In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul said, “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

What do the thorns represent?

Scholars over the centuries have theorized about the identity of the “thorns.” At a surface level, one might postulate the thorns represent a physical ailment. Yet given Paul’s impressive handling of physical ailments, that may not be the best answer. Paul did not complain about the many severe floggings…