Bible Question:
Does the mention of other people in the beginning of Paul's epistles suggest that they aided Paul in authorship of those epistles? 1 Cor. 1:1 - Sosthenes 2 Cor. 1:1 - Timothy Gal. 1:1 - 'all the brethren' or many stenographers Phil. 1:1 - Timothy Col. 1:1 - Timothy 1 Thess. - Silvanus and Timothy 2 Thess. - Silvanus and Timothy Philemon - Timothy Since these people are mentioned in the beginning of each book, does this mean that they were also stenographers? |
Bible Answer: Nolan, Hank's Famous Theory No. 166 states: "It is entirely possible that the great apostle Paul dictated many of his letters, or parts of them in any event. It is likewise possible that some of his companions, including those you cited, may have assisted him with the mechanics of putting his words down in writing. But the words were Paul's, or, more properly, they were Paul's words guided by, under the inpiration of, the Holy Spirit."...... I've always pictured Paul as a man literally bubbling over with zeal for the Lord Jesus, his words fervently tripping off his tongue, gushing out with such rapidity that they fairly well bumped into each other, so eager was he to spread the word of the gospel of Christ to the world. I would imagine that he would have presented quite a challenge to a secretary to pace with his verbal outpouring. --Hank |