What was Paul's 'thorn in the flesh'?

[BlessedinHim]

2 Corinthians 12:7
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.

Galatians 4:14
And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
Galatians 4:15
Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

[Stinker]

I dont think anyone really knows?

Could be almost anything.

Maybe God didnt want us not to know? Because the christians in the future would have thorns in the flesh also? Many different types, but all still thorns.

The one thing I got out of Pauls thorn was this" Things were being revealed to him by Jesus. New and special revalations were being givin to this MAN.

Maybe paul had to be kept away from pride? and in a continual state of seeking the clear voice and will of the Father?

[Biblenuggetlady]

I had read one time that it was something to do with his eyes, not that he was blind, but he had some form of disease/affliction with the eyes and it was common to people of his "nationality" which would have been a double negative for him by the people?

[HeIsEnough]

2 Corinthians 12:7
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.

Galatians 4:14
And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
Galatians 4:15
Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

I believe it is pretty clear in the Corinthians verses that Paul attributed it for the purpose of keeping him from becoming haughty. He gloried in it, in that the power of God was made far greater for it.

The Galatians verses show that he appealed to them through their witness of his infirmity (13), they "despised it not". In this sense, it points to a visible malady. The 'temptation which was in my flesh', also correlates to a physical infirmity. Physical conditions have a way of humbling a man. So I think our lives can attest to the most likely meaning of the Apostles condition.

[Paidfor]

I wish it had been named for one reason, all the wild speculation about what it is. The lessons that we learn from it is that trials in life make our faith stronger and anything you hear from the blabber-grabber folks about not being healed due to a lack of faith is a lie. The lessons that we learn from it, I believe, are the only reason that the HS through Paul even mentions it. The HS doesn't seem to have put things in the Bible just to satisfy our curiosity.

I've always thought it was his eyes. Some think it was due to the Damascus road incident. Whatever it was, it was apparently painful and disfiguring.

[BlessedinHim]

I do think that the more important part is the lesson behind the thorn in the flesh. That is sometimes things are allowed to inflict us to keep us in our rightful place. Things are allowed to happen that keep us dependent on Christ, instead of ourselves.

Things done in the power of ourselves are not near as powerful or effective as those things done in the power of the Holy Spirit.

[Paidfor]

Things done in the power of ourselves are not near as powerful or effective as those things done in the power of the Holy Spirit.

True!:)

[HeIsEnough]

I do think that the more important part is the lesson behind the thorn in the flesh. That is sometimes things are allowed to inflict us to keep us in our rightful place. Things are allowed to happen that keep us dependent on Christ, instead of ourselves.

Things done in the power of ourselves are not near as powerful or effective as those things done in the power of the Holy Spirit.

:thumb

[antitox]

I don't know myself, but some have also suggested it was a speech impediment since he mentioned in 2 Cor 10 that some say his "speech is of no account."

[Stinker]

I do think that the more important part is the lesson behind the thorn in the flesh. That is sometimes things are allowed to inflict us to keep us in our rightful place. Things are allowed to happen that keep us dependent on Christ, instead of ourselves.

Things done in the power of ourselves are not near as powerful or effective as those things done in the power of the Holy Spirit.

yep.