PAUL'S THORN

PAUL'S THORN

In Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth he mentions receiving a "thorn in my flesh" (2 Cor 12:7). I have heard many suggestions as to what this thorn could have been, that God had apparently given him and refused to remove, even though he had asked 3 times for its removal. What could this be that a great man of God like Paul the apostle who wrote much of the NT be given by his Lord and Master to endure? Just recently I read a book by Gene Edwards called "Climb the Highest Mountain", in which he suggests what it might have been, and after a close reading of the book of Acts again, I'm inclined to agree with him.

As we know, when Paul and Barnabas were prayed for and sent out from the elders in the church at Antioch of Syria, (Acts 13:1-3), they became the first team of "apostles" (sent ones) on their first missionary journey. They went first to cities in what was called Galatia; the first was Antioch of Pisidia, then to Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. In each of these cities they preached the gospel, the (good news about Jesus), starting with the Jews in the local Synagogue, and then to the gentiles who were interested.These 4 churches were comprised mostly of former gentiles (non Jews), plus a few Jewish converts. Apparently one or more of these religious Jews, possibly a priest or high ranking Pharisee from Jerusalem, may have been the "spies" that Paul refers to in (Gal 2:4). It would seem that this man, or group of men, followed Paul around from church to church, and spread a different message to these young believers in Jesus. They were "false apostles" or counterfeits, and tried to destroy the work of Paul. This was his main purpose in writing this letter to the churches (plural) in Galatia, rather than to an individual church, as in the case of most of his other letters. Also in his second letter to the church in Corinth, (2 Cor 11:3-4, and 12-15), he mentions these false apostles, but does not name them. Notice here he says clearly they come with a "different spirit", preaching a "different gospel" that presented a "different Jesus" than what Paul had brought to them!

If we look around the church scene today, we can easily see that this same thing is happening in many church circles. Certain "religious" people are spreading many so-called gospels that are not the gospel that Paul taught. Jesus warned that this would happen in these last days that we are called to live in. (Matt 24:4,5,11,24). So by all means, beware!!
Sincerely submitted.
Dave Jamer