Textual Criticism

Saint:
Date: 3/20/2009
Saint Paul - go ahead and question the authorship of Ephesians... I darez you!

I don't see you carrying a broad sword!

A lot of modern biblical scholars who use the historical-critical method of textual criticism seem to doubt that Paul authored the Letter to the Ephesians, even though the letter begins, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the whole ones in Ephesus" (Ephesians 1:1). From a deep analysis of the actual text of the letter, a case may be made that the letter was not authored by the same person as the other Pauline letters.

There is much evidence on the contrary, though. Early Fathers of the Church (including Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian, and Origen, in the 2nd/3rd century) testify to the fact that the letters were written by Paul. The Church councils have continuously reaffirmed Pauline authorship (at the Council of Carthage in 397 and the Council of Trent in 1546), as well as the modern Catechism.

So you see, Paul would rather not have to slay you. Just accept that he wrote the letter to the Ephesians and move on.

 Forget the sword, the hood makes him all the more intimidating.

Ha! Didn't even notice that.

I thought scholars questioned the authorship of Hebrews.
Well, they question anything nowadays...

Really, find a Bible that says so.

Ephesians? I'm sitting that argument out. In any case, it's canonical, isn't that enough? O' course it is....

Yes, it's true - he never wrote, he never called - but did the Hebrews complain?