Apostle Paul’s thorn in the flesh

The Apostle Paul spoke figuratively of a troubling thorn in his flesh. He prayed many times for relief. Yet God denied Paul’s plea. This is Paul’s supplication: “…a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me…three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me, but He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in (your) weakness.’” Paul concludes by declaring, “I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Many have speculated as to the identity of Paul’s thorn in the flesh. One of the most common illnesses advanced is epilepsy. In the ancient world epileptic attacks were attributed to demons. When people saw an epileptic they spat on the ground to ward off evil spirits. When the congregation at Galatia (Galatians 4:14) saw Paul’s infirmity, they did not reject him, meaning they did not spit on him.

The oldest of all theories is that Paul suffered from severe and prostrating headaches.  Since malaria haunted the Mediterranean area during Paul’s day, recurring malarial fever could have caused the headaches that Paul purportedly suffered. This conjecture was advanced by historian Tertullian and St. Jerome, both of whom lived in the 4^th century. Paul’s most likely ailment was eye trouble. After seeing the blinding light on the road to Damascus—in which he encountered the risen Christ—Paul lost his eyesight. Three days later when Ananias placed hands on Paul, as the Lord commanded, the scripture states “immediately there fell from Paul’s eyes something like scales, and he received his sight.” 

It may be that Paul’s eyes never recovered from the Damascus Road experience. Another clue supporting poor eyesight is Paul’s statement to the Galatians: “You would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.” The clincher, however, resides at the end of Galatians. Paul wrote: “See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand.”  Because of failing eyesight Paul may have used an amanuensis (assistant who takes and transcribes dictation) to write some of his gospels. 

God’s grace was sufficient for Paul to withstand the suffering he would undergo as he carried the gospel to the Gentiles, including three missionary journeys across the Mediterranean. Paul was shipwrecked, imprisoned, beaten, stoned and left for dead, and in the end beheaded by the Roman Emperor Nero. God’s grace was sufficient for Paul to endure physical pain and to perform his ministry. God’s grace to overcome physical weariness was demonstrably exhibited in the life of John Wesley, who preached 42,000 sermons, traveled 4,500 miles every year, rode 60 to 70 miles daily, and preached three sermons a day. 

Another who benefitted from God’s grace was Moses who had a stammering tongue. When God commanded Moses to demand that Pharaoh release the Hebrew people from bondage, Moses replied, “I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” You know the rest of the story.  Regardless of the problems we may face, God’s grace—His free and unmerited favor—is sufficient.