Editing Thorn in the flesh

{{Short description|Biblical phrase}}
'''Thorn in the flesh''' is a phrase of [[New Testament]] origin used to describe an annoyance, or trouble in one's life, drawn from [[Paul the Apostle]]'s use of the phrase in his [[Second Epistle to the Corinthians]] [[2 Corinthians 12#Verse 7|12:7–9]]:<ref>{{bibleref2|2Corinthians|12:7-9|9|2 Corinthians 12:7–9}} – [http://studybible.info/compare/2Corinthians%2012:7 multi-version compare]</ref>

{{quote|And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. <sup>8</sup> For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. <sup>9</sup> And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ([[King James Version|KJV]])}}

Other [[Hebrew Bible|biblical]] passages where "thorn" is used as a [[metaphor]] are:<ref>{{bibleref|Ezekiel|28:24|9}} – {{bibleref|Joshua|23:13|9}}</ref>
{{quote|Know for a certainty that the {{LORD}} your God will no more drive out ''[any of]'' these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the {{LORD}} your God hath given you.|Joshua 23:13}}
{{quote|And there shall be no more a pricking briar unto the house of Israel, nor ''[any]'' grieving thorn of all ''[that are]'' round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I ''[am]'' the Lord {{GOD}}.|Ezekiel 28:24}}The standard English translation was popularised by the 1611 [[King James Version]] of the Bible.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Story of English in 100 Words|last=Crystal|first=David|publisher=Profile Books|year=2011|isbn=9781847654595|pages=118}}</ref> Among earlier translations, the 1526 [[Tyndale Bible]]  uses "vnquyetnes" ("unquietness") rather than "thorn", and the 1557 [[Geneva Bible]] refers to a "pricke in the fleshe".<ref name=":12">{{Cite web|url=http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/200997|title=Thorn, n.|date=January 2018|website=OED Online|publisher=Oxford University Press|access-date=February 20, 2018}}</ref>

== Biblical meaning ==
Paul mentions what the "thorn in his flesh" was in 2 Corinthians 12:6-7 when he said (Verse 6) "...lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. (Verse 7) And lest I should be exalted above measure through 'the abundance of revelations', there was given to me 'a thorn in the flesh'..." from "the abundance of revelations" and how people perceived him or "...man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me."<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Corinthians|12:6-7|KJV}}</ref>

Paul does not specify the nature of his "thorn," and his other epistles do not directly address the topic. Throughout church history, there has been a significant amount of speculation about what Paul was referring to, although scholars such as [[Philip Edgcumbe Hughes]], [[F. F. Bruce]] and [[Ralph P. Martin]] conclude that definite identification of the thorn is impossible with the evidence available.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Second Epistle to the Corinthians|last=Hughes|first=Philip E.|publisher=Eerdmans|year=1962|isbn=0-8028-2186-3|series=NICNT|location=Grand Rapids, Mich.|pages=442}}</ref><ref name=":611">{{Cite book|title=2 Corinthians|last=Martin|first=Ralph P.|publisher=Zondervan|year=2014|isbn=9780310520245|series=WBC|location=Grand Rapids, Mich.|pages=611}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free|last=Bruce|first=Frederick F.|publisher=Eerdmans|year=2000|location=Grand Rapids, Mich.|pages=135}}</ref> Other scholars such as [[B. J. Oropeza]], M. David Litwa, and [[Paula Gooder|Paula R. Gooder]] suggest that the thorn refers to the messenger of [[Satan]] who harmed Paul during his third [[Heaven in Christianity|heaven]] experience.<ref>Oropeza, B. J. (2016). ''Exploring Second Corinthians: Death and Life, Hardship and Rivalry.'' Atlanta: SBL Press, pp. 668-675 {{ISBN|9780884141259}}</ref><ref>M. David Litwa (2011). “Paul’s Mosaic Ascent: An Interpretation of 2 Corinthians 12.7–9.” ''New Testament Studies'' 57 pp. 238–57</ref><ref>Gooder, Paula R. (2006). ''Only the Third Heaven? 2 Corinthians 12:1–10 and Heavenly Ascent.'' London: T&T Clark, 2006. {{ISBN|0567042448}}.</ref>

The "thorn" is most commonly interpreted in relation to [[Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire|persecutions]] or hardships Paul faced.

Other interpretations include:
# One pre-Vatican II [[Roman Catholic]] writer thought that it denotes suggestions of impiety.<ref name=Easton>Easton, Matthew George (1897). "Thorn in the flesh", ''Easton's Bible Dictionary'' (New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons.</ref>
# Paul's agony over Jewish rejection of the gospel
# A reference to Paul's opponents
# A physical ailment

== Modern usage ==
The phrase "thorn in the flesh" continues to be used as a metaphor for "a source of continual annoyance or trouble."<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2010|isbn=9780199547937|editor-last=Cresswell|editor-first=Julia|location=Oxford|pages=444|chapter=Thorn}}</ref> It is synonymous with the phrase "thorn in the side", which is also of biblical origin, based on the description in Numbers 33:55.<ref name=":0" /> As an example usage, the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' cites [[E. M. Forster]]'s 1924 novel ''[[A Passage to India]]'', in which Nawab Bahadur says, "I can be a thorn in Mr. Turton's flesh, and if he asks me I accept the invitation."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/200997|title=Thorn, n.|date=January 2018|website=OED Online|publisher=Oxford University Press|access-date=February 20, 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Thorns, spines, and prickles]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

* {{EBD|Thorn in the flesh}}

{{Second Epistle to the Corinthians}}
[[Category:New Testament words and phrases]]
[[Category:Paul the Apostle]]
[[Category:Christian terminology]]
[[Category:Second Epistle to the Corinthians]]