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72 What Books and Words Make Up the Christian Scriptures?
way they will be persuaded is by showing them the words Paul actually
wrote so that they can see the meaning for themselves. Therefore, Peter is
telling us how important it is to have the very words of the biblical writers.
Paul’s Vigilance over His Words
Paul wrote at least one of his letters, if not many or all, by using a kind
of secretary (called an “amanuensis”) to take his dictation. In Romans
1:1 Paul begins the way he begins most of his letters, by identifying
himself: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set
apart for the gospel of God.” And in the letter he refers to himself as
“I” about a hundred times. No one doubts that the apostle Paul wrote
this letter. But how did he write it? In Romans 16:22 we read, “I Tertius,
who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.” This is Paul’s assistant
who had, evidently, been taking dictation.
But there is good evidence that Paul was jealous for his readers to
know that though he may sometimes use an aide to do the actual transcription,
the words are his. One of the ways we feel Paul’s concern is
how many times he takes up the pen himself and actually tells us that is
what he is doing, so as to vouch for the letter. For example:
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness
in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. (2 Thess. 3:17)
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. (1 Cor. 16:21)
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. (Col. 4:18)
See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.
(Gal. 6:11)
I, Paul, write this with my own hand. (Philem. 19)
Most scholars think that when Paul says, “I write this greeting with my
own hand,” he means he did not write the whole letter with his own
hand but through a secretary. Supporting that idea is the fact that when
it comes to his letter to Philemon, Paul does not limit his claim to the
greeting, but says, “I, Paul, write this with my own hand.” Philemon is
only twenty-five verses long, and it may well be that Paul wrote all of it