Dave wrote:

>>>Paul's thorn in the flesh was not sickness. You may accept that...but that is not true. It was a messenger of satan that came to harrass Paul.

Also, the thorn in the flesh Paul spoke of were messengers of Satan who came to harass him. It was not sickness that Paul faced. Please do not interpret into the Bible what is not there.

Again, Paul's thorn in the flesh was not sickness. You say it was. Would you please support this view with a scriptural reference? Thank you kindly.

Gerald writes:

I only said that I believe that Paul’s thorn in the flesh was sickness. I did not say dogmatically that it was. I am aware that it does not describe specifically what the thorn in the flesh was, and there are various opinions as to what it may be. You are the one who is dogmatically saying that it is not sickness, and that I am interpreting into the Bible what is not there. You have not stated why it can’t be a physical ailment, and have not provided any basis for your opinion. I would like to hear your scriptural references. I will state below why I believe it is a physical ailment.

In 2 Cor 12 Paul is relating a vision about himself. He says that 14 years ago he was caught up to the third heaven (2 Cor 12:2).

(2) To keep him from becoming puffed-up/conceited/full of pride he was given a thorn in the flesh. Satan causes physical sickness, and it says that the thorn in the flesh was a messenger of satan.

(3) 14 years before Paul wrote 2 Corinthians was about the time of his entrance into Galatia on his First Missionary Journey.

(4) In Galatians 4:13 Paul says he had a PHYSICAL infirmity and that it was in his flesh (thorn in the flesh?).

(5) In Galatians 4:15 Paul says that the Galatians would have plucked out their own eyes and given them to him. This implies that Paul had a problem with his eyes.

(6) Galatians 6:11 speaks of Paul having to write in large letters. Up until now he had dictated the letter to a secretary.

(7) If Satan was the cause of the thorn in Paul’s flesh, why would he (satan) do this to keep Paul humble? To keep Paul from BECOMING puffed-up, conceited and full of pride? God would want to keep Paul humble, not Satan. If Paul is filled with pride and is conceited he would not be as effective for the Lord. This is what Satan would want. God cannot easily work through a person who is conceited and proud.

(8) In 2 Cor 12:10 Paul says he takes pleasure in infirmities. Why would Satan want Paul to take PLEASURE in infirmities? He would want Paul to hate it and curse God as he said Job would do.

Dave wrote:

>>>I disagree. Paul was eventually delivered from the "thorn in the flesh." I haven't the time now to expound, but will next time. A Christian Theologian pointed out to me once and showed me in the Greek that Paul was delivered from the "thorn in the flesh."

Gerald writes:

I would like to hear the reasoning for this.