You’ve probably heard his name in a dusty church basement or a wedding ceremony. Paul of Tarsus. Most folks just assume the New Testament is a cohesive book dropped from the sky, but honestly, it’s mostly a collection of mail. The letters that Paul wrote are arguably the most influential pieces of correspondence in human history, shaping Western legal systems, marriage customs, and even how we think about individual rights today.
He wasn't writing for a global audience of billions. He was a guy in a dirty tunic, likely with failing eyesight, scratching out urgent notes to small, struggling groups of people who were often fighting over who got to eat the best food at dinner.
The Messy Reality of the Pauline Epistles
Thirteen books in the New Testament claim Paul’s authorship. Scholars, being the skeptical bunch they are, usually split these into three camps. You’ve got the "Undisputed" ones—Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon. Most historians, including secular experts like Bart Ehrman, agree Paul definitely wrote these.
Then things get tricky.
Books like Ephesians, Colossians, and 2 Thessalonians are "disputed." Why? Because the vocabulary and the way the sentences are built don't quite match the raw, fiery energy of Galatians. Finally, you have the "Pastorals"—1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. Many academic circles believe these were written by Paul’s followers later on, using his name to carry authority. It’s not necessarily "faking" in the modern sense; back then, it was a way to honor your teacher.
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Why Did He Even Write Them?
Paul was a traveler. He was constantly on the move, establishing these tiny "house churches" across the Mediterranean. But he couldn't be everywhere at once.
Think of the letters that Paul wrote as the first-century version of a frantic Slack message or a long-form email thread. He wrote because things were falling apart. In Corinth, people were getting drunk during the Lord's Supper and suing each other in pagan courts. In Galatia, they were arguing about whether new converts needed to be circumcised. Paul was essentially a high-stakes firemanger.
His writing is dense. It’s complicated. Sometimes, it’s downright frustrating. In the letter to the Romans, he spends chapters building a legal-style argument about "justification by faith." It's heavy stuff. Then, in the letter to Philemon, he’s writing a personal, tactful note to a slave owner, trying to convince him to take back a runaway slave named Onesimus—not as a slave, but as a brother.
The contrast is wild.
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The "Lost" Letters We'll Probably Never Find
Here’s a fun fact that bugs a lot of theologians: we don’t have all the letters. Not even close.
In 1 Corinthians 5:9, Paul mentions a previous letter he wrote to them. We don't have it. It's gone. In Colossians 4:16, he tells them to read a letter he sent to Laodicea. Also missing. Imagine the chaos if a hiker stumbled upon a jar in a cave tomorrow containing the "Lost Letter to the Corinthians." It would change the face of biblical scholarship overnight.
We only have the hits. The letters that were copied and recopied until they became part of the canon.
The Controversy of the "Clarity"
People love to quote Paul. They also love to use him as a weapon.
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Take 1 Timothy 2:12, for example. It’s the verse used for centuries to keep women out of leadership. But then you look at Romans 16, where Paul gives a shout-out to Phoebe, a "deacon" of the church in Cenchreae, and Junia, whom he calls "outstanding among the apostles."
The letters that Paul wrote are full of these apparent contradictions. To understand them, you have to realize Paul wasn't writing a systematic theology textbook. He was writing to specific people in specific cities with specific cultural baggage. If you ignore the context of 1st-century Ephesus or Rome, you're going to get him wrong.
He was a man of his time, trying to articulate something he felt was timeless.
What You Should Actually Do With This Information
If you’re interested in diving into this historical rabbit hole, don’t start at the beginning of the Bible. Start with the "Undisputed" letters to get a feel for the real man.
- Read Galatians first. It’s short, punchy, and you can feel Paul’s blood pressure rising as you read it. He’s angry, he’s passionate, and he doesn't use a filter.
- Compare 1 Corinthians to 2 Corinthians. The first is a list of corrections; the second is a deeply personal defense of his own character. It shows his vulnerability.
- Grab a "Study Bible" with historical notes. Specifically, look for ones that mention "Socio-Rhetorical Criticism." This helps you see the social status of the people he was talking to.
- Distinguish between the "Genuine" and "Disputed" letters. When you read Ephesians, notice how much more polished and "churchy" it feels compared to the raw grit of 1 Thessalonians.
The goal isn't just to read them as religious text, but as historical artifacts. These documents are windows into a world of shipwrecks, riots, prison cells, and the slow, painful birth of a movement that eventually took over the Roman Empire.
Understanding the letters that Paul wrote requires looking past the stained glass. You have to see the ink stains and the sweat. He was a man trying to explain the unexplainable, often while chained to a Roman guard. Whether you’re a believer or a history buff, there’s no denying the sheer grit involved in those parchment scraps.