Background for Paul's Letters
Potential avenues for discussion:
How many letters did Paul send?
Although the true total number of letters that Paul wrote are lost to time, we do know that there are, at minimum, a handful of additional letters that Paul sent based on the biblical epistles. There were a couple of letters to the church in Corinth, a letter sent to the Ephesians before the letter we have to the Ephesians, and another to a community in Laodicea. But even beyond these known letters, Paul must have written dozens more trying to stay in touch with the estimated 14 churches that he started. In an age where sending letters was no easy thing, Paul consistently went above and beyond trying to share Jesus' love with everyone he could.
How does it feel to receive a letter?
Although receiving snail mail has always been a special thing, it has taken on a whole new meaning in this age of e-mail, text, and other digital communications. Paul's letters served many functions: they were instructions for the early church, yes, but they were also a way to stay in touch, to send well wishes, and to create community. As we think about why Paul wrote letters to others today, we and our kids can reflect on similarities to the ways in which we are in a similar time of physical distance just like Paul was! By reaching out to others, by sharing our love, and even by writing letters, we are able to build up each other and remind connected even from afar.
Digging Deeper:
Ongoing debates about Pauline authorship
Debates about who wrote various books of the Bible has been an age-old question - early church writers were debating this already by the mid-2nd century! In the case of Paul, though, one of the ongoing challenges has been the known 1st century practice of pseudepigrapha. In English: later writers would attribute their work to important figures from the past to give them authority. This practice understandably complicates questions about which letters were authentic to Paul, while determining which letters came from later writers. Here's what scholars look for to determine authenticity:
Language and Writing Style
Although the language that we use in our daily writing might change based on who we are writing to, scholars have found that things like grammar and syntax remain relatively constant among things that we write. Scholars of Pauline authorship always take a close look at the grammar, idioms, and sentence structure of the epistles to help determine how closely they resemble other letters that Paul wrote.
Theological Content
Although our thinking does inevitably change and evolve over time, scholars are always interested in major divergences from things that seem to be core to Paul's early theology. For example: in 1 Thessalonians (almost certainly Paul's earliest letter) there is a clear, repeated view that Jesus will be returning at any moment. In 2 Thessalonians, however, the author does not share this view and instead sees Jesus' return as contingent on several events taking place first, writing against the view that Jesus could return quickly. Now, if Paul indeed wrote both, his thinking/understanding may have evolved... but you can understand why it raises questions
Wider Historical Context
Although not conclusive in their own right, scholars also look for hints of later history or later theology within the "disputed" letters. Examples of this include language that seems to suggest a highly developed church hierarchy (which almost certainly did not exist in Paul's day) or elements of Gnosticism (a Hellenistic, knowledge-based religious understanding that would become influential in the 2nd century).
Undisputed Letters of Paul (meaning: Paul wrote it):
First Thessalonians, Galatians, First Corinthians, Second Corinthians, Philippians, Philemon, Romans
Disputed Letters of Paul (meaning: Paul maybe wrote it):
Colossians, Ephesians, 2 Thessalonians
Likely Pseudepigraphic (meaning: Paul didn't write it):
First Timothy, Second Timothy, Titus, Hebrews
How many letters did Paul send?
Although the true total number of letters that Paul wrote are lost to time, we do know that there are, at minimum, a handful of additional letters that Paul sent based on the biblical epistles. There were a couple of letters to the church in Corinth, a letter sent to the Ephesians before the letter we have to the Ephesians, and another to a community in Laodicea. But even beyond these known letters, Paul must have written dozens more trying to stay in touch with the estimated 14 churches that he started. In an age where sending letters was no easy thing, Paul consistently went above and beyond trying to share Jesus' love with everyone he could.
How does it feel to receive a letter?
Although receiving snail mail has always been a special thing, it has taken on a whole new meaning in this age of e-mail, text, and other digital communications. Paul's letters served many functions: they were instructions for the early church, yes, but they were also a way to stay in touch, to send well wishes, and to create community. As we think about why Paul wrote letters to others today, we and our kids can reflect on similarities to the ways in which we are in a similar time of physical distance just like Paul was! By reaching out to others, by sharing our love, and even by writing letters, we are able to build up each other and remind connected even from afar.
Digging Deeper:
Ongoing debates about Pauline authorship
Debates about who wrote various books of the Bible has been an age-old question - early church writers were debating this already by the mid-2nd century! In the case of Paul, though, one of the ongoing challenges has been the known 1st century practice of pseudepigrapha. In English: later writers would attribute their work to important figures from the past to give them authority. This practice understandably complicates questions about which letters were authentic to Paul, while determining which letters came from later writers. Here's what scholars look for to determine authenticity:
Language and Writing Style
Although the language that we use in our daily writing might change based on who we are writing to, scholars have found that things like grammar and syntax remain relatively constant among things that we write. Scholars of Pauline authorship always take a close look at the grammar, idioms, and sentence structure of the epistles to help determine how closely they resemble other letters that Paul wrote.
Theological Content
Although our thinking does inevitably change and evolve over time, scholars are always interested in major divergences from things that seem to be core to Paul's early theology. For example: in 1 Thessalonians (almost certainly Paul's earliest letter) there is a clear, repeated view that Jesus will be returning at any moment. In 2 Thessalonians, however, the author does not share this view and instead sees Jesus' return as contingent on several events taking place first, writing against the view that Jesus could return quickly. Now, if Paul indeed wrote both, his thinking/understanding may have evolved... but you can understand why it raises questions
Wider Historical Context
Although not conclusive in their own right, scholars also look for hints of later history or later theology within the "disputed" letters. Examples of this include language that seems to suggest a highly developed church hierarchy (which almost certainly did not exist in Paul's day) or elements of Gnosticism (a Hellenistic, knowledge-based religious understanding that would become influential in the 2nd century).
Undisputed Letters of Paul (meaning: Paul wrote it):
First Thessalonians, Galatians, First Corinthians, Second Corinthians, Philippians, Philemon, Romans
Disputed Letters of Paul (meaning: Paul maybe wrote it):
Colossians, Ephesians, 2 Thessalonians
Likely Pseudepigraphic (meaning: Paul didn't write it):
First Timothy, Second Timothy, Titus, Hebrews