How does 1 Thessalonians 5:27 emphasize the authority of Paul's writings?

The Force of Paul’s Oath

• 1 Thessalonians 5:27: “I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.”

• “I charge” (Greek enorkizō) = a solemn, oath-like command, invoking the Lord Himself as witness.

• By calling God as witness, Paul places his words on the level of binding, divine obligation, not mere advice.

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Inclusive Audience, Universal Binding

• “To all the brothers” underscores that every believer, not just leaders, must hear and heed.

• Scripture is meant for the whole church; Paul anticipates public reading equal to the Old Testament practice (cf. Deuteronomy 31:10–13; Nehemiah 8:1–8).

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Parallels in Paul’s Other Letters

• Colossians 4:16—“After this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans.”

• 2 Thessalonians 3:14—Disobedience to “our instruction in this letter” warrants church discipline.

• 1 Corinthians 14:37—Paul’s writings are “a command of the Lord.”

• Each passage shows Paul expects his epistles to carry Christ’s authority across congregations.

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New Testament Recognition of Pauline Scripture

• 2 Peter 3:15-16 places Paul’s letters alongside “the other Scriptures,” confirming apostolic authority already acknowledged in the early church.

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Rooted in Divine Revelation

• Galatians 1:11-12—Paul received the gospel “through a revelation of Jesus Christ,” grounding his letters in direct divine origin.

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Takeaway for Today

• The apostolic writings are inspired, inerrant, and binding; dismissing any portion dismisses the Lord’s own charge.

• Like the first-century believers, modern readers are called to receive every line of Scripture with the same reverence and obedience Paul demanded.