What's your opinion of these verses?

Question

2 nd corinthians chapter 12 (7) To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a mesenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the lord to take it away from me.But he said to me, "My grace is sufficcient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness," Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me.That is why, for the christ's sake, I delight in weakness,
in insult, in hasrdships, in persicution, in difficulties, for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Answer 1

And lest I should be exalted - There were three evils to be guarded against:
1.The contempt of his gifts and call by his enemies.
2.The overweening fondness of his friends. And, Self-exultation.


A thorn in the flesh - The word σκολοψ signifies a stake, and ανασκολοπιζεσθαι, to be tied to a stake by way of punishment; and it is used to signify the most oppressive afflictions. Whatever it was, it was τῃ σαρκι, in the flesh, i.e. of an outward kind. It was neither sin nor sinfulness, for this could not be given him to prevent his being exalted above measure; for sin never had and never can have this tendency. What this thorn in the flesh might be has given birth to a multitude of conjectures: Tertullian thought it dolor auriculae, the ear ache; Chrysostom, κεφαλαλγια, the head ache; Cyprian, carnis et corporis multa ac gravia tormenta, many and grievous bodily torments.

I believe the apostle to refer simply to the distresses he had endured through the opposition he met with at Corinth; which were as painful and grievous to him as a thorn in his flesh, or his being bound to a stake; for, if he could have devoted himself to destruction, Rom_9:3, for his rebellious and unbelieving countrymen, what must he have suffered on account of an eminent Church being perverted and torn to pieces by a false teacher! God permitted this to keep the apostle humble, and at last completely delivered the Church out of the hands and influence of this deceiver; none, not even the incestuous person, having been turned finally out of the way by the false doctrines there preached.

The messenger of Satan - Another mode of expressing what he calls the thorn in the flesh; and he seems most plainly to refer to the false apostle at Corinth. The apostle himself was, as he styles himself to this Church, αποστολος Ιησου Χριστου, 2Co_1:1, the apostle of Jesus Christ. The person in question is styled here αγγελος Σαταν, the apostle or angel of Satan. It is almost impossible to mistake the apostle’s meaning and reference. Jesus Christ sent Paul to proclaim his truth, and found a Church at Corinth. Satan, the adversary of God’s truth, sent a man to preach lies at the same place, and turn the Church of God into his own synagogue; and by his teaching lies and calumnies the apostle was severely buffeted. We need seek no other sense for these expressions. Many, however, think that the apostle had really some bodily infirmity that rendered him contemptible, and was the means of obstructing the success of his ministry; and that the false apostle availed himself of this to set St. Paul at nought, and to hold him out to ridicule. I belive this to be very unlikely.

No infirmity of body nor corporeal sufferings can affect and distress a minister of the Gospel, equally to the perversion or scattering of a flock, which were the fruit of innumerable labors, watchings, fastings, prayers, and tears.

Answer 2

There are many interpretations that could be taken from these verses.

The main one I have is that even when nothing seems to be working out and we are frustrated, weak, tired and angry, we should be happy. Because often it is the hard things that make you a stronger, better person and God can use you when you are willing to listen to him. His power is made perfect in our weakness. He can use our weaknesses to reveal himself to others - and to us.

Seriously, it's a bit like James 1, the whole "consider it pure joy my brothers when you face trials of..." well, read it. It is really a big challenge - especially with our human nature of wanting everything to be perfect to accept that we can't see the big picture - only the thing that's happening RIGHT NOW!!! God can see the whole picture - so even when it's tough we have to trust him and his plans for our lives.

God Bless!

Answer 3

As Mr. religion said above, there are various interpretations. But I think it is a mistake to hold that it must have been a "thing" (like a sickness) or a "person" (like a false apostle). I believe Paul is simply saying that he learned to rejoice in his difficulties (insult, hardships, persecution, difficulties) and that these were allowed by God to keep him close to Jesus, low at the foot of the cross, recognizing that any good in his ministry was by the mercy of God and not his great efforts, etc.

Don't we often plead with God to take a situation away, to change things, and He doesn't but instead we learn to cling to Christ and see Him work things out for His pleasure and we become more trusting of Him and more aware of our inabilities and weaknesses?

god bless

Answer 4

Sympathy for the Devil - Rolling Stones


Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man's soul and faith

And I was 'round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game

Answer 5

I heard an explanation for something like this and I will share it with you.
For example, when you work-out/ exercise, its really hard , you sweat, there's pain, there's effort, etc. But then you become active, healthier and stronger.
So only when there's exercise and we feel week, when we come out of it, then our faith grows.
I will tell in my experience, I am also growing in understanding of God. And many times I feel that though I know that God is there, I feel down and that time people may want to put me more down, but when I hold on to God. my faith grows stronger, cause I saw God getting me out of it wonderfully.

Answer 6

It reminds me of my problem. I don't have far to look to see that I am a sinner. It does keep me repentative, that is after the flesh has its season with me. His power IS made perfect in weakness!

Answer 7

Masochism.