This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. This is my mark in every letter; it is the way I write.
17 The salutation, with my own hand. Here again he provides against the danger, of which he had previously made mention — lest epistles falsely ascribed to him should find their way into the Churches. For this was an old artifice of Satan — to put forward spurious writings, that he might detract from the credit of those that are genuine; and farther, under pretended...
In this conclusion of the epistle we have the apostle's benediction and prayers for these Thessalonians. Let us desire them for ourselves and our friend. There are three blessings pronounced upon them, or desired for them: - I. That God would give them peace. Note, 1. Peace is the blessing pronounced or desired.
Commenting on 2 Thessalonians 3:16-18
The salutation of Paul with mine own hand,.... In writing his epistles, the body and substance of them he used an amanuensis, but the salutation he wrote with his own hand: which is the token in every epistle; by which they might be known to be true and genuine, and be distinguished from counterfeit ones: and the rather he mentions this, that they might be...