Paul’s Vision And Thorn in The Flesh
January 20, 2020
Commentary
Just as God permitted Satan to test Job (Job 1-2) and Peter (Luke 22:31-34), so He permitted Satan to attack Paul. To avoid exalting himself he describes these experiences in the third person.
1. The Revelation (vv. 1-6). 14 years before the writing of this letter, Paul had been caught up into the very presence of Christ in heaven (v. 20). Paul was not quite sure whether God had taken him bodily to heaven or whether his spirit had left his body. Possibly this was when he was stoned, and his broken and bruised body lay in the dust near Lystra (Acts 14:19). At any rate, Paul had kept quiet about this experience for 14 years. If he had been seeking honor for himself, he would have immediately told what had happened and would have become famous. Instead, He exercised discipline and told his experience to no one.
2. The Thorn in the Flesh (vv. 7-10). The Lord knows how to balance our lives. If we have only victories and blessings, we may become proud; so, He permits us to have burdens as well. For this reason, he permitted his dear apostle to have a “thorn in the flesh." We do not know what it was except that it was some annoying, painful, and persistent source of suffering. Some Bible scholars think it was an eye affliction of some kind (Galatians 6:11). Three times Paul asked the Lord to remove it but instead He just gave him the grace to endure it.
Application
God did not give Paul any explanations but gave him His grace. When I face obstacles, it is only by His grace and His power that I will be made effective to do a work that has everlasting value.
2 Corinthians 12:1– 10 (NET)
1 It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows) 4 was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak. 5 On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. 6 For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I would be telling the truth, but I refrain from this so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me, 7 even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant. 8 I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. 10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.