Paul’s Thorn
I imagine that most people who spend time studying the subject of divine healing will eventually encounter the following question: ”What about Paul’s thorn?” There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding about this thorn, and with this article, I hope to bring simple clarity to it.
Before you continue to read my post, I strongly encourage you to read the passage in context for yourself. It is a long passage, but reading the whole thing will provide context and bring understanding.
Here is a link to the passage at Bible Gateway: 2 Corinthians 11:16 – 12:10
Here is a brief overview and some background for this passage. Paul is writing to the believers in the city of Corinth. At the time, there were some people coming through the city that claimed to be apostles. These men were spreading false teachings, and they were also bragging on their own accomplishments in order to boost their influence.
As part of his effort to counter these men, Paul is listing some of his experiences as a Christian to show that his “resume” qualifies him to speak with authority when he comes against these erroneous doctrines. This is an oversimplification, but I provide it here as a brief background to give context.
In the passage we are looking at, he spends nearly all of his time talking about the persecution he has faced. Rather than brag on how awesome he is, he lists all the ways he has experienced trouble. He had been beaten, stoned, imprisoned, shipwrecked, lost at sea, hungry, thirsty, cold, and naked (and the list goes on).
Then, in the middle of this list, he says the following:
2 Corinthians 11:30 – If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.
Notice two things here. Number one, the infirmity that he is boasting of is the collection of difficulties and persecutions that he has faced. Number two, physical disease is not mentioned anywhere as part of his list of trials. This is a VERY important point that should be kept in mind as you read the passage where he gives more detail regarding his “thorn.” When Paul is talking about his infirmity in this letter, he is talking about persecution that he has faced.
Next, he talks about “surpassingly great revelations” that he received. We know of no man that ever lived that received more revelation concerning the gospel of grace than Paul. God showed him things that he was not even allowed to talk about.
And then we come to the passage that contains the thorn.
2 Corinthians 12:7b-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.
Notice the word that appears here again: infirmities. If you read this verse by itself, without the context of all the preceding verses, it would appear that he may be talking about some kind of physical ailment. However, he is using the exact same Greek word that he did back in chapter 11 when he was boasting about his many troubles. So he is not talking about being sick, he is talking about different forms of persecutions and troubles.
The Thorn, a Messenger?
Next I want to focus on a phrase he uses in verse 7. According to Paul, the thorn in his flesh is actually a messenger from Satan. Satan’s messengers are also called demons, evil spirits, or unclean spirits. Paul is saying that there was a demon that was causing problems for him.
So, Paul’s thorn was a demon,
That brings up another question, though. What was this demon doing?
There are many possibilities, but I believe the three choices below provide a general summary of the main explanations I have come across in my studies.
The demon was either…
- causing a physical sickness or disease in his body
- attacking Paul’s conscience by accusing him of his past persecutions of Christians
- stirring up severe persecution in the places Paul visited
If we limit our view to the immediate context of the passage, the option that appears to be the best fit is number 3. Paul has been talking at great length about the persecutions and troubles he has been facing, but he says nothing about having diseases or deformities, and he says nothing about having a guilty conscience.
The messenger from Satan was probably inciting resistance to Paul’s ministry, which often led to him being physically mistreated. This doesn’t mean that the other two options are not possible, just that they are much less likely, if we are to base our opinion on the immediate context.
If we are to look outside of the immediate context, we must remember the fact that Paul had authority over demons. He exercised this authority on several occasions in Acts, and he taught on this authority in his letters to the churches. He exercised his authority in such a way that his reputation became well known even among the demons themselves. (See Acts 19:13-16)
I find it very unlikely that Paul would permit a demon to operate continually in his body or in his conscience. However, the idea that a demon or a group of demons would go around stirring up trouble for him is not difficult to imagine.
If it is true that the demon was stirring up persecution, then Paul would have been praying for Jesus to remove the persecution he was facing. However, Jesus has warned all of His followers that persecution is part of the journey, and the fact that he said “no” to Paul’s request should not be surprising.
However, for Jesus to say no to a request for physical healing would go against the many examples he set forth when he walked the earth as detailed in the four gospels. Jesus always healed everyone that came to him. And Jesus always told everyone He sent to represent Him to do the same.
For these reasons, it seeems clear to me that Paul’s thorn in the flesh was a form of spiritual warfare that was manifested in persecution. The idea that this thorn was a sickness that Jesus refused to heal is not represented in the passage when read in context, and this whole idea contradicts the life and example of Jesus.
so glad I came across this!!??
Very great article, I’m so inspired to have read this!! My Pastor preached that sickness could also be God’s will for someone, therefore when we pray for healing we should always say ‘Father if it is your will….’ Deep inside of me I felt like how can it not be God’s will to always heal his children but If it is always His will why then are some prayers for healing unanswered? Pls your response will be much appreciated.
Thanks:)
Thank you for your comment! To answer your question, there are many factors that affect what happens when we minister healing…God’s will is not the only factor. I do believe it is always God’s will to heal His children first and foremost because that is what Jesus did when he was on the earth showing us what the Father is like. He healed everyone that came to him. But sometimes there are other things going on. For example, sometimes people are unwilling to receive. Sometimes there is demonic influence. Sometimes the Lord has given instructions that we are not following. There are many other factors too. I encourage you to go the section of my website on healing and go through the materials there. I have articles, videos, and recordings teaching about healing. Here is the link: http://bornofspirit.net/heal-the-sick/
wow! thank you very much for the explanation and for the link you shared . God bess you!
Wonderful article. I would like several points to complement the explanation.
1. Paul was a Pharisee and he knew the Old Testament very well. If you search through the Old Testament you will find MANY places the expression “thorn in the flesh” and it ALWAYS refers to living creatures, enemies. It never refers to a sickness or illness. So Paul was using the expression thorn in the flesh the way it was well familiar to the Jewish from the Old Testament – a living enemy.
2. Paul says “was given to me”. He does not say God gave me. I.e. God does not give sicknesses.
3. Paul says “it might depart”, in other versions “to be taken away from me”. He does not say “that I may be healed”. If it was a sickness isn’t it more natural to say “healed”?
4. Jesus said NO, because nowhere in the Bible God instructs us to ask Him to cast out demons. He gave US the power and the authority to do so. So asking God to deliver us from demons is like asking God to do our job.
Amen! Thank you for your comment. I agree on all points.
Can you please tell me where in the Old Testament the phrase thorn in the flesh is quoted? I am unable to find any.
Sure! Numbers 33:55 “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, then those whom you allow to remain will be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your side, and will cause you trouble in the land where you will be living.”
Thanks!
Another wonderful article. I always approach reading content regarding Paul’s thorn with apprehension, because so many people are of a contradictory viewpoint than my husband and I. You nailed it! Great job.
Thank you! Yes, that is a topic where you find some very bizarre doctrines popping up. To me it seems so simple once you read it all in context.
I studied this passage a while ago. Indeed many Christians quote Paul’s thorn and say that God did not heal Apostle Paul and told him that His grace is sufficient for him to endure the sickness! Such error! So many Christians live their lives based on hearsay and experiences. I was one of them until I started seeking the truth on my own. I refuse to be led blindly now.
When I studied the word ‘flesh’, it actually mean the physical body, literally flesh. I know in modern world, ‘thorn in the flesh’ is often speaking about someone who causes us trouble or limitation etc and people don’t say their sickness is ‘thorn in the flesh’.
And I agree that the word ‘infirmity’ does not apply to physical sicknesses. Paul has never mentioned about sicknesses/dieases among the list of troubles he faced.
But what if that thorn in the flesh is really a sickness? a ailment? Demons certainly can cause physical afflictions. I do see that as possible too.
However, when God says His grace is sufficient for Paul, I believe that God is saying His grace is sufficient for Paul to overcome it, to be delivered from it. Though the Bible mentions three times, I believe Paul probably prayed more than thrice. And I believe he did come out of it and overcome the evil one. That is how I see the verse ‘My grace is sufficient for you’. God says He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. And Paul was not even killed when a viper bit him in Acts.
Wow. I love this. He died a Victor in Christ not a victim. One shouldn’t just follow hearsays but go to the Word by themselves
Flesh in the bible means human sinful nature. It’s also possible that Paul was suffering from a particular sinful behaviour which he was struggling to shake off. He also talks about not having attained it himself and running the race. He could also have been struggling with sins of others that were causing discord to his ministry
Thank you for your comment.
It appears that the phrase “thorn in the flesh” is a Hebraism that is similar to the American phrase “thorn in my side.” It describes some kind of annoyance.
Paul tells us that this thorn/annoyance is a “messenger from Satan,” i.e. a demon. So we can be certain what the thorn actually is. The thorn is a demon. So now the question is, what is this demon doing?
In the article I put forward the three most popular opinions on what the demon is doing, and I shared that based on the context, the most likely explanation is that the demon is stirring up persecution against Paul.
Hie. What then can be said for people born with disabilities and genetic sickness, and are never healed. To take away this notion that God’s grace is sufficient even in sickness, would it not make people lose hope. Would you agree that because it is such a grey area, it also allows for people to endure sickness until healing comes, or even to death as we have seen many Christians dying from sickness as well. My father died of cancer, we prayed, we fasted, but this taking this verse to also mean sickness took away the pain from us when he eventually passed on.
Hi Vanessa. Thank you for your question.
First of all, I am very sorry for your loss. I too have had beloved family members die, and it can be very painful to pray and believe and to still experience tragic loss. My heart goes out to you.
God’s grace is truly sufficient to help us through anything. I fully believe this. No matter the circumstance, God can help us. My article regarding Paul’s thorn does not contradict that concept in any way.
My article is written to show that Paul’s thorn cannot be used to argue that sometimes God refuses to heal people, or that sometimes God wants people to be sick. Since Paul’s thorn was not sickness, then this verse cannot be used to prove anything regarding God’s will towards sickness. To learn about God’s will towards sickness, we should start with how Jesus treated sickness, because Jesus is the exact representation of God’s nature (Heb 1:3).
Jesus healed everyone that came to him (Acts 10:38), and he commanded his followers to heal the sick people they encountered (Luke 9:2, Luke 10:9, Mark 16:15-20). Sometimes in the Gospels his followers failed to accomplish this (Mat 17:14-21), but Jesus still healed the person anyway. If the sickness was God’s will, then Jesus would have told the disciples “this sickness is God’s will and that is why you couldn’t heal the boy.” To me this shows that we cannot blame sickness on God’s will.
So that I am not misunderstood, let me make the following points very clear:
Any time ministry for healing did not have positive, tangible results…
– Jesus never blamed the sick person and neither should we.
– Jesus never blamed the family of the sick person and neither should we
When my father died, we prayed but we did not see not see the healing. I do not blame this on God, and I do not blame this on myself or any member of my family. I do not believe God causes sickness in believers, and I do not believe that God wants us to be sick. I believe he wants us to be well and to be healed because of how Jesus treated sickness. Sometimes things happen that I do not understand, and I have had to come to terms with that. But I find no comfort in the idea of using Paul’s thorn to say that sometimes God just refuses to heal people. To me that is a misuse of scripture that contradicts the life of Jesus.
I find comfort knowing that God wants us to be well, even if that is not what we always experience for whatever reason.
I see the point about the thorn in the flesh and I also know that Christians do get sick, including Paul and Timothy. In James, we are told to go to the elders of we are sick. We know that Jesus took our infirmities and sin, but we will not see this come to complete fruition until we are in heaven and out of this fallen world. If sickness was meant to be taken away completely here, then no believer would.be getting sick in the first place. I go to a spirit filled church where sickness does not seem to discriminate. What I observe is that often times, people do heal..but rarely is it right away. Others are still waiting and others have passed away. I always pray for healing in Jesus’name because that’s what we are called to do and I always believe they will.be healed. Yet, I find that there are mysteries to this subject matter and God is sovereign. He does not always handle every situation exactly the same. I appreciate this post and all the comments. This has been a subject matter that my husband and I frequently discuss. God bless!
One other point I want to make is that regardless of whether or not Paul experienced sickness, he sure did suffer a great deal for the Lord and he definitely experienced pain. Persecution is expected for believers and we all know it’s not pleasant. So it’s fair to say that this life is not always perfect or painless or without suffering. This is why I cling to the hope of eternity in heaven where there will be no pain or sorrows and I am thankful for all the beautiful moments here that give me a glimpse of what heaven will be like!
God bless Brenda for the encouraging words, many a time we preach the will of God is to heal us because we expect a pain free life once we are born again. With that being said is stoning almost unto death not more painful than some of the sicknesses we want God to ensure that we don’t get.
I love this article, it sheds light on some misguidance some have had about the Word. God doesn’t give people sicknesses to teach them lessons he uses the word of God(2 Tim 3:16).
Thank you Tommie! Be blessed!
I am a firm believer that it is also what we come into agreement with. If you have symptoms and your first instinct is to run to the doctor and not pray, thats relying on a work of the flesh to heal you and not God. The first thing we are to do is go to the elders, folks who have a greater faith than we do. Then we need to make sure we are speaking the Word over our situation. Find scriptures that encourage you and relate to healing and say them over and over again until you believe them. I believe that accepting a diagnosis from a doctor, specifically a diagnosis for something serious like cancer or lupus, etc., we really need to renounce it. If we don’t, we end up having to rely on drugs for the rest of our lives that damage our organs and only treat the symptoms, while the disease progresses. Its like we come into agreement with a curse when we accept the prognosis of “this is incurable”. Its only incurable if you believe it is. So now, a curse is in operation and praying for healing won’t bypass a curse, it has to be broken. My two cents 🙂