What do you think Paul's thorn was?

Question

Just your opinion, for fun

Answer 1

I used to think it was an eye problem, because of his references in Galatians. But then I read this and it changed my mind:

http://raptureready.com/featured/kelley/grace.html

The writer makes a very good argument that the "thorn" was the fact that nearly everyone who met Paul wanted to hurt or kill him. Each time, God's grace healed Paul so he could continue his ministry.

Answer 2

I am going to say it was his obsession with religion, especially the religion of Judaism. Most people are trying to find somewhere in the Bible that mentions Paul having some kind of physical illness or defect but it doesn't seem to bet there. I feel if Paul had some physical limitation he would have spelled it out. If you understand Paul's writings you will see that he plays on words a lot. He uses words to mean things they don't normally mean like he word "flesh". Paul writes many times about sins of the flesh, living in the flesh and not of the spirit and such. Flesh usually meant sinful desires. Maybe I am way off. I am just speculating.

Answer 3

Good question, but firstly, before I give my answer I have noticed something about the people that are answering in a non-christian manner.
I asked myself, why are they here when they are not interested in christianity and then I realised that they are here because THEY are interested in Christianity. If something bothers you so much, you will leave it alone, if it intrigues you, you will be here. You are all seeking God but too afraid to give your hearts to the Lord.
Sorry about that - i needed to get that in.

Well, we were talking about this in Bible Study tonight.
Wasn't it a Messenger from Satan?
Sometimes scripture is not clear or does not provide all the answers.
All we do know is that Paul did have a thorn in the flesh - an affliction.
Good question though.
I think, as Christians we probably all have some type of thorn in the flesh.
God bless!

Answer 4

Paul, having been sorely tried, was inspired to write: “There was given me a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan, to keep slapping me, that I might not be overly exalted.” (2 Corinthians 12:7) What was this thorn in Paul’s flesh? Well, a thorn lodged deep under the skin would certainly be painful. So the metaphor suggests something that caused Paul pain—whether physical, emotional, or both. It may be that Paul suffered from an eye affliction or some other physical infirmity. Or the thorn may have involved those individuals who challenged Paul’s credentials as an apostle and called into question his preaching and teaching work. (2 Corinthians 10:10-12; 11:5, 6, 13) Whatever it was, that thorn remained in place and could not be removed.

7 Note that the thorn kept slapping Paul. Interestingly, the Greek verb Paul used here is derived from the word for “knuckles.” That word is used literally at Matthew 26:67 and figuratively at 1 Corinthians 4:11. In those verses, it conveys the idea of being beaten with fists. In view of Satan’s bitter hatred of Jehovah and His servants, we can be sure that the Devil was pleased that a thorn kept on slapping Paul. Today, Satan is just as pleased when we are similarly troubled by a thorn in the flesh.

8 Therefore, like Paul, we need to know how to cope with such thorns. Doing so means our very life! Remember, Jehovah wants to prolong our life forever in his new world, where thornlike problems will never beset us again. To help us win this wonderful prize, God has given us many examples in his holy Word, the Bible, showing that his faithful servants have successfully coped with thorns in their flesh. They were ordinary, imperfect people, just as we are. Considering some among this great “cloud of witnesses” may help us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1) Meditating on what they endured can build our confidence that we can cope with any thorns that Satan may use against us.

Answer 5

I read in a study manual that is was often thought that the thorn was a wife who was not sympathetic to his cause and was of great hindrance to him. That is why in his teachings he was for a wife submitting to her husband. He traveled a lot and was teaching sexual purity while never cheating on his wife, even when it appeared he was not in a happy relationship himself. ( sounded very plausible to me but we I don't suppose will ever know) However the way it is written we all have our thorn and need to learn to deal with it, so it is a great teaching device. We can sympathize with Paul and learn from his example.

Answer 6

Paul's thorn was that every time the radicals killed him or hurt him real bad. The Lord would raise him up again.
He was ready for heaven but God wouldn't let him go home until his work was done in Rome.
Study the man's life he was left for dead many times.

Answer 7

We all have a weak spot. Something that constantly reminds us we are not perfect.

Our own personal thorns keep us from feeling we are perfectly accomplished in the Lord.

Sex, desire for money, weakness for gambling, etc. All these things take us away from the Lord and it's a daily struggle. It's mortal.

Answer 8

His Eyesight was poor, Even though he was struck blind on the road to Damacus, & later his eye sight restored, he still had trouble with his eye sight, God would not let him forget what Paul had done to His followers, That is why Paul wrote many times he said I write with large letters.

Answer 9

I think it probably was something sexual, possibly. It appears Paul never married and he makes comments about that in 1 Corinthians. Could also be some chronic ailment of some kind that limited him.

Answer 10

Probably poor eyesight.

Extremely unlikely it was something sexual, Paul was revered and even counseled others to marry if they are inflamed with passion. Would not have been hard for him to find a wife, he was an apostle!