Subject: Multiple authors for Paul's epistles? |
Bible Note: Hi, Nolan - ANYTHING Expositor's says is explained in endless detail (it's a huge, multi-volume commentary.) In general, they say, "From the post-apostolic church to the present, with almost no exception, this letter has been credited to Paul. If the claim of the apostle to have written the Galatian and Corinthian letters is accepted, there is no reasonable basis for denying that he wrote Romans, since it echoes much of what is in the earlier writings, yet not slavishly." Specific to 16:22, they say, "At this point (v. 22) Tertius, Paul's amanuensis (the one who wrote down the letter at Paul's dictation; cf. 2Th 3:17), asks for the privilege of adding his personal greeting. We may be sure Paul carefully chose believers to write down his letters rather than public secretaries. We also may be sure that people like Tertius would undertake that task as work for the Lord." Matthew Henry agrees, although he only briefly discusses Tertius, describing him as a scribe who was honored to help Paul, because he (Paul) had "a bad hand" at writing. I hope this helps. Yours in Christ, Jim D. |