Paul's thorn in the flesh

[hornetguy]

Yes, he did use a scribe for at least one of his letters, likely most of them.... from Romans 16...

[SUP]21 [/SUP]Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
[SUP]22 [/SUP]I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.

 

[celib]

What was the "thorn in the flesh" to which Paul makes reference in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9?


To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. —NIV

The thorn in the flesh was his eyesight, he needed someone to write for him. God bless

 

[BillG]

Not sure we will fully know. I would also go with eyesight.

Possibly as a result of his raid to Damascus experience.

As someone who has eye issues and is under constant monitoring I have slit lamp tests.
A bright light is shone into the eye. When is over my eyesight is affected and it takes a while to come back fully.

I would imagine the bright light that blinded Paul was much more powerful. So maybe it's a remnant.
People have been known to suffer eye damage when looking at the son.

Also

Galatians 4:13-15
13 You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. 14 And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15 What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.

If Paul had bad eye issues then maybe this ties in with the above verse, and the following verse

Galatians 6:11
Glory Only in the Cross
11 See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!

 

[Depleted]

What is your question or point?

Unlike me, who tends to be long-winded, her question was the very first thing she said.

What was the "thorn in the flesh" to which Paul makes reference in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9?


To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. —NIV

 

[Depleted]

Im curious to know what it was. Was it an illness was it problems with his eyesight.
Maybe I'm trying to see what he was going through at the time idk.

We will only find out -- for sure -- when we meet the Lord and Paul in heaven. No one can tell you definitely what Paul's thorn was, because he never said. And none of the other writers of the Bible ever said.

But the first time I was on this site, I posted what I think about his thorn.

http://christianchat.com/bible-disc...ealing-disability-illness-unbelief-posts.html

 

[Depleted]

It seems highly likely that Paul had problems with his vision.... could have been some sort of macular degeneration, perhaps extreme myopia. He studied under Gamaliel, which seems to indicate that he had satisfactory vision for at least the early part of his life. That is simply speculation on my part, but the indication that he had some type of vision issues is scriptural.

Since macular degeneration is something that happens with age, (our macula deteriorates), I doubt it was that. Paul didn't live to old age. Myopia, although annoying, isn't that annoying. Just write and read with bigger letters.

 

[Depleted]

Yes, he did use a scribe for at least one of his letters, likely most of them.... from Romans 16...

True, but Romans was written in the last couple of years of his life, when he didn't do what made him money so he could travel. He was a tent maker, suggesting that he could at least thread a needle, or get filament through canvas. Both require fairly good eyesight. (Says the old lady that had to give up cross-stitch, because I can't see the little holes in the canvas anymore. lol)

 

[Depleted]

I'm thinking he was beaten, imprisoned, roamed the region out in the elements often, and was even in a shipwreck at one point. All that wears and tears the body. IF it was a disability, (and we can't really say for sure for that one), we don't know which part of his body gave first. I can see arthritis. I can see rheumatism. I can see broken limbs never given modern medical treatment, years later. I can see many possibilities that his body could have been given. I am biased in thinking it was a disability, but... at least I know it's bias, not biblical.

 

[stonesoffire]

When Pauls authority was questioned he referred to his beatings,stonings,shipwreck,etc.

IOW , The things we get attacked under is the very place we receive authority.

God said to Paul " i will show you what great things you must suffer for my namesake"

The word says " many are the afflictions of the righteous,but God is able to deliver them out of them ALL

I would add his appearance as the thorn to his flesh. With all that He suffered physically, possibly had teeth lost, and misshaped head? Possibly he felt some humiliation about this and was asking for a miracle. Plus he had eye problems too.

The embarassment could be a buffeting to his emotions and mind.

I heard this said in a meeting, but not as a revelation or a word from the Lord.


sorry, Lynn, I only was as far as heartofdavids post. I see your post was similar.

 

[Nehemiah6]

What was the "thorn in the flesh" to which Paul makes reference in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9?

Since "flesh" could be translated as "body", and thorns can be extremely annoying and painful, it would appear that this was a metaphor for a serious physical disability (possibly poor eyesight) which hindered Paul.

It was Satan who was behind this problem. Paul mentions how he has used "large letters" to essentially "sign" his name to his epistles, so it is very likely that his eyesight may not have been fully restored after his conversion, and Satan made sure that his sight would continue to be defective. Even though Paul -- himself a miracle worker -- prayed earnestly for God to remove this hindrance, God did not answer his prayers.

 

[Bladerunner]

What was the "thorn in the flesh" to which Paul makes reference in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9?


To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. —NIV

This I can sympathize with Paul. When you are truly saved, the Holy spirit within does not keep you from sinning. That is something you have to strive to do. There is not a day that goes by that I do not fight with myself and 'the messenger of Satan' (as Paul put it) about saying, thinking, doing something that I know would be a sin in GOD's eyes.

Thus, the Battle will continue until my soul leaves this earth.