Canonical Authority of Paul's Epistles
The fourteen epistles of Paul constitute a “very large and very important part of the canon of the New Testament, and the evidence of their canonical authority is complete. Indeed, no question has ever been agitated respecting the divine authority of any one of them; but as his name is prefixed to all, except the epistle to the Hebrews, it has been doubted whether indeed it was written by Paul. After a thorough investigation, however, the Church, both in the east and west, settled down in the full belief that this apostle was the writer.
Clement of Rome, in an epistle to the Corinthians, refers expressly to one of Paul’s epistles to the same people. “Take,” says he, “into your hands, the epistle of blessed Paul the aposlle. What did he at first write to you in the beginning of the gospel? V’ erily he did by the Spirit admonish you concerning himself, Cephas, and Apollos, because that even then ye did form parties.”* There are, in the epistle of Clement, several other passages cited from Paul, but this is the only one where his name is mentioned.
Hermas and Ignatius also cite words from Paul’s epistles, but without designating the book from which they are taken. And Polycarp, the martyr, and dis iiple of John, when condemned to death, wrote an ey)istle to the Philippians, in which he makes express mention of Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians, and cites the apostle’s words: “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?! as Paul teaches.” This venerable and apostolical father, in the same epistle, quotes a passage from Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians as Scripture. “For I trust,” says he,” that ye are well exercised in the Holy Scriptunjs, as in these E)>ist. Clem llom ad Cor. •’ 1 Cor. vi. 2.
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Scriptures it is said, ‘Be ye angry and sni not; Ist not the Sim go down upon your wrath.’ ‘** He also cites passages from the second epistle to the Corinthians, from the epistle to the Galatians, from the first and second to the Thcssalonians, from the epistle to the Hebrews, and from both of Paul’s epistles to Timothy. But as was customary at that time, he does not refer to the book from which his citation iii any particular instance is made.
Justin Martyr quotes many texts from Paul’s epistles, and in the very words of the apostle, but does noi mention his name, or the title of the epistle from which he makes his citations. Irenseus quotes passages from all the epistles of Paul, except the short letter to Philemon. It would fill too much space to put down all the texts cited by this father. Let the following suffice.t” This same thing Paul has explained, writing to the Romans, ‘Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, separated to the Gospel of God.’ J Again writing to the Romans, he says, ‘Whose are the fathers, and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came, who is God over all blessed for evermore.’§. This also Paul manifestly proves in his epistle to the Corinthians, saying, ‘Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud.’|| Paul, in his second epistle to the Corinthians, says, ‘In whom the god of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not.’IT The Apostle Paul says, in his epistle to the Galatians, ‘Wherefore then serveth the law of works? It was added until the seed should come to whom the promise was made.’** As also blessed Paul says in his epistle to the Ephesians, ‘For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.’tt As also Paul says to the Philippians, I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a swert smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing unto G d.’Jf Again, Pau.
Ephes. iv. 26. § Rom. ix. 5. Gal. iii. 19.
t Iren. adv. Hacret. 1 Cor. x. 1. tt Ephes. v. 30.
t Rom. i. 1. ^2 Cor. iv. 4. U Phil. iv. 13.
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says, ill his epistle to the Colossians, ‘Luke, the t)elovcd ])hysiciaii, salutelh you.’* The apostle, in the fiist epistle to the Thessaloniaus, says, ‘And the God of peace sanctify you wholly.’! And again in the second epistle to the Thessaloniaus, speaking of antichrist, says, ‘And then shall that wicked o.ie be revealed.” X Ii the beginning of his work against heresies, he says, “Whereas some having rejected the truth, bring in lying words, and ’ vain genealogies rather than godly edifying, which is in faith, as saith the apostle.’ “§ The first epistle to I’imothy is very often quoted in the above work. When speaking of Linus, he says, “Of this Linus Paul makes mention in his epistle to Timothy, ‘Eu-Dulus greeteth th’^e, and Pudens, and Linus.’ As Paul says, ‘A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition reject.’ “If
Thus Irenceus, who lived in the age next after that of the apostles, and who had conversed with men who had seen some of them, refers as familiarly and frequently to the writings of Paul, as we are accustomed to do now. The epistle to the Hebrews lie does not cite in any of his writings, which are now extant, though Eusebius informs us that he had seen a work of his in which there are citations from this epistle; but he does not say that he quoted them as fr:im Paul. Probably he partici,pated in the prejudice o’ the western Church respecting the author of this epistle.
The epistles of Paul are quoted by Athenagoras, who lived in the second century; also, many times by Clement of Alexandria. A few examples only nred be here adduced.” The apostle, in the epistle to the Romans, says, ‘Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God.’** The blessed Paul, in the first epistle to the Corinthians, says, ‘Brethren, be not children in understanding; howbeit in malice be ye
Col. iv. 4. II 2 Tim. iv. 21.
t 1 TIkss. v. 23 Til. iii. 10. Sec Lard. Vol. Ill
2 Thess. ii. 8. Rom. ix.
§ 1 Tim. i. 4.
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children, but in understanding be men.’* The iipos tie, says he, calls the common doctrine of faith ‘a. sa. your of knowledge.’! Hence also Paul says, ‘Havmg these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse our hearts from all fihhiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.’J Whereupon Paul also writing to the Galatians, says, ‘My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.’§ The blessed apostle says, ‘I tesify in the Lord that ye walk not as other Gentiles walk.’ll Again, ‘Submitting yourselves to one another in the fear of God.’ “IF He also quotes the epistle to the Philippians expressly; and in another place he refers to it in the following manner: “The apostle of the Lord also exhorting the Macedonians, says, ‘The Lord is at hand; take heed that we be not found empty.’” He also cites Paul’s epistle to the Colossians and to the Thessalonians. And from the first epistle to Timothy he takes the following ATords: “0 Timothy, keep that which is committed iO thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called, which some preferring have erred concerning the faith.”** On which he observes, that heretics reject both epistles to Timothy. The epistle to Titu?; is quoted several times; and in one place he remarks, “That Paul had cited Epimenides the Cretan, in his epistle to Titus, after this manner, ‘One of themselves, a poet of their own, said, the Cretans are always liars.’ “tt This father of the second century also distinctly quotes the epistle to the Hebrews, and unhesitatingly ascribes it to Paul. “Wherefore writing to the Hebrews, who were decHning from the faith, Paul says, ‘Have ye need that any teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are such as lave reed of milk and not strong meat?’ “Xt
Tertullian, who also wrote in the second century ‘iirnishes many testimonies in favou” of Paul’s epis
* 1 Cor xiv. 20. § Gal. iv. 19. 1 Tim. v:. SO, 21
t 2 Cor ii. 14. Ephes. iv. 17, 18. tt Tit. ii. 12, 13.
t 2 Coi vii. 1. H Phil. iv. 5. tt Heb. v. 12.
lies. He expressly refers to Romans ix.,’5, where Christ is called “(iod over all, blessed for evermore,” which he interprets as we do now. In his treatise on monogamy he computes, that one hundred and sixty years had elapsed since Paul wrote his epistle to the Corinthians. He speaks also of the second epistle to the Corinthians, and of the opinion entertained by some, that it was the same person who was here forgivrui, who, in the first epistle, was ordered to be “delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.’ “But of this,” says he, “no more need be said, if i “s the same Paul who writing to the Galatians reckons heresy among the works of the flesh; and who directs Titus to reject a man who was a heretic after the first admonition, ‘knowing that he that is such, is subverted and sinneth, being condemned of himself’“* “I pass,” says he, “to another epistle, which we have inscribed to the Ephesians, but the heretics to the Laodiceans.” “According to the true testimony of the Church, we suppose this epistle to have been sent to the Ephesians, and not to the laodiceans, but Marcion has endeavoured to alter this inscription, upon pretence of having made a more diligent search into this matter.” “‘But,” says he, “the inscriptions are of no value, for the apostle wrote to all when he wrote to some.” Paul to the Galatians says, “For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.“t To the Philippians he says,” If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead; not as though T had already attained or were already perfect. “J And writing to the Colossians he expressly cautions them against philosophy: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, and not after the instruction of the Spirit.“§ And in his epistle to the Thessalonians, the apostles adds,” But of the times and seasons brethren ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly, that tha day of the Lord so
Tit i. 10. i Phil. iii. II. 12.
t Gal. V 5. i Col. u. 8.
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Cometh as a thief in the night.“* And iii his seconc epistle to the same poople he writes with greater solicitude. ‘• But I beseech you. brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye be not soon shaken in mind nor troubled.”! And this charge Pau- has given to Timothy: “0 Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust.”!
That remarkable passage of Tertullian, already referred to, in which he is supposed to speak of the autographs of Paul’s epistles, may appropriately be cited in this place, to show that he did certainly write to those churches to which his epistles are now inscribed. “Well,” says he, ‘■’ if you be willing to exercise your curiosity profitably in the business of your salvation, visit the apostolical churches, in which the very chairs of the apostles still preside, in which their truly authentic letters are recited, sending forth the voice and representing the countenance of each one of them. Is Achaia near you? you have Corinth. If you are not far from iSlacedonia, you have Philippi; you have Thessalonica. If you can visit Asia, you have Ephesus. And if you are near to Italy, you have Rome, from whence also you may be easily satisfied.”^
Origen quotes Paul’s epistles as expressly and frequently as any modern writer. To transcribe all the testimonies which might be taken from this author, would fill a volume, and would require us to set down the greater part of all Paul’s epistles. In one passage in his work against Celsus, he refers to several of them in the following manner. “Do you first of all explain the epistles of him who says these things, and having diligently read and attended to the sense of the words there used, particularly in that to the Ephesians, to the Thessalouians, to the Philippiaus, to the Romans, &c.”|l Origen believed that the epistle to the Ephesians was addressed to the Church 3f Ephesus, for he cites it under that name. And he uniformly ascribes the epistle to the Hebrews to
i 2 Thess. ii. 1, 2. Dc Pracscriptione, c. xxjcvi. p. 245.
Paul, from which he quotes many passages. And he not only expresses his own opinion on this point, out delivers the current opinion which had come down from the fathers who preceded him. His words are, “for it is not without reason that the ancients have handed it down to us as Paul’s.” Considering the nearness of Origen to the times of the apostles, and that he resided near the people to whim it was sent, perhaps in the very city, and that his knowledge of ecclesiastical and biblical matters waj more extensive than that of any other man, his testimony that this epistle belongs to Paul ought to be decisive; especially as it is corroborated by that of rill the Greek fathers. Eusebius, indeed, while he admits its canonical authority, expresses some doubt about its authorship; yet in his writings he often quotes it as Paul’s.
Cyprian, Victorinus, Dionysius of Alexandria, Novaius, and Methodius, who all lived in the third century, refer frequently to Paul’s epistles;* but we deem it superfluous to cite further testimonies on this subject, except the full and decisive testimony of Jerolne, than whom a more competent witness could not be found. This father, in speaking of the writmgrt of Paul, says, “He wrote nine epistles to seven churches. To the Romans one; to the Corinthians two; to the Galatians one; to the Philippians one; to the Colossians one; to the Thessalonians two; to the Ephesians one; to Timothy two; to Titus one; to Philemon one. But the epistle to the Hebrews is not thought to be his, because of the difference of argument and style; but rather Barnabas’s, as Tertullian thought; or Luke’s, according to some others jcr Clement’s, who was afterwards hisliop of Rome, vho being much with Paul, clotned and adorned Pa ul’s sense in his own language. Or if it be Pail’s, he might decline putting his name to it in the inscription, for fear of offending the Jews.”t He seems to have entertained the idea that this epistle wa’s writ-
* See L irdner’s History of the Aprmtles.
f EpisJ a’’ Pauliniirn.
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ten by Paul in Hebrew, and that it was transUteo into Greek by some one possessed of a more elegani style than Paul. He says, “he wrote as a Hebrew to the Hebrews, it being his own language; whence it came to pass that being translated it has more elegance in the Greek than his other epistles. This they say is the reason of its differing from PauPs other writings. There is also an epistle to the Laodiceans, but it is rejected by every body.”*
Although Terome sometimes doubted of the authorship of the epistle to the Hebrews, which was published without the name of the author, yet he commonly quotes it as Paul’s; and in his letter to Evangelius, he writes, “That all the Greeks and some of the Latins received this epistle,”t He means, received it as Paul’s; for we do not find that any were for rejecting it altogether from the canon. And in a letter to Dardanus, he says, “That it was not only received as Paul’s by all the churches of the east, but by all the ecclesiastical writers in former times though many ascribe it to Barnabas or Clement.”J He also testifies “that it was daily read in the churches; and if the Latins did not receive this epistle as the Greeks rejected the Revelation of John, yet he received both; not influenced so much by the present times, as the judgment of ancient writers, who quote both; and that not as they quote apocryphal books, and even heathen writings, but as cano uical and ecclesiastical.”§
Ambrose and Augustine received the fourteen epistles of Paul just as we do now,|| and since their time this has been the uniform opinion of all; except that some modern critics have revived the controversy respecting the author of the epistle to the Hebrews but the claim of the apostle Paul has been vindicated by many learned men with such ability, and will, irguments so conclusive, that it may be hoped iJ.at his question will not be soon stirred again.
Epist. ad Pa Jinurn. § Lard. Vol. II. i. 55:*
+ Lard. Vol. II p. 558. Ibid. p. 581.
t Ibid.
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The tune when each of Paul’s cpistlos wap written, is a point not capable of any certain deterunna-Uon; and as is usual, in such cases, the learned are divided into various opinions and conjectures. Ii has commonly been thought that the epistles lo the Thessalonians were first written, but of lalo a j)rior date has been claimed for the epistle to the Galatians. The subject is not imnortant and may be left to be snttled by the critics.