In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul mounts a defense of his apostleship. Around verse 23, he starts citing the persecution he had suffered because of his loyalty to Jesus. He gave us some highlights in verses 24-27, noting that he was whipped, beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked and generally found himself in dangerous and unpleasant situations. He concluded, “If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.” Weakness is the key word in this passage. In fact, in 2 Corinthians 12, Paul brings it up several times.
In verses 2-4, he discusses a man he knew who was “caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words.” In verse 7, Paul confirms that he was the guy who went to heaven, saying, “Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me.” Ironically, this visit to heaven was a result of persecution. That stoning Paul mentioned earlier? It turns out it killed him. In Acts 14:19-20, we read how a crowd “stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.” A group of Christians gathered around him and he got up. The implication is they prayed over him.
Regardless, given all the revelation he had received, Paul was given a thorn in the flesh so he wouldn’t become proud. In verse 7, Paul defined the thorn in the flesh as a messenger of Satan which tormented him. This messenger of Satan was probably a demon, given that the Greek could literally be translated as angel of Satan. How did this demon torment Paul? Well, Paul asked God to remove this demonic tormentor, but the Lord refused, explaining, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” God gives power to the humble but resists the proud. To keep Paul humble, God allowed a demonic tormentor to afflict Paul with weakness. How did Paul define weakness? In verse 10, Paul proclaimed, “I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Broadly speaking, weaknesses are insults, distresses, persecutions and difficulties for Christ’s sake. In 2 Corinthians 11:24-27, Paul listed some specific instances. Clearly, in 2 Corinthians 11-12, weakness is defined as suffering for Christ. That’s why God didn’t take it away. Suffering for Christ, namely persecution, is a promise. Paul was promised an extra helping in Acts 9:15-16, but all of us are going to experience persecution to a certain degree in this world.
Indeed, “through many tribulations“ we enter the Kingdom. Jesus Himself taught in Mark 10:29-30 that Christians are blessed in every area of our lives, but these blessings come with persecutions. It’s all good though, because Christ also said, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
In summary, Paul’s thorn in the flesh was a demon which stirred up people to violently persecute him for his faith.