Thomas Aquinas Commentary 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

"And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for [my] power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ`s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." — 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (ASV)

Here, he speaks of the remedy against pride. In this regard, he does three things:

1. He mentions the remedy that was applied.
2. He describes his prayer to have the remedy removed (verse 8).
3. He tells of the Lord’s answer, which gives the reason for the remedy (verse 9).

Regarding the first point, it should be noted that a wise physician very often procures and permits a lesser disease to afflict a person in order to cure or avoid a greater one. For example, to cure a spasm, he might induce a fever. The Apostle shows that this was done to him by the physician of souls, our Lord Jesus Christ. For Christ, as the supreme physician of souls, permits His people to fall into lesser sins, and even mortal sins, in order to cure greater ones.

Among all sins, the gravest is pride. Just as charity is the root and beginning of the virtues, so pride is the root and beginning of all vices: Pride is the beginning of all sin (Sirach 10:15, Vulgate). This is made clear in the following way. Charity is called the root of all the virtues because it unites a person to God, who is the ultimate end. Therefore, just as the end is the beginning of all actions to be performed, so charity is the beginning of all the virtues. But pride turns one away from God, for pride is an inordinate desire for one’s own excellence.

If a person seeks some excellence under God, and if he seeks it moderately and for a good end, it can be tolerated. But if this is not done in the proper order, he can even fall into other vices, such as ambition, avarice, and vainglory. Yet, this is not, properly speaking, pride, unless a person seeks excellence without directing it toward God. Therefore, pride, properly so-called, separates one from God and is the root of all vices and the worst of them. This is why God resists the proud, as it says in James 4:6.

Because the material for this vice—that is, pride—is mainly found in things that are good, God sometimes permits His elect to be hindered by something within themselves (for example, an infirmity, some other defect, or even a mortal sin) from obtaining such a good. This is done so that they may be so humbled on this account that they will not take pride in it, and that, being thus humbled, they may recognize that they cannot stand by their own power. Hence it says in Romans 8:28, We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him. This is not because of their sin, but because of God’s providence.

Therefore, because the Apostle had good reason to glory—in the spiritual election by which he was chosen by God (He is a chosen instrument of mine, Acts 9:15), in his knowledge of God’s secrets (for he says that he was caught up into the third heaven where he heard secret words that a man is not permitted to speak), in his endurance of evils (for he had far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death, 2 Corinthians 11:23), in his virginal integrity (for he said, I wish that all were as I myself am, 1 Corinthians 7:7), and especially in the outstanding knowledge with which he shone, which is something that especially puffs one up—for these reasons, the Lord applied a remedy, lest he be lifted up with pride.

This is what he says: to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations. As it is written, Do not exalt yourself through your soul’s counsel, lest your soul be torn in pieces like a bull ; and, Being exalted I have been humbled and troubled (Psalms 88:15, Vulgate). Furthermore, to show that these revelations were given to him, he says, a thorn was given me—that is, for my benefit and my humiliation. As Job says, You have lifted me up and set me as it were upon the wind (Job 31:22). A thorn was given to me, I say, tormenting my body with physical weakness, so that the soul might be healed. For it is said that he literally suffered a great deal from pain in the ileum [pelvis].

Alternatively, it was a thorn in the flesh—that is, of concupiscence arising from his flesh—because he was greatly troubled. As he says, For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do... So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand... So then, I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin (Romans 7:19, 21, 25). Hence, Augustine says that movements of concupiscence existed in him, which God’s grace nevertheless restrained.

That thorn, he says, is a messenger of Satan—that is, a wicked angel. It was an angel sent or permitted by God, but it was Satan’s because Satan’s intention is to subvert, while God’s is to humble and to make one approved. Let the sinner beware, if the Apostle and chosen instrument was not secure.

Now, the Apostle was anxious to have this thorn removed and prayed that it would be; hence he says, Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me. Here it should be noted that a sick person, ignorant of the reason why a physician applies a stinging plaster, asks him to remove it. But the physician, knowing its purpose is for health, does not oblige him, caring more for his improvement. Similarly, the Apostle, feeling that the sting was painful, sought the help of the one true physician to remove it. For he expressly and devoutly asked God three times to remove the thorn from him: We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you (2 Chronicles 20:12). Perhaps he asked this many times, but he asked expressly and earnestly three times. Or, “three times” could mean “many times,” for three is a perfect number. And of course, it was right to ask, because For he wounds, but he binds up (Job 5:18), and Pray that you may not enter into temptation (Luke 22:46).

Then he states the Lord’s answer: but he—that is, the Lord—said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you.’ Here, he does two things. First, he states the Lord’s answer; second, he gives the reason for the answer (verse 9b).

Therefore, he says that he asked, but the Lord said to him, My grace is sufficient for you. It is as if to say: “It is not necessary for this bodily weakness to leave you, because it is not dangerous; you will not be led into impatience, since My grace strengthens you. Nor is it necessary for this weakness of concupiscence to depart, because it will not lead you to sin, for My grace will protect you.” As it is written, Justified by his grace as a gift (Romans 3:24). And of course, God’s grace is sufficient for avoiding evil, doing good, and attaining eternal life: By the grace of God I am what I am (1 Corinthians 15:10); But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:25).

But on the other hand, it says in John 15:16, Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. Therefore, Paul either asked discreetly and deserved to be heard, or he asked indiscreetly and therefore sinned. I answer that a person can speak of one and the same thing in two ways: in one way, according to the thing itself and its own nature; in another way, according to its relation to something else. Hence, it happens that something that is evil in itself and should be avoided can be sought in relation to something else. For example, a medicine, inasmuch as it is bitter, should be avoided; yet, when it is considered in relation to health, a person seeks it.

Therefore, a thorn in the flesh, in and of itself, is to be avoided as troublesome; but inasmuch as it is a means to virtue and an exercise of virtue, it should be desired. But because the secret of divine providence—namely, that the thorn would turn out for his advantage—had not yet been revealed to him, the Apostle considered it to be bad for him in itself. But God, who had ordained this for the good of his humility, did not grant his wish. Indeed, once he understood its purpose, the Apostle gloried in it, saying, I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. And although God did not grant his specific wish, He still heard him—and always hears His saints—for their ultimate advantage. Hence, Jerome says in his Letter to Paulinus, “The good Lord frequently does not grant what we wish, in order to bestow what we should prefer.”

Then he gives the reason for the Lord’s response when he says, for my power is made perfect in weakness [infirmity]. This is a remarkable expression: virtue is made perfect in weakness; fire grows in water. This can be understood in two ways: materially and by way of occasion.

If taken materially, the sense is this: weakness is the material on which to exercise virtue.

1. First, humility, as stated above.
2. Second, patience: The testing of your faith produces steadfastness (James 1:3).
3. Third, temperance, because hunger is weakened by infirmity, and a person is made temperate.

But if taken by way of occasion, weakness is the occasion for arriving at perfect virtue, because a person who knows he is weak is more careful when resisting. As a result of fighting and resisting more, he is better exercised and, therefore, stronger. Hence it says in Judges 3:1 that the Lord was not willing to destroy all the inhabitants of the land, but preserved some so that the children of Israel might be exercised by fighting against them. In the same way, Scipio did not wish to destroy the city of Carthage, so that the Romans, by having external enemies, would not have internal enemies—against whom it is more painful to wage war than against outsiders, as he said.

Then the Apostle mentions the effect of this answer from the Lord, saying, I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. He mentions two effects. The first is glorying. Hence he says that because power is made perfect in weakness, I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses—that is, those given to me for my benefit. He does this because it joins him closer to Christ: But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14); But he that is glorified in poverty, how much more in wealth? (Sirach 10:34, Vulgate). The reason he will glory gladly is that the power of Christ may rest upon me [dwell in me]—that is, that through weakness the grace of Christ may dwell and be made perfect in him: He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength (Isaiah 40:29).

The other effect is joy. Hence, he says, For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses. In this regard, he does two things. First, he mentions the effect of joy; second, he assigns the reason for it (verse 10b).

He mentions the effect of joy and the source of that joy. He says, therefore, that because the power of Christ dwells in him in all tribulations, I am content—that is, “I am greatly pleased and take joy in the weaknesses I mentioned.” As it is written, Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials (James 1:2). The weaknesses in which he rejoices abundantly on account of Christ’s grace are then listed.

• First are those that come from an internal cause, namely, his infirmities; hence he says, in my weaknesses. As the Psalm says, Their infirmities were multiplied: afterwards they made haste (Psalms 16:5, Vulgate), namely, toward grace.
• Second are those that come from an external cause.
  • These relate first to words, when he says, in insults: Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name (Acts 15:4).
  • Then they relate to deeds, which concern either a lack of good things, when he says, in hardships—that is, in the lack of necessary things and in the poverty by which he was pressed (Contribute to the needs of the saints, Romans 12:13); or the experience of inflicted evils. These can be external things, as when he says, in bodily persecutions (Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, Matthew 5:10), which we experience from place to place and everywhere; or internal things, as when he says, in calamities—that is, in anxieties of the soul (I am straitened on every side,Daniel 13:22, Vulgate).

But in all these things, the source of joy is that they are for Christ’s sake. It is as if to say, “I am pleased because I suffer for Christ”: But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief (1 Peter 4:15).

He assigns the reason for this joy when he says, for when I am weak, then I am strong. That is, when as a result of what is in me or as a result of persecutions I fall into any of the aforementioned situations, God’s help is applied to me to strengthen me: Your consolations cheer my soul (Psalms 94:19); Let the weak say, ‘I am strong’ (Joel 3:10, Vulgate); Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day (2 Corinthians 4:16). And in Exodus 1:12, it says that the more the Israelites were oppressed, the more they multiplied.