THORN IN THE FLESH

Thorn in the Flesh

Apostle's Paul Thorn in the Flesh

Introduction

The world in which we live today is full of people. These people belong to different countries, different race, culture and different religion. Even when people belong to the same religion then within this similar religion one can easily depict different sectors that held different belief about any aspect. Similarly, in Christianity, different Christians held different beliefs. The aim and objective of this paper is also to talk about one of the aspects about which people held different beliefs. This aspect is of Apostle's Paul thorn in the flesh. I will show that this “thorn” was not a physical ailment or even homosexuality as some assume but that it was continuous persecution in the life of the Apostle Paul.

Biblical Definition of Word Thorn

By taking a look in different verses and sayings of the scriptures one can make an attempt to know the meaning of the word thorn.

Joshua 23:13

These above words suggest that God is not using the words of thorn and scourge to mention and to point some sort of disorder or defection in the body. God is using these words to mention that the people who belong to other nation will be entitled as people of the Lord, to make them to fall. If we take into consideration the usage of the words scourge and thorn in the book of numbers then it would reveal another meaning. In the book of numbers, God writes that:

Here, the thorn in the side is referred to as thorn in the flesh. But, the meaning is also not what people usually believe today. Here, this word is not used to show or indicate ailment or any sort of illness but, it is used to mention that people if they are left with the children of God then in this case these people would trouble them. As Paul had immense knowledge about the writing of the scriptures he must be aware of the real and underlying meaning of the God's usage of the word thorn here. Just like here, the word thorn is used to indicate people then in the writing of Paul the word thorn is also used to mention people. Paul intended to mention Judaizers. Paul preferred to use the term thorn for Judaizers because Judaizers used to possess the feeling of hatred for Paul because of his teachings of God and theses Judaizers were against the teachings of God. The nature of the thorn that Paul was suffering was inflicted by a "messenger of Satan" by the will of God. We see something that is common to all the elect of God: Paul was also an opponent constantly on the alert to try to destroy it and at least discourage him by opposing in every way to the mission that the Lord had entrusted to his disciple. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. The apostle speaks of his infirmities and he says ...