December 18 Click on verses for Full Scripture

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Today's Pathway: II Corinthians 12:5-7 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

In the previous verses Paul told of the revelation that he received from God when he was transported to Heaven. We noticed that Paul spoke of himself in the third person, as if he were not the one who had received this blessing. He does this out of humility, for he is not trying to boast about what he received, although he indicates in the beginning of verse 5 that a man who had received such an honor could receive glory. In the middle of the verse he reverts back to speaking in the first person, and states that the only thing he would boast about was his infirmities. In verse 6 Paul seems to be saying that he might desire to boast about his accomplishment, but he would be a fool to do so, and thus he does not. The reason given is that he wants the Corinthians to evaluate him on what they have seen him do and heard him preach. Though his account of being taken to the third Heaven is true, it is unverifiable to anyone else. Thus, he wants to be judged based upon what his readers know to be true because they have seen and heard it for themselves. Today there are some in certain religious circles who say that they should be followed because of some vision or "word from the Lord" that they claim to have received. Paul doesn't want to be accepted based upon what he says happened; he wants to be accepted based upon what the Corinthians know happened.

It is understandable that if someone received such a blessing as Paul did the individual might be prone to boast about it and exalt themselves. Paul, though a strong Christian, was no exception to that. Thus, he was given a "thorn in the flesh" to keep him from thinking too highly of himself. Since we know that "God resisteth the proud" (James 4:6), we know that this thorn was given to Paul by his loving Heavenly Father in order to keep him humble and usable. Apparently he received the "thorn" shortly after his experience, and the verb tense indicates that it had continued on until the the time that Paul was writing this epistle, so it had lasted for fourteen years. It is obvious that the thorn was accomplishing its purpose for Paul is clearly reluctant to recount his incredible experience. We do not know what the thorn was, but Paul writes that it "buffeted" him, which means to pummel with your fists. This seems to be some sort of chronic condition, if not a constant one. It is usually assumed to be a health problem because the expression says that the thorn was in Paul's "flesh", and since we know that Paul had trouble with his eyesight (Galatians 4:15; 6:11) that is normally considered to be the area that the malady affected. However, we can not be certain at that point. Adam Clarke suggests that his thorn dealt with the opposition he faced in his ministry. He wrote,

"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 labours, prayers, and tears."

Paul calls this thorn "the messenger of Satan". We know that Satan opposes God's work and God's people, and so he desires to attack us. There are times that God allows this to take place, but it is always for His purposes and our good. We know that Satan is limited by the Lord (Job 1:12; 2:6), so nothing that he wants to do to us can be done without the Lord's approval. Sometimes, as in Job's case, this happens to prove to Satan the dedication of God's people. Sometimes it is to prove whether or not the believer is really committed to Christ (Judges 3:4). Sometimes, as in Paul's case, it is designed to keep us humble and trusting in God. Whatever the reason, the believer's responsibility is to respond to it Biblically and allow the Lord to work in him through it.