Bible Questions Answered:
“Pastor, what was Paul's thorn in the
flesh, our class is in a tremendous debate over just what it was...”
Bethany/ Dublin, Ireland United Kingdom
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
Because the Apostle does not come right
out and say, it has been left to speculation.
But there seems to be a body of
evidence to the fact that it being his deficient eye sight.
It seems as though the Apostle is
boasting of his ability to write, in these verses:
I Corinthians 16:21 KJV
The salutation of me Paul with
mine own hand.
Galatians 4:13-15 KJV
13 Ye know how through infirmity of the
flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
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.
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.
Galatians 6:11 KJV
Ye see how large a letter I
have written unto you with mine own hand.
Galatians 6:11 NLT
Notice what large letters I use as
I write these closing words in my own handwriting.
II Thessalonians 3:17 KJV
The salutation of Paul with mine
own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.
Philemon 1:19 KJV
I Paul have written it with mine own
hand..."
Apostle Paul:
Acts 9:1-18 KJV
1 And Saul, yet
breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of The
Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired
of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of
this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound
unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he
journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round
about him a Light from heaven:
4 And he fell
to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou Me?
5 And he said,
Who art thou, Lord? And The Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou
persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he
trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
And The Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall
be told thee what thou must do.
7 And the men
which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but
seeing no man.
8 And Saul
arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no
man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was
three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
10 And there
was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said
The Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
11 And The Lord
said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called
Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of
Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
12 And hath
seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand
on him, that he might receive his sight.
13 Then Ananias
answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he
hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
14 And here he
hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy
name.
15 But The Lord
said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear
My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
16 For I will
shew him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake.
17 And Ananias
went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on
him said, Brother Saul, The Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee
in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest
receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18 And
immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he
received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
If this incident did not leave any lasting effects upon the Apostle's
eyes, no doubt when he was stoned at Lystra, it did.
Acts 14:19,20
KJV
19 And there
came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the
people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing
he had been dead.
20 Howbeit, as
the disciples stood round about him (no doubt praying), he rose up,
and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to
Derbe.
Had the Apostle been stoned to death? One day we will have to ask
him, one thing we do know, he was taken to heaven, where he spoke to
The Risen Christ.
II Corinthians
12:1-8 KJV
1` It is not
expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and
revelations of The Lord.
2 I knew a man
in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot
tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
such an one caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I knew
such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell:
God knoweth;)
4 How that he
was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is
not lawful for a man to utter.
5 Of such an
one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine
infirmities.
6 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.
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.
8 For this
thing I besought The Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
The Apostle Paul states that his “thorn,” was in the flesh.
“According to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 1.4 million
Americans suffer and are treated for a traumatic brain injury every
year, a serious event that can create problems with normal brain
functioning. Even more people suffer head injuries but don't seek
medical attention; luckily, most of these traumatic brain injuries
are mild, such as a concussion.
Eye and vision
problems are fairly common after a brain injury. Some vision problems
can be due to trauma to the eye, says Majid Moshirfar, MD, an
ophthalmologist at the Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah.
But many other vision problems are actually caused by injury to your
brain.
(Eric Metcalf,
MPH | Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MS, MPH)ll
Read the whole
article
Was The Apostle's problems vision related?
Acts 22:30 NLT
The next day
the commander ordered the leading priests into session with the
Jewish high council. He wanted to find out what the trouble was all
about, so he released Paul to have him stand before them.
Acts 23:1-5 NLT
1 Gazing
intently at the high council, Paul began: “Brothers, I have
always lived before God with a clear conscience!”
2 Instantly
Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on
the mouth.
3 But Paul said
to him, “God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! What kind of
judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like
that?”
4 Those
standing near Paul said to him, “Do you dare to insult God’s high
priest?”
5 “I’m
sorry, brothers. I didn’t realize he was the high priest,” Paul
replied, “for the Scriptures say, ‘You must not speak
evil of any of your rulers.
Did the Apostle Paul have bad eyesight? The dress of the High Priest
was totally distinguishable from all others, and that if one could
not recognize him, it could only mean one thing (Leviticus 8/ Exodus
28,39).
So, what was Paul's attitude, despite his infirmities? Was he
defeated, downcast, discouraged beyond measure? His example must be
ours!
II Corinthians
12:8-10 KJV
8 For this
thing I besought The Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And He said
unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made
perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in
my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I
take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in
persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak,
then am I strong.
Selah
