Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

There is a belief that these verses speak of Paul receiving a sickness or disease in his flesh, and that God refused to heal him. This is a false belief.

Paul’s thorn in the flesh came through a “messenger of Satan”. The Greek word behind “messenger” here is ἄγγελος (angelos). It can refer to a physical messenger or an angelic or supernatural being. Being of Satan, this messenger would have been an evil supernatural being, such as a demon, sent to “buffet” Paul.

Being buffeted relates to being physically struck or abused or to being treated with violence. It does not refer to being sick. For reference, the same word can be found in Matthew 26:67, Mark 14:65, and 1 Peter 2:20.

Jesus freed born-again believers from sickness and disease (more on this later), but not from persecution and tribulation. In fact, we can and should expect these things if we live godly lives (2 Timothy 3:12, John 15:20, Acts 14:22, 1 Peter 4:13). In listing his persecutions and struggles for the sake of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:9-13, 2 Corinthians 6:4-5, 2 Corinthians 11:23-30), it is important to note that Paul never mentioned sickness.

A potential cause of confusion may lie in the fact that the KJV of the Bible uses the word “infirmities” in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. The KJV of the Bible is over 400 years old. Many of the words used in it have somewhat different meanings today. The Greek word behind “infirmities” in these verses is ἀσθένεια (astheneia). This word can indeed refer to sickness, but in this context, it means weakness. This is confirmed by the fact that more modern versions of the Bible, such as the ESV, NASB, NIV, AMP, and NLT, all use the word “weaknesses” instead of “infirmities”.

Additionally, the same Greek word used behind “infirmities” in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 was used by Paul just a few verses earlier in 2 Corinthians 11:30, where he referred to his persecutions and struggles (which, as previously noted, did not include sickness).

Finally, similar terms to “thorn in the flesh” were used previously in the Scriptures. This term was never used to refer to sickness or disease. Paul, a scholar of the Old Testament, would have known this.

Numbers 33:55

But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.

Joshua 23:13

know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. But they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.

Judges 2:3

Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’ ”

Ezekiel 2:6

“And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house.

Therefore, what was Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”? It was a supernatural being, sent by Satan, to persecute Paul. It must have influenced people and worked through them to “buffet” Paul. It was an attempt by Satan to prevent the spread of the Gospel. However, by the grace of God, Paul was able to endure and succeed in his mission.

What About Job?

Job had no covenant with God. Without a fulfilled covenant, mankind is subject to—and deserving of—the wrath of God. Why? Because God is holy, pure, and just. And outside of redemption, when considered in the light of an almighty and awesome God, we are wretched sinners, entirely deserving of destruction. For justice to prevail, there can be no other outcome.

What if—even after mankind chose to yield to Satan and live in sin—God continued to treat us as if nothing were wrong, as if we were perfect? What if He revealed no consequences, no wrath, no judgement. Not only would that paint a picture of injustice, but it would be inconsistent with the very character of a just and holy God.

Even in our earthly justice systems, we understand this principle: a person who commits crimes such as murder or rape cannot continue to live freely without repercussions. We certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable allowing such a person to have relationship with our loved ones. How much more, then, are we as sinners separated from the presence of a perfectly holy God?

This is why what Jesus did for us is so truly amazing. Our works could never save us. But He, the perfect Lamb of God, paid the price for our salvation. Through faith in Him, we obtain this eternal life. And through Jesus, we not only escape wrath, but we also now live in the awesome love of God Almighty as His very own children!

Additionally, the Book of Job reveals that there are realities and dynamics in the spiritual realm that we do not fully understand. As we read and study Scripture, we must never let what we don’t understand cause us to lose sight of we do understand and know to be true. God is good (Psalm 145:8-9), He is just (Deuteronomy 32:4), and He is love (1 John 4:7-11). We are called to trust in the Lord and to not rely on our own understanding or logic.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Let us always read Scripture through the lens of Jesus Christ. He showed us the true nature, character, and will of God. He showed us the Father perfectly (John 6:38; John 14:9; Colossians 1:19; Hebrews 1:3).