Would you have written as many letters as Paul did, without getting letters in return?

Question

I have not found any return letters from the Romans, the Philippians, or from Timothy or Titus in the Bible.

Answer 1

You are so sweet, I could hug you....
He got return letters, but they aren't in the Bible. I study in the manuscripts, and one of the facinating things to read is the footnotes of the writings of the New Testament; theres a wealth of information there. For example, Ya know the letters Paul wrote to the Thessalonians? Well, its noted that right after Paul "mailed" the first letter to them, he wrote the second letter to them really fast, because he couldn't catch the messenger to get his first letter back to correct it; anyway, you'll read in the 2nd
letter not to be deceived by anything, not even that first letter from them: The Christ is NOT coming back until Antichrist sits in Jerusalem claiming to be Christ. But still the rapture believers think those verses from 1 Th. are actually rapture doctrine evidence.
Theres lots of cool information about Paul writing the letters that he did; anyway, yeah
he got lots of mail back!!!

Answer 2

Actually, the Corinthians did send two letters to Paul. Both his letters are in response to letters he had received from them. While neither of their letters are preserved, the questions they are asked are obvious in the answers he gives.

Philippians was a "thank you" letter that Paul send in response to a gift from that church. So it would not have gotten a response (you do not send a "thank you" for a "thank you" note)

In 2 Timothy, Paul says that both Timothy and Titus did communicate back with him. Their letters simply were not preserved in the Bible because they were not written by apostles.

When he wrote to the Colossians and the Romans, it was introduce himself in preparation for his first visit to those churches. So again, the letters were not intended to be answered.


(The letters of the New Testament are not ordered by date, but by length - the standard way of arranging things in the era. Since everything was a scroll, not a book, arranging by length it made it easier to find things. It was impossible to find a short letter in between two longer ones. 1 Thessalonian is located in the Bible before 2 Thessalonian because it is longer. But 2 Thessalonian was written first. In it he does NOT correct mistakes in his first letter. Rather it states that he had not written them any letters before that. 2 Thessalonian was his first letter to them.)

Answer 3

I'm not sure how many letters I've sent, that just seemed to dissapear into outer space. One to the Vatican for sure. One to World Counsil of Churches, Geneva Switzerland, at least 20, I've sent to religious establishments in the States. At least 30 I've sent to local papers that didn't get published, and about 30 published so far. I have had several aknowledgment letters from my Government, so I know they read my letters. I will have to get that Java Script so I can send them my opinions instantaniously. Ain't tecnology wonderful? I'm on my third or fourth beer, so I'm not bothering to use spell check, live with it.

Answer 4

Didn't you hear the news? The Postal Service just found a stack of letters addressed to Paul. Apparently they were all sent with insufficient postage (stamp rates had just increased by one denari). They were misplaced by a disgruntled postal worker (some guy named Demetrius who had once been a silversmith and whose business crashed when the demand for shrines to Artemis declined rapidly).

Answer 5

What you didn't realize is that Paul was an excellent writer...... but his memory was horrid. He never once put a return address on the envelope. How could he expect a reply if he didn't provide them with the means??

This is why Matthew, Mark, Luke and John constantly were pointing and giggling. He never once got their 'stamp' of approval.

Answer 6

You won't, however if you look at the return letters that Paul wrote, he refers to them.
The canon was not supposed to be an "e-mail" trail. It was used for "teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God can be equipped for good works" 2Tim, 3:16-17
The canon was gathered from all the information that the early Church was using already as canon.

Answer 7

Paul's letters of edification to the different churches were God inspired. The letters he received were about problems that were arising in the new churches that Paul helped establish. We all have questions so that is nothing new. Paul's answers, which are God's answers, are what were needed to be known.

May God Bless you.

Answer 8

How do you know there weren't return letters? They just weren't important for the edification of the church.....maybe he recycled them and wrote his next letter on response he received....or sometimes he got a response in person. He only wrote one letter to Philemon but if Philemon had ignored it, he probably would have written another one.

Answer 9

He didn't get letters in return. People responded by going to him personally.

Answer 10

yes I would if I was Paul- why? Because Paul was used by God to teach us what He desires of us, and how much God loves us- Their answers were hopefully written in their hearts by obeying the Word- like I pray I obey.