Paul wrote Second Thessalonians through the use of what was called an amanuensis, or a secretary who took dictation. This was common, both for Paul and others of his day. In 3:17, however, he takes the pen in his own hand and adds the final words. This is also his habit and it provides a mark of authenticity to what he wrote. Remember how he earlier told them "not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us" (2 Thess. 2:2)? Some false teachers who were seeking to deceive them went so far as to forge letters, as if from Paul, to support their false teaching. So by adding his concluding remarks in his own handwriting he set upon the letter a mark of truth. This really is from Paul! And truth is what it is all about.
"The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write" (2 Thess. 3:17). Or, as the NIV translates it, "I Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write." Paul was the agent of truth and he did not want them to ever be confused as to God's truth.
For Paul, the church had to be the "pillar and support of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15, NASB). In order for this to be so, they had to be able to distinguish between "the spirit of truth and the spirit of error" (1 John 4:6, NASB). To do so, they had to be firmly grounded in the Bible, the "word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). This is why Paul was so deeply concerned to guard and protect the Word of God, and to make certain they knew the difference between the truth of God coming through his writings and the errors of others.
God is not only the God of peace and strength, He is also the God of truth. 1 John 5:20 tells us, "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life." God is truth, and Paul prays for God to bless you with His truth. Amen.
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