that his Galatian detractors tried to diminish his authority by claiming his apostleship was of merely human origin, apart from the assumptions of “mirror-reading” (→ Introduction). Paul’s letters frequently refer to God as Father, especially in epistolary prescripts, praise, and prayer (see Gal 1:3, 4; Rom 1:7; 15:6; 1 Cor 1:3; 8:6; 15:24; 2 Cor 1:2, 3; 11:31; Eph 1:2, 3; 4:6; 5:20; 6:23; Phil 1:2; 2:11; 4:20; Col 1:2, 3; 3:17; 1 Thess 1:1, 3; 3:11, 13; 2 Thess 1:1, 2; 2:16; 1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2;