What was Paul's thorn in the flesh: spiritual, physical, emotional?

[JerryfromMass]

'And lest I should be exalted above measure
through the abundance of the revelations,
there was given to me a thorn in the flesh,
the messenger of Satan to buffet me,
lest I should be exalted above measure.'
(2Corinthians 12:7)

Hello @JerryfromMass,

The context tells us that this was an 'infirmity' and that it was 'in the flesh'. We know from the record that Paul suffered from a medical condition at one point (Galatians 4:13-15) which appears to have affected his eyes.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Morning sister,

Yet the text does not elaborate explicitly that Paul is referring to a physical malady.

We know the thorn is something in his flesh, and it was sent by Satan, so perhaps a demon hounding Paul's mind or affecting his emotions, or perhaps like Job, Paul was experiencing physical pain brought on by spiritual wickedness.

But, you may be right that Paul was in fact referring to a physical malady/infirmity of one sort.

 

[Hekuran]

Nobody knows. My best guess from the information we have is that the satanic messenger brought a disabling physical condition such as seizures, severe migraines, malarial fever.

In the gospels conditions like these were attributed to evil spirits.

 

[Admon Mikha'el]

'And lest I should be exalted above measure
through the abundance of the revelations,
there was given to me a thorn in the flesh,
the messenger of Satan to buffet me,
lest I should be exalted above measure.'
(2Corinthians 12:7)

Hello @JerryfromMass,

The context tells us that this was an 'infirmity' and that it was 'in the flesh'. We know from the record that Paul suffered from a medical condition at one point (Galatians 4:13-15) which appears to have affected his eyes.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

LOL My friend, there is nothing in Galatians 4:13-15 to indicate that Paul had a long term illness, eye problems or Covid....It says he was ill....no more....He could have had flu...he could have eaten some bad food...Christians are a peculiar people aren't we? Let's just go by what the Word says without adding to it.

 

[PloughBoy]

there was given to me "a thorn in the flesh," " The term A 'thorn in the flesh'," Is a "IDOM" I know you all are not going to believe me. For the content of the Paragraph has express its meaning. And That Thorn was: [The messenger of Satan to [attack] me..........GOD has given him permission to attack me......at certain times. In GOD's view, it is a "grace" and a sense of Mercy, that I will not grow in "PRIDE" because of THE WISDOM and THE ABUNDANCE of DEVINE REVELATIONS GIVEN TO ME , by GOD.



PS I cannot enter the thoughts of complaining

 

[Admon Mikha'el]

there was given to me "a thorn in the flesh," " The term A 'thorn in the flesh'," Is a "IDOM" I know you all are not going to believe me. For the content of the Paragraph has express its meaning. And That Thorn was: [The messenger of Satan to [attack] me..........GOD has given him permission to attack me......at certain times. In GOD's view, it is a "grace" and a sense of Mercy, that I will not grow in "PRIDE" because of THE WISDOM and THE ABUNDANCE of DEVINE REVELATIONS GIVEN TO ME , by GOD.



PS I cannot enter the thoughts of complaining

I only disagee with one thing "GOD has given him permission to attack me......at certain times. In GOD's view, it is a "grace" and a sense of Mercy, that I will not grow in "PRIDE" because of THE WISDOM and THE ABUNDANCE of DEVINE REVELATIONS GIVEN TO ME , by GOD." Of course you have scripture for this? Paul did not say that.

 

[PloughBoy]

I only disagee with one thing "GOD has given him permission to attack me......at certain times. In GOD's view, it is a "grace" and a sense of Mercy, that I will not grow in "PRIDE" because of THE WISDOM and THE ABUNDANCE of DEVINE REVELATIONS GIVEN TO ME , by GOD." Of course you have scripture for this? Paul did not say that.

Believe what you want to believe, just like all the the rest of the 2.382 Billions of Christians through out the World. Every last one have their own Independent opinion of a Translation sayings about The Original Copied MANuscript of what the WORD of GOD says. For there is nothing new under the Sun.
I do not expect No one to agree with me on anything on this earth even about GOD and His SON, JESUS! For I know I am a stranger among the people of this earth. And I am A Barbarian to them! A pure stranger and my words has no place in them. Like "John" I am nothing but a Voice in "The Wilderness"!

Berean Literal Bible (1 Corinthians 11:32}
But being judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we should not be condemned with the world.
2 Samuel 7:14
I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.

Psalm 94:12
Blessed is the man You discipline, O LORD, and teach from Your law,

Psalm 118:18
The LORD disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death.
Berean Study Bible
But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.

New American Standard Bible
Now the anger of the LORD burned against Israel again, and He incited David against them to say, “Go, count Israel and Judah.”

 

[JerryfromMass]

Believe what you want to believe, just like all the the rest of the 2.382 Billions of Christians through out the World. Every last one have their own Independent opinion of a Translation sayings about The Original Copied MANuscript of what the WORD of GOD says. For there is nothing new under the Sun.
I do not expect No one to agree with me on anything on this earth even about GOD and His SON, JESUS! For I know I am a stranger among the people of this earth. And I am A Barbarian to them! A pure stranger and my words has no place in them. Like "John" I am nothing but a Voice in "The Wilderness"!

Berean Literal Bible (1 Corinthians 11:32}
But being judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we should not be condemned with the world.
2 Samuel 7:14
I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.

Psalm 94:12
Blessed is the man You discipline, O LORD, and teach from Your law,

Psalm 118:18
The LORD disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death.
Berean Study Bible
But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.

New American Standard Bible
Now the anger of the LORD burned against Israel again, and He incited David against them to say, “Go, count Israel and Judah.”

Come on, @PloughBoy, you ought to know better: John has no equal.

 

[Admon Mikha'el]

Believe what you want to believe, just like all the the rest of the 2.382 Billions of Christians through out the World. Every last one have their own Independent opinion of a Translation sayings about The Original Copied MANuscript of what the WORD of GOD says. For there is nothing new under the Sun.
I do not expect No one to agree with me on anything on this earth even about GOD and His SON, JESUS! For I know I am a stranger among the people of this earth. And I am A Barbarian to them! A pure stranger and my words has no place in them. Like "John" I am nothing but a Voice in "The Wilderness"!

Berean Literal Bible (1 Corinthians 11:32}
But being judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we should not be condemned with the world.
2 Samuel 7:14
I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.

Psalm 94:12
Blessed is the man You discipline, O LORD, and teach from Your law,

Psalm 118:18
The LORD disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death.
Berean Study Bible
But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him.

New American Standard Bible
Now the anger of the LORD burned against Israel again, and He incited David against them to say, “Go, count Israel and Judah.”

No need to be nasty....I simply asked you to provide a scripture to back up what you said....Can't do that?

 

[JerryfromMass]

No need to be nasty....I simply asked you to provide a scripture to back up what you said....Can't do that?

Curmudgeon calling the cookie monster nasty?

 

[Admon Mikha'el]

Curmudgeon calling the cookie monster nasty?

I could call you something too but I'm a gentleman. LOL I'll just call you late for lunch.

 

[PloughBoy]

Come on, @PloughBoy, you ought to know better: John has no equal.

When then Jesus Christ must be a liar, if he said this, and you are right and HE is dead wrong!


New American Standard Bible
I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

 

[PloughBoy]

No need to be nasty....I simply asked you to provide a scripture to back up what you said....Can't do that?

The BIBLE, GOD, JESUS and The HOLY SPIRIT. Plain as day. Only a dead man or blind man is the only 2 that cannot see that TRUTH from "GENESIS to Revelation" I called it not "nasty" it is an "insult"! to not even see that TRUTH.

 

[PloughBoy]

They thought Jesus was nasty too! and of His own household, called his Mama a Fornicator, and called HIM a devil, and tried to kill Him in His own town, right after He got threw "Preaching" and went outside of The Synagogue. Church people, The People of GOD! Came to His Own and His own receive Him not!

 

[Admon Mikha'el]

They thought Jesus was nasty too! and of His own household, called his Mama a Fornicator, and called HIM a devil, and tried to kill Him in His own town, right after He got threw "Preaching" and went outside of The Synagogue. Church people, The People of GOD! Came to His Own and His own receive Him not!

Admon shakes his head in disbelief..."You must be double jointed at the shoulders.

 

[JerryfromMass]

I could call you something too but I'm a gentleman. LOL I'll just call you late for lunch.

I usually skip lunch, so...

 

[JerryfromMass]

When then Jesus Christ must be a liar, if he said this, and you are right and HE is dead wrong!


New American Standard Bible
I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

I know you can read, bro. As Little Mike once sang, it's easy as 123:

1. there is no one greater than John;

2. the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

3. John has no equal.

 

[JerryfromMass]

When then Jesus Christ must be a liar, if he said this, and you are right and HE is dead wrong!


New American Standard Bible
I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

A. What was John when Jesus said this of him?

B. Where was John when Jesus said this of him?

C. Who was in the Kingdom of God when Jesus said this of John?

 

[complete]

LOL My friend, there is nothing in Galatians 4:13-15 to indicate that Paul had a long term illness, eye problems or Covid....It says he was ill....no more....He could have had flu...he could have eaten some bad food...Christians are a peculiar people aren't we? Let's just go by what the Word says without adding to it.

'Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected;
but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
Where is then the blessedness ye spake of?
for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible,
ye would have plucked out your own eyes,
and have given them to me.'
(Gal 4:13-15)

Hello @Admon Mikha'el,

I agree that we should abide by what is written, and that is what I have done. For Galatians 4:13-15 (above) does say that the Galatians would have, if it had been possible, plucked out their own eyes and have given them to Paul: which does indicate that the problem he had at that time, was in regard to his eyes. The condition also was with him for some considerable time, for Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:6, that he asked the Lord that it may 'depart from' him on three occasions. The Lord's response being that His grace was sufficient for Paul, His strength being made perfect in weakness (v.9). So Paul contented himself by glorying in his infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon him (v.9).

'And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations,
there was given to me a thorn in the flesh,
the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities,
in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake:
for when I am weak, then am I strong.'
(2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[complete]

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:7 "So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.", but he never expounds on the nature of this thorn in the flesh.

I suspect it was pride. Pride can have an effect on the flesh: haughty speech, over confidence, cocky swagger, insolence, etc. But Paul tells us in Ephesians that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but with the evil spirit realm.

What do you make of the thorn in the flesh?

'And lest I should be exalted above measure
..through the abundance of the revelations,
.... there was given to me a thorn in the flesh,
...... the messenger of Satan to buffet me,
........ lest I should be exalted above measure.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice,
.. that it might depart from me.
.... And He said unto me,
...,.." My grace is sufficient for thee:
........ for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,
.. in reproaches,
.... in necessities,
...... in persecutions,
........ in distresses
.......... for Christ's sake:
............ for when I am weak, then am I strong.'
(2Cor 12:7-10)

Praise God!



* If God allowed Satan to afflict Paul, it was for a reason. It exposed his weakness, and gave Paul also the glorious knowledge that God's strength was made perfect in his weakness. So Paul could even take pleasure in whatever infirmity he suffered in whatever form, for He now knew that when he was weak then He was strong: but, 'in the Lord', and not in himself. He therefore gloried in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:31)

Thank you.

 

[Admon Mikha'el]

I usually skip lunch, so...

Then I guess you're safe. LOL