Page 74 - The Divine Quest

The Divine Quest Page 71

this identification of his thorn in the flesh, but there is much evidence which I base
this conclusion upon.

We can get an idea of what type of thorn in the flesh Paul had by reading the context
of this passage. After stating that he was given a thorn in the flesh, he then states that
he has learned to be content with it, and then he mentions specific things he is
content with: weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions, and difficulties. We can
then understand that Paul's thorn was one of these things, and he actually
experienced all of them from time to time, and they are all types of messengers of
Satan that keep us from exalting ourselves.

I think we can actually pinpoint Paul's specific thorn in the flesh by examining his
writings to other churches. We know that when Paul first encountered Christ that he
was blinded, and later something like scales fell from his eyes. He also refers to the
awesome visions he was given in this same passage where he speaks of his thorn in
the flesh. As mentioned, I believe his thorn was that his physical eyesight was
impaired. It was so bad that he could not even write most of his own letters, but had
to dictate them to others. We see evidence of his visual impairment in the following
verses:

Galatians 4:12-15
I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have
done me no wrong; but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I
preached the gospel to you the first time; and that which was a trial to you in my
bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of
God, as Christ Yahshua Himself. Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For
I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes
and given them to me.

Galatians 6:11
See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.

Paul spoke of a bodily illness to the Galatians, and he says that he knows the Galatian
believers would have given him their own eyes if they could have, so the illness was
one that affected his sight. He further gives evidence that it is he that is writing to
them because he is writing in such large letters, again being evidence of his poor
eyesight. In his epistle to the church in Rome we also read:

Romans 16:22
I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.

Speaking of taking verses by themselves, this one is a good example of the trouble we