Questions for Research and Discussion

1. Of what significance is it that Paul used secretaries in writing his letters? Should the fact that Paul had people helping him write change the way we understand the inspiration of his letters?
2. How would our understanding of a Pauline letter change if we believed it was not written by Paul? Make a case that it should change a great deal and make a case that it should not change much at all.
3. What do you think of Marshall’s idea of “allonymity”? Does it help solve the issue of pseudonymity or does it simply muddy the waters more?
4. A Christian friend of yours is deeply shaken by the fact that some of the documents of the NT appear to be pseudonymous. How would you go about discussing this issue with her?
5. Outline the case for and against Petrine authorship of 2 Peter. Which to do favor and why?

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