The question of authorship regarding the texts within the Bible, particularly the New Testament, is one rooted in both faith and historical scholarship. While it is true that many of the books in the New Testament are traditionally attributed to the apostles or their close associates, not all of the books explicitly name their authors within the text. The understanding of apostolic authorship is derived through a combination of early Christian testimony, historical tradition, and internal textual evidence.

For example, the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are traditionally ascribed to Matthew, a tax collector and one of Jesus’ apostles; Mark, a disciple of Peter; Luke, a companion of Paul; and John, the beloved disciple. This tradition is supported by the writings of early Church fathers, such as Papias, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and others, who provided testimony regarding the authorship of these texts.

Paul’s letters, on the other hand, often begin with explicit mentions of his name, making the authorship of many of these epistles less debated among scholars. For example, the Epistle to the Romans starts with, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.”

In matters of faith, the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures is affirmed by 2 Timothy 3:16-17, which states, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” This belief in divine inspiration supports the understanding that, regardless of human authorship, the ultimate author of Scripture is God Himself, who guided the apostles and their associates in writing the texts that compose the Bible.

The question of authorship, while important, ultimately leads to a deeper faith in the divine orchestration of the Bible’s creation, affirming that through these texts, God speaks to humanity across the ages.