Victor
Silver Haired Member
How many times have we heard of Paul’s ‘thorn in the flesh’? And how many times have we been told that we do not know, that there is no evidence to give us a clue to his disability? This student has endeavored to find an explanation of a physical ailment that Paul and Luke both speak about.
Some have even digressed in opinion to stating that it was a spiritual ailment and not one of the body. The Greek text denies this as the word used by Paul and Luke for ‘flesh’ in this instance is; sarxi, it means, ‘human skin’, ‘of the body’. There is no spiritual connotation in evidence.
So I ask you to examine the text at hand and please comment. I think it is useful as an attempt at discovery.
“Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Anani’as. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Anani’as.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying, and he has seen a man named Anani’as come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”
“But Anani’as answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
“So Anani’as departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized…”
The first matter of importance is the statement, “…sent me that you may…. Be filled with the Holy Spirit (pneumatos agiou)”.
Once the healing is effected, Paul rises from his stooped or seated position and is baptized.
If there is any question on the part of theologians or students as to when Paul received a ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit’, it is here, not later when he claims he received it from the Living Christ himself, but from Ananias! (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
But now an amazing discovery is made, not through the English text but through the Greek.
The word used for ‘scales’, which fell from Paul’s eyes is, “lepides.” One would not necessarily connect this with leprosy except for additional information supplied by biblical references.
Thayer describes it as; “A most offensive, annoying, dangerous, cutaneous disease, the virus of which generally pervades the whole body; common in Egypt and the east.”
One of the most recent study bibles comments on this area by referring us to the book of, Tobit 2:10 and 11:13.
Tobit is blinded by ‘white fleshy scales’ that are peeled from his eyes allowing him to see. When the ‘scales’ are removed from Paul’s eyes, he is able to see. One might say that neither person was blind, per se, as it was the ‘scales’ that covered their eyes causing their blindness, not the loss of ‘sight’ itself.
In this area, with the laying on of hands, one may state that a ‘healing’ was affected. And of greater importance is the statement that Paul received the Holy Spirit, through a baptism, at the hands of Ananias. Most revealing are Paul’s statements in Galatians 4:13-15;
“You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first; and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What has become of the satisfaction you felt? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me;” and Galatians 6:11;
“See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.”
Now, let us see what we can make of these statements and this students contentions concerning Paul’s physical disability.
In Galatians 4:13, the Greek text reads: “And ye know that on account of weakness of the flesh…”
This is a Thayer’s work defines the disability.
Astheneian: Infirmity of the body; feebleness of health; an actual sickness.
It is very possible that in the second version of the Damascus experience Paul was healed of the disease but not of the visible damage it had already done to him. One of the terrible afflictions caused by leprosy is the feebleness of body, the weakening of physical strength The next statement he makes seems to validate this student’s estimate of Paul’s condition.
“My condition was a trial to you.”
Trial; ‘peirasmon’: “The trial made of you by my bodily condition”; since this condition served to test the love of the Galatians toward Paul.
Despised; ‘exouthenesate’; to despise utterly; reject; cast aside; to treat with contempt.
Paul obviously suffered from a visible bodily affliction that tested the reaction of those who saw him. Their reaction to his appearance might certainly have been disgust, but this was not the case with the Galatian community.
The final clue to this discovery is given us in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9:
“And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought 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.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Obviously Paul has sought a cure, was given it of Ananias, but not of the damage that had already been done to his appearance and his physical strength.
With the evidence before us this student would conjecture that Paul suffered from ‘white leprosy’ which is generally a ‘dry leprosy’ and not contagious. There is no way to prove this theory other than the documents we have available. However, having this affliction would certainly fit in with the man’s disposition of temper which is described in his own volume of writings.
Aside from this, there is no reason to consider the ‘thorn in the flesh’ a mystery as many students and teachers pronounce. Paul complains of his eye sight, his eyes, and his disturbing appearance in his own words. Luke speaks of scales, a white or colorless film (scales) that covered Paul’s eyes and refers more than once to the man’s ‘blindness’.
The healing provides the answer to his lack of sight.
Victor G
Some have even digressed in opinion to stating that it was a spiritual ailment and not one of the body. The Greek text denies this as the word used by Paul and Luke for ‘flesh’ in this instance is; sarxi, it means, ‘human skin’, ‘of the body’. There is no spiritual connotation in evidence.
So I ask you to examine the text at hand and please comment. I think it is useful as an attempt at discovery.
“Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Anani’as. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Anani’as.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying, and he has seen a man named Anani’as come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”
“But Anani’as answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
“So Anani’as departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized…”
The first matter of importance is the statement, “…sent me that you may…. Be filled with the Holy Spirit (pneumatos agiou)”.
Once the healing is effected, Paul rises from his stooped or seated position and is baptized.
If there is any question on the part of theologians or students as to when Paul received a ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit’, it is here, not later when he claims he received it from the Living Christ himself, but from Ananias! (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
But now an amazing discovery is made, not through the English text but through the Greek.
The word used for ‘scales’, which fell from Paul’s eyes is, “lepides.” One would not necessarily connect this with leprosy except for additional information supplied by biblical references.
Thayer describes it as; “A most offensive, annoying, dangerous, cutaneous disease, the virus of which generally pervades the whole body; common in Egypt and the east.”
One of the most recent study bibles comments on this area by referring us to the book of, Tobit 2:10 and 11:13.
Tobit is blinded by ‘white fleshy scales’ that are peeled from his eyes allowing him to see. When the ‘scales’ are removed from Paul’s eyes, he is able to see. One might say that neither person was blind, per se, as it was the ‘scales’ that covered their eyes causing their blindness, not the loss of ‘sight’ itself.
In this area, with the laying on of hands, one may state that a ‘healing’ was affected. And of greater importance is the statement that Paul received the Holy Spirit, through a baptism, at the hands of Ananias. Most revealing are Paul’s statements in Galatians 4:13-15;
“You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first; and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What has become of the satisfaction you felt? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me;” and Galatians 6:11;
“See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.”
Now, let us see what we can make of these statements and this students contentions concerning Paul’s physical disability.
In Galatians 4:13, the Greek text reads: “And ye know that on account of weakness of the flesh…”
This is a Thayer’s work defines the disability.
Astheneian: Infirmity of the body; feebleness of health; an actual sickness.
It is very possible that in the second version of the Damascus experience Paul was healed of the disease but not of the visible damage it had already done to him. One of the terrible afflictions caused by leprosy is the feebleness of body, the weakening of physical strength The next statement he makes seems to validate this student’s estimate of Paul’s condition.
“My condition was a trial to you.”
Trial; ‘peirasmon’: “The trial made of you by my bodily condition”; since this condition served to test the love of the Galatians toward Paul.
Despised; ‘exouthenesate’; to despise utterly; reject; cast aside; to treat with contempt.
Paul obviously suffered from a visible bodily affliction that tested the reaction of those who saw him. Their reaction to his appearance might certainly have been disgust, but this was not the case with the Galatian community.
The final clue to this discovery is given us in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9:
“And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought 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.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Obviously Paul has sought a cure, was given it of Ananias, but not of the damage that had already been done to his appearance and his physical strength.
With the evidence before us this student would conjecture that Paul suffered from ‘white leprosy’ which is generally a ‘dry leprosy’ and not contagious. There is no way to prove this theory other than the documents we have available. However, having this affliction would certainly fit in with the man’s disposition of temper which is described in his own volume of writings.
Aside from this, there is no reason to consider the ‘thorn in the flesh’ a mystery as many students and teachers pronounce. Paul complains of his eye sight, his eyes, and his disturbing appearance in his own words. Luke speaks of scales, a white or colorless film (scales) that covered Paul’s eyes and refers more than once to the man’s ‘blindness’.
The healing provides the answer to his lack of sight.
Victor G
