One of the enduring mysteries of the New Testament is Paul's "thorn in the flesh." Because Paul never says exactly what the thorn was, the topic has led many to become amateur sleuths, poring over the New Testament data in search of clues. It is the absence of data that presents the difficulty, though. There is not enough biblical evidence to state conclusively.
Why Paul mentioned the thorn.
Paul describes his thorn in the flesh as part of the defense of his ministry. The Corinthian congregation had long bedeviled Paul. Paul's frustration with the congregation is evident in the letter we know as 1 Corinthians. In response to a report by a woman named Chloe and to questions from the congregation itself, Paul wrote the epistle. Among the problems that Paul addresses in it are leadership factions and the acrimony over the role of spiritual gifts. Both of these had a common root: pride. Many in the Corinthian church saw Christianity and the church as places where they could gain prominence. Their desire for prominence led them to brag about their spiritual gifts and to attach themselves to the most significant leader they could find. This desire for prominence, however, was completely opposed to the Gospel of a crucified Savior.
By the time Paul composed what we know as 2 Corinthians, the problem had gotten significantly worse. Now, there was a group of people Paul called "super-apostles" who were leading the church astray. These "super-apostles" boasted of their credentials, and the church saw Paul as smaller by comparison.
In an effort to quell the division, Paul makes his defense. Paul lists his qualifications and his sufferings. He also lists visions. Then Paul states the remarkable. Because of the power of his visions, he was given a thorn in the flesh. Without a clear description of what the thorn might be, Paul leaves his readers to speculate.
Was the thorn a physical ailment?
It is possible that Paul's thorn had something to do with his eyes. In Galatians, Paul reminds the church that he preached there because of a physical affliction. Then he writes, "... if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me ..." (Gal 4:15). This, however, is not the only piece of evidence suggesting that the thorn had something to do with Paul's eyes. Also in Galatians, Paul mentions his handwriting, noting that his letters were large. Paul used an amanuensis, a scribe, to write his letters. This last note, though, was written by Paul himself. Based on these pieces of evidence, the thorn could be related to Paul's eyes, like poor vision, migraines, or even epilepsy. Patristic sources lean toward headaches (migraines), and modern sources tend to focus on poor vision.
What "thorn" meant to a first-century Jew.
An eye problem is not the only possibility, however. A first-century Jew would have heard "thorn in the flesh" and made a connection that most modern readers would not. In Numbers 33:55, God warns the people of Israel that failing to drive out the inhabitants of the promised land would yield trouble. The inhabitants would become "... barbs in their eyes and thorns in their sides." The imagery here is striking; a barb in the eye and a thorn in the side would cause considerable, sharp, intense pain. Joshua 23:13 and Judges 2:3 also use the thorn language to refer to the inhabitants of the land.
Looking at these Old Testament references, Paul is clearly borrowing the language to describe what he was given. These references, though, are about evil people and practices that oppose and harm God's people. This evidence leads some to conclude that Paul's thorn was his opposition. If one were to look for evidence that Paul's thorn was opposition, there is plenty. 2 Corinthians lists many of Paul's misadventures, including being whipped, beaten, shipwrecked, and even hunted. In every city, Paul faced opposition to his mission and painful reminders of his weakness.
More than pain — the role of humiliation.
Paul could have been using Old Testament language to describe the intensity of the pain rather than its source. The word translated "thorn" could easily be translated "stake." Reading further, Paul describes the thorn as a messenger from Satan to "torment" (literally beat or punch) him.
In ancient times and modern times alike, repeatedly striking someone in the face is not simply a way to cause physical harm. It is a way to insult and humiliate as well. In fact, humiliation seems to be one of the main purposes of the thorn. In 2 Cor 12:7, the phrase takes an awkward turn. Paul uses "... to keep me from exalting myself ...." twice in the same sentence. This awkward phrasing is not accidental. Paul is reiterating the point: his visions had the potential to generate arrogance, and the thorn was given to him to keep him humble. The thorn needs to be seen not only as painful, but as humiliating, then.
With the connection to the Old Testament usages of "thorn," I suspect the most likely reading of Paul's thorn is opposition. An eye issue, however, could easily fit the evidence as well. Whatever it was, the thorn was a humiliating, painful, ever-present companion for Paul.
Paul's prayer and God's answer.
Reminiscent of Jesus' praying for the removal of the "cup" three times in the Garden of Gethsemane, Paul prays three times for the Lord to remove the thorn. God's answer, "No." Grace was enough, God responded.
When God's answer is “no.”
It is human to avoid suffering and want it to end. Who would not cry out to God for relief when having a painful, humiliating ordeal? One would expect that God in His goodness would step in and relieve the suffering of His people. Sometimes, God does just that. Sometimes, however, the answer is no. Sometimes, God allows His children to endure difficulty for purposes beyond the immediate.
God's interest in our lives is that we develop the character of Christ, that we learn to live like Jesus. If developing that character requires difficulty, God may allow difficulty. God's refusal to cure our immediate pain is not evidence of callousness. God takes the eternal view. God is doing something in the lives of His children that is beyond our current horizon.
When pain or suffering comes, it is quite right to go to God and ask for help. God in His mercy often does. When God does not, remember what Paul learned. The grace of God is enough to withstand any thorn.
