THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS

CHAPTER 12
 

THORN IN THE FLESH BIBLE VERSE

           It’s great to have you back again for more Daily Bread. In our last chapter, Paul shared with us a list of persecutions that he endured in his ministry. Clearly, this was something that he didn’t want to write about, but in his position as the Apostle of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, with his identity in question, he must have felt it was necessary. You can feel his reluctance in his words, almost apologetically admitting the foolishness of his “bragging” about his qualifications. For a person like Paul who is bold for the Lord, yet humble in his self, you’ve just got to know that deep down, he wasn’t comfortable doing this, although, as he has said before, he’ll do what he has to do to win souls for the Lord.

THORN IN THE FLESH BIBLE VERSE STUDY ON THORN IN THE FLESH BIBLE VERSE MEANING WITH THORN IN THE FLESH BIBLE VERSE MESSAGE

           This passage is Paul telling about an experience he himself had. Whether this was a vision or whether it was an "out of body experience" he could not tell, but he was taken to the third heaven. What is the third heaven? Not the sky where the birds fly, not the starry heaven, but the third heaven where God manifests His glory. He heard unspeakable words there ... things that are not possible for a man to describe to the world. It would seem that anyone who had such an experience would have readily boasted about them, but he says ...

For even though I would like to glory,
I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth:
but now I refrain,
so that nobody thinks more highly of me
than what he sees me to be,
or that he hears from me.

And so that I wouldn’t be overly exalted (lifted up)
through the abundance (graciousness, generosity) of the revelations,
I was given a thorn in the flesh,
the messenger of Satan to bruise me,
for fear that I should be honored above measure.
 

You may have read or heard different stories about what this “thorn” in the flesh was that Paul was given, and whether it was psoriasis or leprosy or even acne, it doesn’t matter, but what matters is this: What “thorns” do we have of our own? What fleshly imperfections do we have that we absolutely despise, that we should look at differently? Why aren’t we perfect? Because then we would feel like we didn’t need God. If you had no weaknesses, then He couldn’t work through you. It’s His perfection that we should glorify, not our own and our weaknesses that we should cherish, as Paul explains:

Because of this thing I prayed to the Lord three times,
that it might depart from me.
And he said to me,

Most gladly then, I instead take pride in my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in weakness,
in shame, in necessities, in persecutions,
and in distresses for Christ's sake:
because when I am weak, then I am strong.

I have become a fool in praising myself;
but you have forced me:
because I should have been found worthy by you,
for in nothing am I the least bit inferior
to the very chiefest Apostles,
though I am nothing.

Truly I performed the signs of an Apostle among you
in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

How were you inferior to other churches,
unless it was that I myself was not costly to you?
Forgive me this wrong.
Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you;
and I will not be costly to you:
for I seek not yours (your belongings) but you:
for the children shouldn’t provide for the parents,
but the parents for the children.

And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you;
and though the more abundantly I love you,
the less I am loved.

But be that as it may, I did not burden you:
nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

Did I take any advantage of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
I requested Titus, and with him I sent a brother.
Did Titus take any advantage of you?
Didn’t we walk in the same spirit?
Didn’t we walk in the same steps?

We don't say this to gain your approval.
We speak before God in Christ:
but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your betterment.

For I fear, that when I visit you,
I shall not find you as I hope,
and that you shall not find me as you hope:
that there will be debates, jealousy, anger, conflicts,
slander, whisperings, swellings, violence:
And that, when I come again,
my God will humble me among you,
and that I shall be sorrowful for many which have sinned already,
and have not repented of the uncleanness
and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.