Paul's use of secretaries

"Some scholars believe that Paul's usual practice was to use a secretary. This may be indicated by 2 Thess 3:17, were Paul spoke of his handwritten note as "the distinguishing mark in all my letters" (Polhill 127). This has blown away how I have always imagined Paul writing. In ignorance I have thought of Paul, after dressing his wounds from the last stoning or flogging, sitting under the light of a lamp with papyrus and pen in hand writing down what God had been dictating to him concerning the churches and individuals to which he was writing. Although this may of been the case with the only difference being the presence of a secretary to do the actual writing. However, I have to ask, "How much of the secretaries own personality, ideas and own revelation of God entered into the the writing of Paul?" The Bible written by human hands, but with God as its author is unique in all forms of literature. It is through God's written Word that many, for thousands of years have found an all-sufficent, true and relevant instruction for being reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Michael Carpenter