paul does not mention any where else

• Unreliability of Tradition

  • Church creates a tradition consensus that is wrong

    • Ex. Paul wrote Hebrews (early tradition), but nowadays scholars rarely believe that

Challenge to Faith?

• Not necessarily, because God used all sorts of people to further his faith, so why not someone who isn’t an apostle