What did Paul mean with the “thorn in the flesh” and the “messenger of Satan” who tormented him?

Please read carefully through the arguments and counterarguments.

Interpretation 1:
With this thorn and the harassing messenger of Satan Paul was referring to his eye condition

Summary: This thorn as well as this messenger are a graphic description of the eye problems Paul is alluding to in Galatians 4:15.

Arguments in favour of this view: Apparently Paul experienced such serious eye problems that it seriously hampered his work as an apostle. The church members in the Galatian churches were aware of this and therefore willing to give him their own eyes, so to speak.

Arguments against this view: The metaphor of a piercing thorn might still be fitting with such an ailment of the eyes, but a harassing (or tormenting) messenger of Satan does not cause us to immediately link this to an eye problem. (Note that this messenger represents only partial imagery: Satan’s angels, harassing us in all sorts of ways, really do exist!)

Interpretation 2:
With this thorn and the harassing messenger of Satan Paul was referring to epileptic seizures or migraines

Summary: This interpretation takes its starting point more generally in the harassment (some translations have buffet) of a satanic messenger.

Arguments in favour of this view: Since Paul is speaking of a thorn in his flesh, he would therefore have to be referring at least to a physical impediment. Instead of an eye ailment, in view of those buffets (against Paul’s head?), we could also be thinking of severe headaches and/or epileptic seizures.

Arguments against this view: This interpretation is nothing more than a speculation. Nowhere in the New Testament do we read that Paul suffered from such afflictions. This is also true of other interpretations as if the apostle would have experienced a recurring fever due to malaria. Some have even linked it to sexual temptations.

Interpretation 3:
With this thorn and the harassing messenger of Satan Paul was referring to a speech impediment.

Summary: This interpretation suggests that Paul’s affliction or weakness was linked specifically with something that hindered him in his functioning as an apostle and not in a general sense with what he had to endure as a human being.

Arguments in favour of this view: More than once the apostle mentions that he was not known for being eloquent: see 2 Corinthians 10:1 and 2 Corinthians 10:9–11; 2 Corinthians 11:6.

Arguments against this view: It is questionable whether we may conclude from these references made by Paul whether his unimpressive performance as an orator implied that he had a speech impediment. Rather, we get the impression that, compared to the great orators of the day, he called attention to the fact that he came across as very ordinary (see 1 Corinthians 2:1–4). However, the apostle was not at all ashamed of this, nor did he take speech lessons to improve his speaking, for he came with a different message that demanded a different presentation and a different audience (1 Corinthians 2:4 and 1 Corinthians 2:12–13).

From the speeches of Paul that have been preserved in the book of Acts, we can deduce that he truly was able to speak his mind!

Interpretation 4:
With this thorn and the harassing messenger of Satan Paul was referring to his perpetual feeling of guilt.

Summary: This interpretation intimates that Paul, who initially had wanted to eradicate the church of Christ by force (Acts 8:1 and Acts 9:1–2), was continually bothered by his conscience and that he experienced this as a thorn in his flesh, yes, as buffets from a satanic angel.

Arguments in favour of this view: The apostle himself reminds us of that dark period in his life more than once: Acts 22:4–5; Acts 26:9–11; 1 Corinthians 15:8–9; 1 Timothy 1:13.

Arguments against this view: As often as Paul recalls that dark period it is not the feeling of shame that prevails, but the amazement that God has been gracious to him and has turned him from being a persecutor of the church into someone who built up the church: Acts 22:6–21; Acts 26:12–19; 1 Corinthians 15:10; 1 Timothy 1:13–16. Paul is deeply amazed that God granted forgiveness particularly to him, a first-class sinner, thus making him an impressive example of how far God is willing to go in his forgiving love.

Interpretation 5:
With this thorn and the messenger of Satan Paul was referring to all the opposition and setbacks he experienced as an apostle.

Summary: This interpretation assumes that we do not have to guess what Paul is referring to with this thorn and that harassing messenger of Satan, because the apostle himself definitely does say what he is thinking of in this regard.

Arguments in favour of this view: The apostle already started to speak about his weakness as early as chapter 11, over against the false pseudo-apostles, who aimed to detach the church from Christ (see 2 Corinthians 11:3–6 and 2 Corinthians 11:13). In the face of all the strengths that these super-apostles appeared to have, Paul instead boasts of his weaknesses: 2 Corinthians 11:29–30; 2 Corinthians 12:5. He even lists a whole series of things he experienced as an apostle in terms of setbacks and difficulties: 2 Corinthians 11:23–28. After he has told how he has prayed in vain that the Lord would take away the thorn in his flesh and the messenger of Satan—because the Lord has determined that as an apostle he should live by the same grace that he calls the people to rely on—Paul writes that this has taught him not to complain about his weaknesses but rather to glory in them. It is through Paul’s weakness that the Lord accomplishes his powerful work of grace.

But after Paul has written this, he returns (in 2 Corinthians 12:10) once more to that list of adversities that he had enumerated in chapter 11. What he first wanted to get rid of—weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, afflictions, etc.—he can now take pleasure in. These all contribute toward the progress of the gospel!

Conclusion

We believe that with this thorn and the messenger of Satan Paul was referring to all the opposition and setbacks he experienced as an apostle. After our text in 12:7, all of the opposition and challenges that Paul faced in his apostolic office are summarized once more in 2 Corinthians 12:10. Initially he experienced these things as a hindering thorn in his flesh, and as a messenger of Satan who harassed him in his office.

Perhaps we see in this choice of words by the apostle a reference to what he wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:24–27. He wanted, and therefore trained, to win the first prize as an athlete on the running track. But a thorn in his flesh (in his foot, his thigh, his bottom, his shoulder...? It does not matter where: when you are running, you will feel such a thorn in any given place in your body) prevented him from going full speed to reach his prize. That is how it felt. Like a boxer Paul wanted to floor his opponent. But instead, a satanic messenger gave him the knockout punch.

But now Paul knows the reason!