Paul's Disability The Thorn In The Flesh Summary

Paul begins second Corinthians 12 by telling a story of “A person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven-whether in a body or out of the body I don’t know; God knows” (v 2). This person heard messages that are prohibited from human beings. Paul seems to disguise this person journey and the knowledge they have acquired while in heaven. This paper will adress key points that Yarbro Collins emphasize in “Paul’s disability: The Thorn in His Flesh”, discuss where specifically does the “thorn in the flesh” reference occur in Paul’s letters and its importance. Finally, this paper will analyze what John T. Fitzgerald say about the phrase in comparison to Yarbro Collin. While the exact nature of “the thorn in the flesh”

Yarbro Collins raises interesting points when discussing Paul’s thorn in the flesh. The first point that she addresses is that “Paul’s thorn was epilepsy and that he struggled with the shame and fear that his society associated with this phenomenon”(Yarbro Collins, 175). Other modern interpreters also agree that Paul suffered from physical ailment. A scholar such as Krenkel makes a compelling case that “in an ancient world, epilepsy was known as illness or disease that is “spit out” or “spit away”(Yarbro Collins, 173). People believe that those who came in contact with someone who was epileptic would be the one spitting not the infected person. This concept of spitting was used so that the others would protect themselves against from “enchantments/charms and when we meet those who are lame on the right side” (Yarbro Collins, 174). The second point that Yarbro Collins makes is that even though Paul had Epilepsy it didn’t steer

Fitzgerald, “the exact nature of the thorn is unknown; suggestions include physical or mental illness, spiritual trails, persecutions and opposition by adversaries” (2 Cor 12: 7). Many scholars share these suggestions. John Chrysostom a bishop of Constantinople rejected the idea that Paul’s thorn in the flesh was of “bodily ailment like a headache” instead he implied to the “opposition Paul faced throughout his ministry” (Yarbro Collins, 169). John Chrysostom states “God would not permit the preaching to progress, in order to check our high thoughts; but permitted the adversaries set upon us” (Yarbro Collins, 169). In this statement, he emphasizes that the purpose of the thorn is to show our weakness as humans and God’s power over all. Other scholars such as Luther viewed the thorn as an “image for spiritual trails: faintheartedness in his ministerial duties and temptations to despair or doubt, a blasphemous suggestion of the devil” (Yarbro Collins, 171). This suggestion that Luther provides for readers is interesting perspective because it shows that man of faith has roadblocks to hinder them from accomplishing their goal. When Paul says “a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated” (2 Cor 12: 7) one can guess that maybe Satan is unease about the advancement the apostle was making and therefore strain him from the path of righteousness. The purpose of it was to torment the person however it was also to keep him from “being