Paul's reference to the "thorn in the flesh" is one of his most mysterious sayings and we can only guess at the reality behind the words. He may be referring to some very debilitating disease, such as he refers to in Galatians 4:13-14. That illness was not an ordinary minor affliction, for Paul praises the Galatians that they were not revolted or disgusted by it. It may have left Paul almost blind. Or it may have affected his speech. This latter suggestion may help us to understand and appreciate the great strength and vigour of his letters: deprived of eloquence in speech, all his energy and eloquence went into his writings.

The "thorn in the flesh" may, however, be his way of describing the adverse circumstances in which he often had to work, as this Second Letter to the Corinthians illustrates in great detail. In particular, the "thorn in the flesh" may refer to Jewish opposition to the Gospel. While we can only guess at the reality behind his words, we can learn from Paul's attitude to it. It kept him constantly aware of his need to rely entirely on God, as we read on Wednesday last week.