Epistles (Horace) meditative life, and had become fonder of the country and of study, and that while owing allegiance to no school or sect of philosophy, he was framing for himself a scheme of life, was endeavoring to conform to it, and was bent on inculcating it in others." "In both his "Satires" and "Epistles", Horace shows himself a genuine moralist, a subtle observer and true painter of life, and an admirable writer." But in spirit the "Epistles" are more philosophic, more ethical and meditative. Like the "Odes" they exhibit the twofold aspects of Horace's philosophy, that of temperate Epicureanism and that
Authorship of the Pauline epistles similarities are seen as subtle enough to make imitation an unnecessary hypothesis. Udo Schnelle argued that 2 Thessalonians was significantly different in style from the undisputed epistles, characterizing it as whole and narrow, rather than as a lively and abrupt discussion on a range of issues. Moreover, Alfred Loisy argued that it reflected knowledge of the synoptic gospels, which, according to the current scholarly consensus, had not been written when Paul wrote his epistles. Bart D. Ehrman viewed the insistence of genuineness within the letter and the strong condemnation of forgery at its start as ploys commonly used by forgers.