2 thessalonians is pseudonymous

I will follow your article. It is pretty easy to conclude that either 2 Thessalonians was written by a different author than the rest of the letters, or that something happened to make the author change his mind and teachings about the eschatology. Archived post. Obviously these critics hold a very low view of Scripture. And I do often see it mentioned in books and online discussions that many scholars don't consider it authentic. The reference in 2:2 suggests that the letter belongs to the deutero-Pauline period, and the letter may have been intended to replace 1 Thessalonians entirely. p. 389. , This is a very good post which I really enjoy reading. 2:6 -11) (10). We got Colossians as deutero-Pauline (and Ephesians by proxy). This suggests that 2 Thessalonians, like the Pastorals, wasn't known as part of the Pauline corpus to the author of Ephesians. 2 Thessalonians 2:13, "But we ought always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord . Paul traveled to Thessalonica with Silas and, Paul lists two events that will precede the Christ's coming- the rebellion and, The proconsul blank ruled during Paul's stint at Corinth, The majority of Jews in thessalonica accepted Paul's message, A teaching circulated among the Thessalonians that Christ had already come, Paul visited thessalonica on his second missionary journey, Thessalonica is part of the Roman province called Macedonia, Falling away from it abandoning the faith, Macedonia city named after Alexander the greats sister, Paul's traveling companion, cofounder of churches and amanuensis, Paul's traveling cofounder of churches circumcised by paul. 4. Also, this intent would make it unique among the Pauline pseudepigrapha, right? An Investigation of the Narrative Structure of Galatians 3:14:11. Norman Perrin writes the following (The New Testament: An Introduction, pp. F. F. Bruce states, It is doubtful if any book would have found a place in the canon if it had been known to be pseudonymous.8 For example, Eusebius records Serapions explanation of why he rejected The Gospel of Peter ( ca. After a thorough introduction of 45 pages there is a verse-by-verse exegesis in which no issue is dodged and adequate attention is given to matters of lexicography, syntax, and theology. All of the following were reasons for writing pseudonymously except, One reason some scholars doubt the authenticity of the authorship claim of 2 Thessalonians is, it teaches the end will not come immediately, The opponents in 1 Timothy appear to resemble, One of central concerns in the Pastoral epistles is, IN the churches that Paul founded, all of the following were true except, The author of the Pastoral writes against all of the following except. The writer, moreover, portrays too intimate an acquaintance with the Thessalonian situation (cf. 8. This latter ploy serves, of course, to throw the scent off one's own deceit. Critics marshal a plethora of arguments and hypotheses to support the idea of pseudonymous epistles within the cannon. Its primary audience is theological students, pastors and scholars. In the first letter Paul says the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. Paul had worked very hard establishing the church ( 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9. The nature of the error that Colossians addresses (Col. 2:8, 16-23) is difficult to reconstruct with precision but it is not impossible to reconcile it with developments that were plausible in Pauls lifetime. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic. 2:18) was perhaps achieved through Pauls bouts of illness (cf. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Believe it or not, today the majority of NT scholars argue that many of the epistles in the NT are pseudonymous. The most common books that are said to be pseudonymous are 2 Peter, the Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus), and Ephesians. 3:17) and in 2 Thessalonians 2:2 warns believers against a "letter supposed to have come from us." An example of this is 2 Thessalonians, which is written by an author claiming to be Paul. First, I will define pseudonymity and demonstrate why this is an important issue for believers today. The most common books that are said to be pseudonymous are 2 Peter, the Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus), and Ephesians. Beyond these technical arguments lies an even more critical issue. 777, I want to receive this kind of knowledge every day. e-Catena: References to the New Testament in the Church Fathers, Edgar Goodspeed: The Second Letter to the Thessalonians, Catholic Encyclopedia: Epistles to the Thessalonians, The Lord Has Not Come Yet: An EasyEnglish Commentary, Who Wrote the New Testament? The term rebellion referred to in 2 These 2 : 3 is NOT a translation from the greek but an interpretation of the translator(s) of this particular Bible version of the greek word apostasy used there. 1 Thessalonians was almost certainly written by Paul (basic reason: it coheres in writing style, vocabulary, theological perspective, and presupposed historical situation with the other letters almost universally acknowledged as having been written by Paul). google_ad_width = 728; New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Your email address will not be published. In 1980 Trilling wrote a commentary on 2 Thessalonians (based on his 1972 monograph) in which he consistently interprets the letter as a pseudonymous work. The one letter I have trouble finding any real information on is 2 Thessalonians. months[12]="Dec."; After our freshman year at college, my best friend from high school and I got together and compared our experiences. Ibid. One of the central concerns in the Pastoral epistles is _____. In most cases, the critic compares the suspect epistle to other epistles believed to have been written by the biblical author. However, it has more acceptance as authentic than Colossians, and substantially more than the pastorals. 119-120): Second Thessalonians is so like 1 Thessalonians and yet so different that it must be an imitation of 1 Thessalonians written to meet a later situation. If one accepts pseudonymous works into the canon, he must overlook insurmountable blows to Scriptures truth claims. Can this tell us anything about when it was written and who truly received the letter? google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2665675471425577"; . Finally, the idea of canonical pseudonymity falls short ethically. In this chapter, Ehrman argues that at least six of the New Testament books may have been written pseudonymously: the Deutero-Pauline epistles (2 Thessalonians, Colossians, and Ephesians) and the Pastoral Epistles (1-2 Timothy and Titus). One of the largest differences between 2 Thessalonians and other letters that were supposedly written by Paul are the ideas mentioned in the letters on the end times, or eschatology. The majority of critics who argue for canonical pseudonymity, however, contend that these epistles should not be considered forgeries. Which of the following books is not pseudonymous. James Bishop is from South Africa. The New Testament. Early Christian Writings. 8083). Bart Ehrman observes (The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, p. 23): "The frequent occurence of forgery in this period does not suggest a basic tolerance of the practice. Peter Kirby Pseudepigraphy literally means falsely ascribed and is virtually synonymous with pseudonymity. I don't see a majority position on this question. Which of the following books is definitely not pseudonymous? so that he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God and Father. Which of the following is pseudonymous? Not really able to afford the most recent academic work, I can't find much accessible scholarly commentary on 2 Thessalonian's authorship. The Apostle Peter ." Paul and His Letters. But 2 Thes 2:3-12 sets out an elaborate program of what must first happen before that event can occur. Bishop's Encyclopedia of Religion, Society and Philosophy, Follow Bishop's Encyclopedia of Religion, Society and Philosophy on WordPress.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xApDbRDz8U8&t=320s. I'm browsing through search results. Some are anonymous, and others are pseudonymous, meaning that they were written by someone pretending to be someone else. 2nd Thessalonians is referring to the 2nd coming of Jesus during end times, of which there is much warning, as the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ goes into great detail about. In fact, the case has been made by various critics at one time or another that all of the NT epistles are pseudonymous. In 1 Thessalonians the parousia, the coming of Jesus from heaven as apocalyptic judge and redeemer, is imminent. months[4]="Apr. First, the NT itself argues against pseudonymity. (1 Thess 3:11-13). Which of the following is not one of the Deutero-Pauline epistles? (1) Some believe it is probable that the NT contains pseudononymous works, since pseudonymity was a common practice in antiquity. What is pseudonymity and what is its relevance? google_ad_slot = "4364046558"; was justified? that "the case that 2 Thessalonians is a pseudonymous work has been strongly presented in the last decade by W. Trilling"(21)Marshall sharply criticizes the stylistic and form-critical reasons adduced by Trilling against the authenticity of 2 Thessalonians. B. Mayors judgment that the same author could not have written both 1 and 2 Peter in full because they use the OT in different ways.4, Although a point-by-point refutation is beyond the scope of this article, a couple of general observations should be made. 1 Thessalonians has many similar themes as 2 Thessalonians, so similar in fact that people have questioned why Paul would write almost the same letter twice. The best understanding of 2 Thessalonians, therefore, is to see it as a deliberate imitation of 1 Thessalonians, updating the apostle's thought. What is important to understand is that many of these scholars are trying to justify canonical pseudonymity while attempting to preserve some semblance of biblical authority. Many ancient historians express a preference for. (22)However, in order to defend the Pauline authorship of 2 Thessalonians, 107109). Rom. Early Christian Writings is copyright 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; 2:9-14. The fascinating instance of enallage of verb in 1 Thessalonians 3:11 (see also 2 Thes. 20-21): "Imitated from the First Epistle and specially co-ordinated with the insertion on the resurrection of the dead [4:13-5:11], the Second to Thessalonians is, for the most part, a theological dissertation on the conditions of the Second Advent. "2 Thessalonians." , Your email address will not be published. What happens across those three sets of letters is that the radical Paul of the authentic seven letters (Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon) is slowly but steadily morphed into the conservative Paul of the probably inauthentic threesome . VisitUs. In addition, pseudonymity greatly affects the interpretation of numerous passages. The air ( around the earth) is presently satans domain but this will change when we are our caught up to be united with our Lord there and receive our bodily change and be and rule with Him forever. /* Leaderboard-bot */ In the known Pauline epistles, Paul was adamant that the end of the age was at hand and was coming very quickly. Here is evangelical biblical scholarship at its best: well-informed, even-handed, courageous, and reverent. Although it is doubtful that Pauls statement refers to a specific letter, it certainly condemns the practice of writing letters in his name. Colossians is also Pauline in its general structure and content, with greetings closely matching those of Philemon 23-24. With regard to the second question, rather than accepting pseudonymous letters, Paul and the early church were demonstrably opposed to such a practice. 4. Conrad Gempf explains, Formerly it was the case that a persons views on pseudonymity in the canon could be ascertained merely by finding out whether the person was an evangelical or not. p. 388. Before he could travel to Rome, Paul notes that he expects to make a trip to, In Romans, to show that he did not invent his gospel message, Paul stresses that his message is rooted in, Paul's participationist and judicial models of salvation, Paul and Jesus are similar in all the following ways except, taught the need for faith in Jesus' resurrection. + date + " " + lmonth + " " + year); 8687). Marshalls comprehensive and judicious treatment of this issue (17 pages) indirectly highlights the need for a full-scale examination of the detailed arguments against the traditional Pauline authorship adduced first by W. Wrede in 1903 and then by W. Trilling in 1972. This is in opposition to in many of his prior letters to both Thessalonians and other cities. p. 389. have followed? Cambridge, New Zealand. Few will doubt that the most disputed question in the discussion of the Thessalonian epistles is the authenticity of 2 Thessalonians. The pains taken by the author at the end (iii, 17) to declare his signature genuine render it the more suspect.". Neither position concerning the authenticity or lack thereof of Pauline authorship of Colossians has acquired general consensus. The author enlarges on the apocalyptic theme of the Antichrist, prehaps identified with Nero risen from the dead, whose manifestation was to cause the ruin of the Roman Empire. Second, once the door is opened, scholars tend to doubt the authenticity of other NT books. 2 Thessalonians, a pseudonymous letter, also preaches a politically conservative and accommodative message, as does 1 Peter. But, again, this could possibly be accounted for in terms of a new set of issues that Paul was confronting. Kirby, Peter. Scripture is inspired and therefore inerrant (2 Tim 3:16). If the letter is genuine, this means that early in Pauls career, letters were being written and sent to groups in his name, but without his approval, although many scholars find this unlikely. Aresponseagainst pseudonymous authorship is that the letters were penned concurrently but intended for different groups in the church, thus accounting for their different emphases and tones (4). Often, certain historical or theological presuppositions drive scholars to find or to contrive arguments for pseudonymity. What are the arguments for its pseudonymity? 100, 211). Bassler, Jouette M. 2010. Barclay , J. M. G. 1997. It was formerly a print journal operated by RTSF/UCCF in the UK, and it became a digital journal operated by The Gospel Coalition in 2008. This subreddit is not for contemporary theological application. In 1 Corinthians he tells readers I think that, in view of the impending crisis, it is well for you to remain as you are (1 Cor 7:26). Three years later and no less consistently Marshall has interpreted the epistle as the work of Paul, thus doing for 2 Thessalonians what E. M. B. . What little I can find is 'Paul wrote it because his name is on it and it's a lot like 1 Thessalonians' or 'Paul didn't write it because it's too similar to 1 Thessalonians and its eschatology is a bit different'. var months=new Array(13); During the last quarter of the 20th century a majority of biblical scholars came to support the view that 2 Thessalonians is a pseudonymous composition. The theology of 2 Thessalonians is not necessarily incompatible with the views found in the undisputed letters of Paul. In Document D, Chief Joseph likens a reservation to a. When they say There is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! (1 Thess 5:2-3). Why should Christians reject pseudonymity and accept the authenticity of the New Testament? Since Marcion accepted it as authentic, we can hardly place it as late as 130-135. Do you think the I will offer three basic lines of defense against canonical pseudonymity. 7. 174175, 203). Required fields are marked *. a. it claims to have been written by Paul, b. it talks about church leadership structures unknown in Paul's day, c. it teaches the end will not come immediately, d. the author claims to have worked in Thessalonica, b. they believed everyone had received gifts from God's Spirit, d. when there was a problem they wrote to Paul for advice, a. An example of this is 2 Thessalonians, which is written by an author claiming to be Paul. She gives special attention to the maternal imagery in these texts (and in Paul in general) and she also addresses Paul's eschatology more broadly. A substantial minority of biblical scholars continue to hold the traditional view that 2 Thessalonians was an actual letter written by the apostle Paul to a gathering of Christians at Thessalonica. The form given may be correct. speak in the native languages of those gathered, Acts reports that on his journey to Rome, Paul. In 1 Thessalonians 4:14 the word vessel (skeuos) refers to the mans own body in its sexual aspects and the whole verse to the need for sexual self-control (pp. Another notably non-Pauline feature of the letter is the idea that the judgment of God will be a reward for the persecuted Christians and a persecution of the persecutors (1:5-10). Christians will share Christ's glory. Three years later and no less consistently Marshall has interpreted the epistle as the work of Paul, thus doing for 2 Thessalonians what E. M. B. First, these types of arguments generally are very subjective and arbitrary. Ultimately, all such attempts to argue that it is pseudonymous falter on the same his Ibid. The theory that 2 Thessalonians is a forgery must be rejected, not only because of the inherent difficulties of the thesis already mentioned, but also for want of a sufficient motive. Bassler, Jouette M. 2010. Scholars are divided on the authenticity or pseudonymity of 2 Thessalonians and Colossians, both letters traditionally attributed to the Apostle Paul. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Professor Emeritus) Bassler, Jouette M. 2010. Which of the following does not reflect an early Christian tradition about Paul's activity in Rome? . Ephesians and Colossians use which term in a different manner from its usual meaning in Paul's undisputed letters? 13:10), while he who restrains and will be taken out of the way is perhaps some angelic figure who, at the direction of God, was keeping evil under restraint during the period of preaching (pp. Ibid. Typical ideas, words and expressions point to a more developed situation in doctrine and forms of Christian life than is seen in 1 Thessalonians and all the other undisputed Pauline letters.'. Paul is writing to the early church and new believers. 102103). Namely, is it legitimate to include a pseudonymous epistle within the NT canon? The best explanation, many argue, is that 2 Thessalonians is pseudonymous and therefore written in Pauls name to correct an eschatological error that had developed in that church. months[11]="Nov."; Some are anonymous, and others are pseudonymous, meaning that they were written by someone pretending to be someone else. Which of the following is not one of the Pastoral Epistles? 1 Timothy c. Titus d. 2 Timothy All of the following were reasons for writing pseudonymously except a. for profit b. as an act of humility c. to gain authority for the work d. to become famous One reason scholars doubt the authenticity of the authorship claim of 2 Thessalonians is a. it claims to have been written by Paul Paul ultimately became the bishop of the Roman church. Which of the following views of Paul did Jesus share? 1 Corinthians b. The rejection of Paul's authorship is usually based on. Neither of these should be confused with anonymity, the absence of an authors name, which would apply to some NT books such as Hebrews. That there are seventeen expressions in 2 Thessalonians that occur nowhere else in the New Testament is very revealing. Bassler, Jouette M. 2010. 2 Thes 2:2-13 The author of 2 Thessalonians claims all of the following about the end except. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write." Given statements like these, I think it is logically and morally incompatible to hold to pseudonymity / pseudepigraphy and the ultimate authority of Scripture. Ibid. Beverly Gaventa (Interpretation) [2 Thess = pseudonymous]. Paul (previously called Saul of Tarsus; c. 5 - c. 64/65 AD), commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle who spread the teachings. 2:1617) where a plural subject (God and Jesus) is followed by a singular verb shows that Paul assumes the deity of Jesus (pp. Who informed Paul of the Corinthians' change of heart between Paul's writing of the two parts of 2 Corinthians? p. 389. I remain unconvinced that 2 Thessalonians is pseudony mous. Which of the following is not one of the Pastoral epistles? //-->. 10. I would really like to thanks for the efforts youve got made in writing this post. Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed (2 Thess 2:3). Which book of the NT has been attributed to Paul even though it does not claim Pauline authorship? if (year < 2000) . var lmonth=months[time.getMonth() + 1]; The Apostle Paul specifically criticized pseudonymous writings in his name in 2 Thessalonians 2:2 and confirmed his authenticity in 2 Thessalonians 3:17.3 Despite the objections from critical scholars, a strong argument can be made for 2 Peter being authored by the Apostle Peter somewhere between AD 64 and 68.4. I was attending FBBC while he attended another well-known Christian college. Second, the historical evidence argues against pseudonymity in the NT. (2) It is often erroneously claimed that the ancient world had no concept of copyright or intellectual property, and thus it was perfectly normal for someone to use a popular name to promote his own work. For example, one would have to assume that personal remarks made by Paul or Peter in any given epistle are ultimately just fabrications to complete the illusion. Go to the Chronological List of all Early Christian Writings,