“boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but i will go on to visions and revelations...

“Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in

Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do

not know, God knows—such a man was caught up into Paradise and heard

inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak…”

Pride, Pain & Grace

“… On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I

will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses. For if I do

wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth;

but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me”

(12:1-6).

Pride, Pain & Grace

Pride, Pain and Grace• False brethren were attempting to undermine

Paul’s apostolic authority (10:7-18).• Paul began his “boasting” as a means of answering

“those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting” (11:12), i.e. they were both claiming apostolic authority and denying Paul’s credentials.

• Paul decides to beat them at their own game (11:18, cf. Philippians 3:4).

• Although he considers it as “foolishness” his opponents have forced him to engage in such argumentation (12:11).

Pride, Pain and Grace• Paul’s self-imposed limitations regarding

his visions are quite revealing.– He refrains from naming himself as the

recipient, although he is the one who experienced the vision.

– He does not know what state in which he arrived in “paradise,” i.e. the abode of God.

– He does not describe what he saw.– He is not allowed to speak the words he

heard.

Pride, Pain and Grace• His purpose was two-fold:

– Respect of the mystery of the sacred.– Deliberately shaming his rivals by not revealing anything

substantive about the revelation itself, but the “mere happening” of the vision (Bultmann, 222).

– Note the difference in his approach and his opponents.

• His “glorying” was in his “weaknesses” for Christ.– Paul’s boasting is actually rooted in his self-renunciation

in contrast to the carnal self-promotion of false brethren (12:5, 6; cf. 10:12, 17-18; 11:21-31).

– The criteria of judging him was not “visions” but observable confirmation, “seeing” and “hearing” “signs.”

• “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the

flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

[8] Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three

times…”

Pain Prevents Pride:The Thorn That Remains

• … that it might depart from me. [9] And He said to me, "My grace is

sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the

power of Christ may rest upon me. [10] Therefore I take pleasure in

infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak,

then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Pain Prevents Pride:The Thorn That Remains

Pain Prevents Pride:The Thorn That Remains—What Was It?

• The entire phrase should be interpreted metaphorically, rather than literally. (Some want to interpret “in the flesh” literally and the term “thorn” metaphorically).

• “The term thorn represents something that causes pain in contrast to an illness” (Thorn in the Flesh, 390, Verena Jegher-Bucher, the Strack-Billerbeck Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Midrash).

• Prominent scholars have argued for every imaginable interpretation: Epilepsy, blindness, sexual desire and a guilty conscience, but in my mind these views fall short of the textual evidence.


• “Unless one seizes on a different meaning of the term ‘weakness’ than Paul gives it in the immediate context of 2 Corinthians 12:7 or in any of his correspondence

with the Corinthians, there is nothing remotely to suggest this his ‘thorn in the flesh’ is a physical

illness…but Paul’s mention of his ‘thorn in the flesh’ is sandwiched between plural forms of the noun which relate to his many tribulations that are listed in

2 Corinthians 11:21-33 and 12:10” (Truth Commentaries, 2 Corinthians,

Melvin Curry, 419).


• The term “weakness” as used in 11:21-30 and 12:9-10 references the adversities and adversaries mentioned in 2 Corinthians.

• Namely, the extremely difficult circumstances and painful persecutions that Satan continually used to attempt to destroy the apostle’s mission.

• The only other Biblical references to the term thorn (skolops) occur in the Greek version of the Old Testament (Numbers 33:55; Ezekiel 28:24).

• In all of the preceding instances, Israel’s disobedience, as a work of Satan, becomes an occasion for God to demonstrate his power.

• In essence Paul is arguing that these false brethren are working for Satan, but used by God to strengthen Paul!


• Whatever the “thorn in the flesh” was – Paul wanted it removed and saw it as a hindrance to his work and mission as a gospel preacher and apostle!

Pain Prevents Pride:The Thorn That Remains—What Is It For Us?

• We could our “thorns” be?– Sickness– Hardships– Unfaithful Brethren– World– Career– Finances– Family problems

The Thorn Remains:The Battle Is Internal, Not External

• Even the persecutions were aimed at the battle of the mind and soul (10:2-6; 2 Timothy 4:6-8).

The Thorn Remains:See God’s Purpose

• To the Corinthians, Satan appeared as ‘an angel of light,” (11:14) in order to work darkness.

• To Paul, he appeared as an angel of agony in order to work despair.

• However, it backfired, God used Satan’s messenger to deliver His own message.


• God’s purpose was to ensure that Paul maintained the right view of himself in spite of his spiritual privileges!


• The term “buffet” means to “strike with the fist,” literally.

• Metaphorically it is variously translated as to “pound away,” “abuse,” or “torment”.

• The thorn becomes a fist!• “What a dreadful poison pride

is, so that the only antidote to it is another poison”

The Thorn Remains:Gladly Accept It

• 12:10 Paul expresses his submission to God’s will for his development.

• Came to understand the purpose of trials in the development of patience and humility!

• Notice the qualifying phrase, “for Christ’s sake.”

The Thorn Remains:The Great Spiritual Value

• Suffiency and Adequacy of God’s Grace (9).

• God’s power is perfected in weakness (God’s power is only experienced in the life of one who realizes he cannot save himself by his own

strength) (9; 13:4).• Power of Christ May Dwell in Me (9)

– To set up a tent for protection!– It is when we need God the most—that we

observe the greatness of his power.

“boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but i will go on to visions and revelations...

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