stles of Paul may be conveniently distributed into two groups,
of which the second or smaller contains the three pastoral epistles, and
the former or larger, the remaining ten. Of the apostolic origin of the
larger group little needs to be said. They bear throughout the impress
of genuineness and authenticity. No doubts were ever entertained
concerning them in the ancient churches. There is, indeed, some ground
for suspecting that a few ancient copies of the epistle to the Ephesians
omitted the words _at Ephesus_--more literally _in Ephesus_--chap. 1:1.
But the genuineness of these words is sustained by an overwhelming
weight of evidence, and that Paul was the author of the epistle was
never once doubted by the ancient churches. The arguments of some modern
writers against its apostolic origin have no real weight, as will be
shown hereafter in the introduction to the epistle.

Respecting the apostolic authorship of the three pastoral epistles, two
to Timothy and one to Titus, there was never any doubt in the ancient
churches. They are supported by the testimony of the Peshito-Syriac
version, of the Muratorian canon, also, (as appears from Jerome's letter
to Marcella and the quotations of the church fathers before him,) of the
Old Latin version; of Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, and a
multitude of later writers. There are also some allusions to these
epistles in the apostolic fathers, which seem to be decisive.

Such are the following: "Let us therefore approach to him in
holiness of soul, _lifting up_ to him _holy_ and unpolluted
_hands_." Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians,
chap. 29. "But the beginning of all mischief is the love of
money. Knowing, therefore, that _we brought nothing into the
world neither have power to carry any thing out_, let us arm
ourselves with the armor of righteousness." Polycarp, Epistle to
the Philippians, chap. 4. The student may see other supposed
allusions in Kirchhofer, Quellensammlung; Lardner, 2:39;
Davidson's Introduction, 3, p. 101 seq.; Alford's New Testament,
Introduction to the Pastoral Epistles, etc.

Respecting the _date_ of the pastoral epistles very different opinions
are held. The whole discussion turns on the question whether they were
written _before_ or _after_ Paul's imprisonment at Rome, which is
recorded in the last chapter of the Acts of the Apostles; and this again
is connected with the further