2 Corinthians 12:7 (KJV) "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelation, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I become exalted above measure."  The KJV uses the word  "buffet," in the NLT is says, "torment."  

What is a "thorn in the flesh?"  Many teach and preach that it means sickness, but when "thorns" are mentions in the Old Testament, what did it mean? Let's look at 3 passages:

Numbers 33:55 “But if you fail to drive out the people who live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes or thorns in your sides.  They will harass you in the land where you live.” 

Joshua 23:12-13, “But if you turn away from him and cling to the customs of the survivors of these nations remaining among you, and you intermarry with them, (13) then know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive them out of your land.  Instead, they will be a snare and a trap to you, a whip for your backs and thorny brambles for your eyes…” 

Judges 2:2-3 “For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in the land: instead you were to destroy their altars.  But you disobeyed my command.  Why did you do this?  (3) So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living in your land.  They will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a constant temptation for you.”

In each of these instances “thorns” were talking about people harassing the Israelites.  It was not talking about physical sickness. 

In 2 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT), it says, “I was given a thorn in the flesh a messenger from Satan to torment me…” 

In verse 10 Paul describes how he was tormented by the messenger from Satan.  2 Corinthians 12:10 “That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ.  For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

Let’s take a look at the hardships, insults, and persecutions Paul suffered:

2 Corinthians 11:24-33 (Just 7 verses before he describes all of this as “a thorn in the flesh):

“Five different times the Jewish leaders game me thirty-nine lashes. (25)  Three times I was beaten with rods.  Once I was stoned.  Three times I was shipwrecked.  Once I spent a whole day and night at adrift at sea. (26) I have traveled on many long journeys.  I have faced danger for rivers and from robbers.  I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles.  I have faced danger in the cities, in deserts, and on the seas.  And I have faced ganger from men who claim to be believers but are not. (27) I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights.  I have been hungry and thirsty an have gone without food.  I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.”

(28) Then besides all this, I have daily burdens of my concern for the churches. (29) Who is weak without my feeling that weakness?  Wo is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?  (30) If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.  (31) God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise knows I am not lying. (32) When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me.  (33) I had to be lowered in a basket through the window in the city wall to escape from him.”

Then in 2 Corinthians 7:5 (Just 5 verses after Paul talks about all his hardships, trials, and persecutions) he tells us again, “…I will boast only about my weaknesses.” 

Now let’s look at the next verse 2 Corinthians 7:6 “If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth, but I won’t do it because I don’t anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message.”

So we can see here that Paul said he only wanted to boast about his weaknesses, and things that show how weak he was.  Why, because he didn’t want any credit to be given to himself.  His weaknesses showed that he had to depend on God.  In verse 9 he says, “So I am glad to boast in my weaknesses , so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 

Where in all of that does it say that his thorn was a sickness?  Paul never mentions a sickness.  He mentions all of his hardships, trials, persecutions, and weaknesses, but never a sickness.  It was the same as the Old Testament verses we looked at, where they had:

Splinters in their eyes

Thorns in their sides

Thorny brambles in their eyes

And again: thorns in their sides

It’s a figure of speech meaning harassment, and Paul had all sorts of harassment from Satan, that’s why all those hardships listed were happening to him.  Satan was trying to prevent him from spreading the Gospel message.  Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was harassment from Satan, just as the "thorns" in the Old Testament were harassment from thier enemies.  

P.S.  After writing this post, I found another Old Testament Scripture that referenced "thorns" as being harassment from enemies.  Ezekiel 29:24 (NLT) "No longer will Israel's scornful neighbors prick and tear at her like briers and thorns...."