Sermon Tone Analysis

*Paul* is *talking about* his *thorn* *in the flesh* here.

There are *many questions* in the *body* of *Christ* *on* this *subject* of *Paul's thorn in the flesh*, *anywhere* *from* an *eye disease to* an *unsaved wife*.

If this is *Paul's thorn*, then *he* should *know what it is*.

So *we have to look at Paul* & his writings *to see* what his *thorn is*.

*I.*

In */2CO 12:7/* *Paul says what it is*.

[Look at it]

                  *A.*

You *don't have to read any further* to find out what Paul's thorn in the flesh was.

*1.*

*It was a messenger of Satan sent to buffet Paul*.

*a.*

It *doesn't say* that it was any *sickness*.

I'm convinced right there.

*b.*

*We could end* right *there knowing* that *it wasn't* a *sickness*, *it was a messenger of Satan* sent to buffet Paul.

*2.*

That's what the scripture says, *nowhere* in these chapters does it ever *refer to Paul being sick*.

*B.* The phrase, “*messenger of Satan*”, *in the* actually *Greek* says that it was “*an angel of Satan**.*”

*1*.

The word “*messenger*” in (*/2COR 12:7/*) is the Greek word “*aggelos {ang'-el-os}*” which *usually* is *translated* “*angel*.”

*a*.

*Most of the time* it *refers to Godly angels*, but *there are times* that it is *referring to* a *human messenger*, *&* there are *times* that it *refers* *to* a *demonic messenger* like a *fallen angel*.

`                                   *b*.

Look at */2COR 11:14 /*

                                                      *i*.

The word “*angel*” is the same Greek word.

*ii*.

In (*/2PET 2:4/*) we have the *same thing* when it's *talking about* the *fallen angels*.

*2.*

Now the *Bible* does *teach* that there are *fallen angels* which *fell with Satan*.

*a.* *Satan* himself is a *fallen angel*.

*3.*

The *messenger* that we have *in* (*/2COR 12:7/*) *is a fallen angel* that was *sent by the Devil to buffet Paul*.

*a.* *Everywhere* that *Paul went to preach* the *Gospel* *this angel went to stir up trouble*.

*C.* *Some* people will *say*, “Well, we don't know what Paul's thorn was & we'll probably never know.”

*1.*

Others say, “Well, I can't understand why God didn't heal Paul.”

                              *2.* *1st* of all, *Paul's thorn was not a sickness*.

It wasn't a matter of God healing him.

*a.*

*It was a matter of Paul doing something about* the *situation*.

Look at */2COR 12: 7‑9a/*

                                                      *i.*

(*/JAM 4:7/*) Says, “*/Submit yourselves therefore to God.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you/*.” (KJV)

                                          *b.*

*Paul Had to resist the Devil*.

*That's why Jesus said* to him, “*/My grace is sufficient for thee/*.”

*i.*

*Jesus has done all that He's going* to do.

Now *he's* *given us* the *authority over the Devil*.

*D.* *Another reason* that *people don't understand* *Paul's thorn* in the flesh, is that *they think that God gave it to him*.

*1.*

But *if you look* *at* this scripture (*/2COR 12:7/*) a *little closer* *you'll see* that *nowhere* in these *Vs*.

does it *say or even imply *that *God gave it *to him.

*a.*

All it says, in (*/V 7/*), Is that, “*/There was given to me a thorn in the flesh/*.”

*i.*

*That doesn't say who sent it*.

*ii.*

The *devil* in *not going to do God's work*.

*II.*

Now Paul said *in* (*/2CO 12:7/*) that *the messenger was given* to Paul *to* */buffet him/**.*

*A.* T word “*/buffet/*” means, “*/to rap with the fist, or to hit blow after  blow/*.”

*1.*

*Again sickness is not even implied*.

*2.*

Well then, *how was Paul buffeted*, *What was it that kept on hitting Paul blow after blow*?

*3.*

*It was a messenger of Satan sent to cause trouble everywhere Paul went*.

*B.** **/2CO 11:23–30/**/~*/*   (Another reference )(*/2CO 6:4–10/*)

                              *1.*

This *angel of Satan* *went every place* that *Paul went to buffet him* *so* that this *gospel* would *not* get *preached*, *so* that *Paul* would *not* be *able* to *preach* his *revelation* that he got from the Lord.

*2.*

Go back to */2CO 12:9/*

                                          *a.*

Some have *said* that *because* the word “*infirmities*” is *used* here this *shows* that *Paul had* a *sickness*.

*b.**

*The *Greek word* here translated “*infirmity*” means, according to one Greek scholar, “*to bear trials and troubles*.”

*3*.

One thing that we need to *realize* is that *we need to see ourselves as weak in our own selves*.

*That's when we can trust in the Lord & be strong in Him*.

*a*.

It's *only with the Lord* that *all things* are *possible*.

*b*.

Look at */2COR 12:10/*

                                                      *i*.

Paul said in (*/Ephesians 6:10/*) “Finally, my brethren, *be strong in the Lord*, and in the power of his might.

”

      *III.*

In these *Vs*.

here, Paul calls this thing “*A thorn in the flesh*”.

*A.* All *scholars* that I have ever read after *say* that the *phrase* “A *thorn in the flesh*” is a *figure of speech.*

*1.*

Paul used that phrase & it's *important* to *find out* *what* that *figure of speech means*.

*2.*

*If* *we could find* this *same figure of speech* somewhere else *in the Bible*, it could *give us a good idea what Paul meant*, *especially* with *Paul being a scholar* *of* the *old testament*, *he would know what was meant by that phrase*.

*B.* Look at */NUM 33:55/*

                              *1.*

This is most definitely *not talking about sickness*.

*2.*

*What was* the *thorn in the side* in this V.? *PEOPLE *

                              *3.*

And *what* *were* their *people* *going to do*?

They we're going to *VEX them*.

*a.*

The word “*vex*” means “*TROUBLE*”.

THOSE *PEOPLE* WERE GOING TO *CAUSE TROUBLE*.

*C.* */JOS 23:13/*

                              *1.*

Again *who or what* were going to be “*SCOURGES IN THERE SIDES & THORNS IN THERE EYES*”.

*2.**

People*

                  *D.* */JUD 2:2‑3/*

                              *1.*

Here again *who were* the *thorns* *in their side*?

*People*

      *IV.*

There are a *few places* in the *book of GAL*.

that *cause* *some* *people* to *think* that *Paul had* some *sickness*.

*A.** **/Gal 4:13‑15/*