Comments on: Paul’s Thorn in The Flesh, part 1: Messenger of Satan or God? http://www.fireonyourhead.org/2009/01/19/pauls-thorn-in-the-flesh-part-1/ Articles to provoke you towards personal and global revival Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:18:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Stevie B http://www.fireonyourhead.org/2009/01/19/pauls-thorn-in-the-flesh-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-625 Stevie B Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:33:33 +0000 http://www.fireonyourhead.org/?p=3242#comment-625 Thanks for the comment Evan, I don't necessarily have a problem with your thoughts because as I stated in one of the posts, there was no literal thorn (as you point out), but I disagree with you (and wrote why) about why God "didn't remove it", however, as I go on to show using Scripture for the first 2 posts in this series, the human failings explanation is not Biblically exegetical, or even a contextual explanation about Paul's thorn. Many people just accept that understanding without looking at what the text actually says. Hence my reason writing for posting these articles in the first place for people. I encourage reading at least the second post I did on this as well for specifically God's "response" to Paul. http://www.fireonyourhead.org/2009/01/26/pauls-thorn-in-the-flesh-part-2/ Thanks for stopping by. Blessings and fire on your head, Steve Thanks for the comment Evan,
I don’t necessarily have a problem with your thoughts because as I stated in one of the posts, there was no literal thorn (as you point out), but I disagree with you (and wrote why) about why God “didn’t remove it”, however, as I go on to show using Scripture for the first 2 posts in this series, the human failings explanation is not Biblically exegetical, or even a contextual explanation about Paul’s thorn. Many people just accept that understanding without looking at what the text actually says. Hence my reason writing for posting these articles in the first place for people. I encourage reading at least the second post I did on this as well for specifically God’s “response” to Paul. http://www.fireonyourhead.org/2009/01/26/pauls-thorn-in-the-flesh-part-2/

Thanks for stopping by.
Blessings and fire on your head,
Steve

]]> By: Evan Thomas http://www.fireonyourhead.org/2009/01/19/pauls-thorn-in-the-flesh-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-624 Evan Thomas Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:23:45 +0000 http://www.fireonyourhead.org/?p=3242#comment-624 I have always interpreted the "thorn" to mean a personal failing or weakness, somewhat akin to a character flaw. We all, even the greatest apostles, have human failings. We are often confused when we come to the realization that being a believer, being saved, does not make us immune from those human flaws. We are still tempted, and we still give in to temptation at times. It causes us much shame and guilt, to the point where we beg God to remove the flaw, or "thorn." But for God to do so would be counter-productive. To be human is to be imperfect, and to be tempted. How we deal with that temptation is a very big part of why God put us here to begin with. And THAT is why God would not remove the "thorn" from Paul's flesh. There is no literal thorn, nor is there anything literally in Paul's flesh. Jesus spoke to his disciples in parables, and so Paul is employing the same method to illustrate his human failings. He then comes to the conclusion that it is these very weaknesses that keep him humble, even as he strives continually to overcome them. I have always interpreted the “thorn” to mean a personal failing or weakness, somewhat akin to a character flaw. We all, even the greatest apostles, have human failings. We are often confused when we come to the realization that being a believer, being saved, does not make us immune from those human flaws. We are still tempted, and we still give in to temptation at times. It causes us much shame and guilt, to the point where we beg God to remove the flaw, or “thorn.” But for God to do so would be counter-productive. To be human is to be imperfect, and to be tempted. How we deal with that temptation is a very big part of why God put us here to begin with. And THAT is why God would not remove the “thorn” from Paul’s flesh. There is no literal thorn, nor is there anything literally in Paul’s flesh. Jesus spoke to his disciples in parables, and so Paul is employing the same method to illustrate his human failings. He then comes to the conclusion that it is these very weaknesses that keep him humble, even as he strives continually to overcome them.

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