Paul’s Thorn In The Flesh, Part 3: Why Does It Matter?

This is my final post on the subject, and much could be written but just in case you’re visiting the site for the first time and didn’t read the first two posts, allow me a quick snapshot of what I’ve been saying: It is taught that Paul had this eye disease based on a few circumstantial Scripture references (revolving around 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 as our anchor), and that he could barely see as a result.  In fact, the conditions of this disease are such that he would have had puss oozing out of his eyes down his face at any given moment.  I hope to show just a few reasons why this view is preposterous.

Acts 19:11-12 says 

“And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.”

Now correct me if I’m wrong, but if someone had such a contagious and disgusting eye disease, would we really be passing around handkerchiefs they used–in order to heal sick people and cast out demons with them–or would we not burn them or dispose of them in order to avoid having the infection spread?  Of course not, we’d do all we could to avoid having others get contaminated!

So I’ve taken some time to really ponder why I took the energy and time and gathered some resources to provide some reading about Paul’s thorn. And as promised, I am taking some time to explain why I feel it’s important. Most things are actually just side issues to me–believe it or not, except for things pertaining to healing. If the Bible is clear about something, there is no discussion needed on it. If the Bible is vague on something, then people are free to have their own opinions on. However the Bible is not vague on this topic or this passage, but very clear. It’s our perception of these passages and our ‘faith eyeglasses’ that need fixing. If we let the Scripture merely say what it says, we’d have way less confusion in the Body of Christ, and certainly way less people living in defeat when it comes to seeing a healing in their life, because of a false understanding of this passage and ones seemingly like it.

When dealing with the subject of divine healing, I have yet to find someone in opposition to the subject matter and having faith for it in our day, who does NOT bring up the issue of Paul’s thorn, and that therefore “see, even Paul was sick with something God [allegedly] put on him!  Aha!” Therefore any further discussion or study on the subject should at least deal with this particular roadblock for many hungry seekers of the truth.

And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (preeminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted.
Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me;
But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!
So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength). (2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Amplified Bible)

One doesn’t actually need to look this passage up in the Amplified translation of the Bible to see from reading in context Paul is not talking about having something physically wrong with him necessarily. No more effort will be spent in this installment trying to persuade the reader of that.

Who really cares what the thorn was or who it came from?

I remember when I had a discussion with someone once that I’ve known for a long time. She had a condition that she attributed to her past, and upon trying to encourage her, using the Word of God to show that He wants (a.k.a. *wills*) to take this away from her, she insisted she was “being taught a lesson” by the Lord, about sowing and reaping. She told me that she’s destined to bear this burden, and you guessed it, her Scriptural support in her mind was “even Paul had a thorn“. I’ve thought about this numerous times since, and in other conversations where people are living in defeat or just plain sick from something but don’t want to believe they can be made whole or well. If what I shared in the first two parts of this discussion was wrong, and let’s hypothetically concede Paul having a disease or sickness God put on him as a ‘thorn in his side’. We also need to take the rest of the passage, which sadly, few Christians can possibly say they live up to: the surpassing greatness of revelations like Paul had. Anybody want to stop there and say they are NOT on the same playing field as Paul now that we factor in this aspect of his having that thorn?!

I know almost no Christian in my life in Canada, the USA or Europe who lives anything like Paul did. Nobody I know is walking in the dynamic of revelations and ministry like Paul–signs and wonders as frequent and commonly as he did–praying more than others, and having things to say so important that his writings are canonized and now a part of Scripture. The last time someone told me they had a thorn, I asked them if they operate in the same capacity of revelation that Paul had. This brother told me with his own words “definitely not”, to which I sharply asked “then what makes you think you need a thorn like his then if you don’t do what he did to supposedly merit having one?!” Why do many believers insist on believing that they deserve a thorn without earning it like Paul–so to speak, I’m being hypothetical, remember.

My reason in sharing that point is that a lot Christians I know want it both ways when it comes to their disadvantages. We try to often make God the problem (“He put this on me”) instead of seeing what the Word really says concerning His promises and acting on it. If I have heard it once I’ve heard it a hundred times–enough to write a study on the subject to post here for any who will read. You have no idea how much it feels like someone’s ripping my fingernails off whenever I hear “well I guess this [insert here] is just my thorn.” No it isn’t. We are in a war, and the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a). Is God your enemy, or the devil?

The Bible also says in Mark 9:23 that all things are possible to those that believe. All things are possible to whom? Them that believe. That statement is not a blanket promise from God, it’s conditional. God does His part (all things), mixed together with us doing our part — believing. Also, implicit in that statement is the fact that what you believe IS important. Faith can only be had where the will of God is known–for faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). So it’s important to know WHAT the Word of God says, in order to base our faith on it. That’s why so many of my entries take the time to expose what the Scripture says, and not just share an opinion of mine. Too many in the Body of Christ form their opinions and base their doctrines on failure to see something happen. With healing, we hold a double standard to it that I’ve never seen anyone hold to salvation. If we lay hands on a sick person and they don’t get healed, or we are sick and seek healing–and don’t get the results, most believers conclude that it’s not God’s will. Humbug! I know people if you ask them if it’s God’s will for a muslim to be converted, they’d say yes! Ask them why, and they cite at least one verse like John 3:16. Nobody looks at the Middle East saying “well, that’s one billion muslims in the world, and they aren’t saved–I guess that means it’s not God’s will to save all.”

We have total faith for peoples’ salvation based on at least one Scripture verse! In case after reading other entries I’ve written on it and there’s any doubt in your mind–I repeat to you it is just as much God’s will to heal a body as it is to save a person’s soul! Both acts were atoned for at the cross. God doesn’t say “By His [Jesus'] stripes you are healed“ and then put a ‘thorn’ in you. God’s not a sufferer of multiple personality disorder!

Anyway, I hope my thoughts in this entry were organized enough for you. I especially write these things to boost peoples’ faith in the Scriptures for healing because I single-handedly attribute the misteaching out there about Paul’s thorn to be one of the main roadblocks to why some don’t even believe God for their healing, because they erroneously believe, based on this passage out of context, that God wants them sick. It doesn’t glorify God that we are living unhealthy when He paid for all on the cross–our sins and our sickness–both entered the world through Adam and Eve’s sin, and both were paid for by the last Adam–Christ on the cross.

Does Jesus put sin on anybody?

No, you say? Well then he doesn’t put a disease or sickness on them either, but both are from the pit of hell.

If this post has been beneficial to you, you may enjoy our podcast show where we discuss Paul’s thorn in the flesh and kill some sacred cows in the process:

Paul’s Thorn in The Flesh
Download mp3 (right click and save)