The Undisputed Letters

Most scholars agree that seven of the letters are authentic products of Paul himself [12]. While the provided research does not list all seven by name, it contrasts these "undisputed letters" against those considered pseudepigraphal (written by someone else in Paul's name) [6][7]. Internal evidence from these authentic letters, such as I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners; 1Co 5:9, WEB, suggests that Paul wrote more correspondence than what has been preserved in the current biblical canon [2].

The Disputed Letters

A significant portion of the Pauline corpus is viewed by critical scholars as not being written by Paul [3]. These are typically categorized as follows:

The Deuteropauline Epistles
Letters such as Ephesians, Colossians, and 2 Thessalonians are frequently contested [13][10].

  • Colossians: Scholars point to significant discrepancies in linguistic style and content compared to Paul's confirmed letters [7][8]. Because of these differences, it is often viewed as an unreliable source for Paul's personal beliefs [11].
  • Ephesians: Theological inconsistencies between this letter and the undisputed corpus suggest a different author [6].
  • 2 Thessalonians: Some scholars argue this letter is a forgery, noting that the author's attempt to authenticate the text through a specific handwriting process in I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, which is the sign in every letter. This is how I write. 2 Thess 3:17, WEB deviates from patterns found in Paul's genuine letters [1].

The Pastoral Epistles
The letters to 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus are grouped together as the "Pastoral Epistles" [5]. Most scholars believe these were written by a single individual other than Paul, likely after Paul's death [4][15]. Evidence for this includes:

  • Vocabulary: The use of the term "herald" appears in these letters but is entirely absent from Paul's undisputed works [14][16].
  • Tone and Focus: These letters focus more on church leadership and combating opponents than on the deep theological reasoning characteristic of Paul's authentic letters [17].

Interpretive Perspectives

The presence of these disputed letters is often explained through the lens of pseudepigraphy. Writing under Paul's name allowed later authors to claim his authority to promote specific theological agendas or discredit opponents [9].

Some scholars attempt to reconcile these discrepancies with tradition by suggesting that a disciple may have written the letters using Paul's notes or memories [19]. Others argue for Pauline authorship based on early church tradition or the absence of a known alternative author [18]. However, the prevailing academic view remains that six of the thirteen letters are likely not the work of the apostle [3].