A Messenger from Satan

Charles Hodge comments on the fact that Paul heard things in his vision described in 2 Corinthians 12:1–4 that “man may not utter”: “The veil which conceals the mysteries and glories of heaven God has not permitted to be raised. It is enough that we know that in that world the saints shall be made perfectly holy and perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God forever.”

Hodge’s point is well taken. Yet, even if Paul had heard things in heaven that he could repeat, it is unlikely that he would have shared them in 2 Corinthians 12. That is because, as we have seen, Paul has referenced his vision as a concession to the false apostles in Corinth. They were claiming to be his superiors on account of their fantastic spiritual experiences, so Paul relates his vision as if to say: “You think that spiritual experiences qualify you as teachers? Well, I have experiences of my own to share.” The Apostle is not really interested in a contest over who had the most and best visions from God. He tells the story to turn the boasting of the false apostles on its head.

We see this in today’s passage, where Paul refuses to boast in the vision itself but boasts only in his weaknesses (vv. 5–6). For the Apostle, visions were all well and good, even necessary as part of his commission (Acts 18:9–10). But he did not glory in them because supernatural experiences in themselves cannot qualify one as the Lord’s servant; only faithfulness to God can (see Deut. 13:1–5). Faithfulness in strength and in weakness is what really matters.

Highlighting his weakness, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:7 that he was given a “thorn” in his flesh to keep him from being conceited. In the history of biblical interpretation, there has been no shortage of suggestions as to what this thorn was. Perhaps it was a persistent illness, a permanent disfigurement, an ongoing temptation to a particular sin, an enduring relational problem between Paul and some other people, or something else. We do know that this thorn was a “messenger of Satan” (v. 7). In other words, God allowed the devil to trouble the Apostle in order to teach him humility. Of course, as Augustine writes, this does not make Satan in himself useful or allow him to escape judgment for harassing the servants of the Lord. Any good that comes out of difficulties that the devil masterminds, Augustine says, comes only from God, who can bring blessing out of what Satan intends for evil (see Gen. 50:20).