There are thirteen Pauline Epistles which are believed to have been written by Paul though some critics claim that some were written by his followers (Matera, Frank 54). However, they are essential parts of the Bible that are studied up to date.
Why they might be pseudepigraphical.
The disputed/Deutero-Pauline Epistles might be pseudepigraphical because they were written by Paul followers. Half of the scholars assert that the Deutero-Pauline Epistles were written by Paul while other claims that they were written by a follower of Paul (Matera, Frank 59).
Why each was written
The letters were written as a continuation of the tradition. In the Biblical times, people did not believe in new messages so the author had to use something ancient so that people would pay attention to the message.
Their occasions
The occasion of the Disputed/Deutero-Pauline Epistles was during the time when Christianity was widespread. At this time Christianity was more famous than in Paul’s time.
Purposes
The main purpose was to teach the Christians about the importance of unity.
Main themes
The main theme in these letters was the apocalypse.
The problems they address
They address the problems of Christians burdening the communities and abandoning their responsibilities.
The solutions they offer
The letters advise the Christians to provide for themselves instead of depending wholly on the communities.
How they use but also change terms
The Pastoral Epistles uses better vocabularies than the disputed letters which means that the Paul took more time than the other writers. They use one word to give a description of an entity but Paul used two or more terms to describe an entity (Matera, Frank 69).
Ideas and themes found in the disputed letters of Paul
The disputed letters of Paul talk mainly of the apocalypse. They also assert that there will be a time when the anti-Christ will pretend to be messengers of God but their main intention will be to cause havoc on earth. However, the undisputed letter of Paul does not mention the coming of the anti-Christ.
Work Cited
Matera, Frank J. New Testament Theology: Exploring Diversity and Unity. Louisville, Ky. [u.a.: Westminster John Knox Press, 2007. Print.
