Part one of my question: What do you think was Paul's thorn in the flesh?

Question

Part two of my question: Was Paul's "thorn in the flesh" the result of sin or the result of Satan's attack on Paul. Serious question. Serious answers. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I think it was poor eye sight brought on by cataract or something along those lines. In I Corinthians 16:21 He/Paul writes, The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. Again in Galatians 6:11 Paul writes, Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand. This doesn’t refer to a lengthy letter but his large hand writing. And again in II Thessalonians 3:17 Paul writes The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. This became a sort of trade mark by which his writings  were recognized.

I think this was done, brought upon him to humble him and that it was initially brought on when he was struck down on the road to Damascus, Acts 9:3. In Acts 13:11 when he was blinded, I think he never fully recovered. Paul once Saul was a persecuter of early Christians at that time.

Answer 2

Very clearly in 2 Corinthians 12.7 "Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!"

Paul's thorn in the flesh was a physical malady of some sort (the word for disease is used 4 times in the context) and it was to stifle the Apostle's pride which would otherwise have been a problem because of the vision of God's glorious heaven that Paul had seen.

Answer 3

Part 1:

Paul's thorn in the flesh were people who opposed his preaching of the gospel, including the legalistic Judaisers. They were part of Satan's scheme to cause him troubles.

We see a similar expression in Numbers 33, where the phrase "thorn in the side" was used to describe people who are enemies. "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." (Numbers 33:55)

Part 2:

Paul's thorn in the flesh was the result of Satan's attack on Paul, and God allows it to demonstrate that His grace was sufficient for him, so that Paul would not depend on his own strength but depend on His strength. For Jesus' power is made perfect in weakness.

Part 3:

Since Paul received more revelations of God's grace and wisdom than any other apostles, it is likely that he is more susceptible to pride. Hence, out of His mercy and wisdom, the Lord allowed Paul to undergo trials and hardship so that his dependence would always be on the Lord instead of his own resources. "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." (2 Corinthians 12:10)

God bless you.

Answer 4

His greed.

Answer 5

My guess is it was his vision that gave him problems.  Physical maladies are the result of sin.

Answer 6

Galatians 6:11, "Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you WITH MY OWN HAND".  This book is only 6 short chapters long, so why would he consider it to be a "large letter" to have been written by his own hand?  I think the answer lies in Galatians 4:15, "...if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me".  I think his poor eyesight was this thorn in the flesh, which reminded him of how he came to Christ, and that he was struck blind in the process.  God chose him, not the other way around.

2nd Cor 12:9, Jesus said, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness".  He chose the weak things of the earth.  2nd Cor 12:11, "I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me:  for I ought to have been commended of you:  for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, THOUGH I BE NOTHING".  No, Paul gave God all the glory.  If verse 7's thorn was pride, why would he in the same breath mention "in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing"?

edit:

2nd Cor 12:7, tells why he was given this thorn, "lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations".  This thorn kept reminding him that it was God who chose him & revealed to him, and not of himself.  The words "the abundance of the revelations" is very apt.  Paul was just a man, and mankind is very prone to exalt himself.  God had a perfect fix for that, and it worked.

Answer 7

Considering his attitude toward s*x and marriage, I'm thinking he was g*y.

EDIT:  Reading between the lines.  He showed no interest in marriage or women at a time when Jewish men were expected to marry, there was something he was ashamed of and wouldn't talk about, and the phrase "thorn in the flesh" suggests physical desires rather than spiritual problems.

Answer 8

You will probably find the answer at the end of Romans.  Remember, Paul did not physically write the book of Romans.  Read the following verse:

Romans 16:22, "I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord."

It was Tertius that wrote Romans, but it was Paul who gave him the words to write...Romans 1:1, "Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God."

Why couldn't Paul write Romans himself?  Because of his weak eye sight.  However, this is only a suggestion as to what his thorn in his flesh was.

Answer 9

Paul was not g*y.  Whatever his thorn was, it was visible to others and given to him by Satan and allowed by God.