Paul's thorn in the flesh
Paul describes certain severe difficulties figuratively as "a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan". Most interpreters take "thorn" and "messenger of Satan" as metaphorical and "flesh" as the concrete element to which the metaphor refers. However, if the e...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
NTWSA
2001
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| In: |
Neotestamentica
Year: 2001, Volume: 35, Issue: 1/2, Pages: 69-79 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (JSTOR) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Paul describes certain severe difficulties figuratively as "a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan". Most interpreters take "thorn" and "messenger of Satan" as metaphorical and "flesh" as the concrete element to which the metaphor refers. However, if the entire phrase "thorn in the flesh" is figurative, then "a messenger of Satan" is more likely to be the concrete referent to the metaphor than a second metaphor with no concrete referent. Because there is precedent in the LXX for interpreting the entire phrase "thorn in the flesh" figuratively we should consider the possibility that Paul is saying that harassment from a literal demon was his "thorn in the flesh". Such an understanding is not inconsistent with autobiographical information about Paul in his epistles and with the account of Paul's life and ministry depicted in Acts. |
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| ISSN: | 2518-4628 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Neotestamentica
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.10520/EJC83091 |