Destroying Sacred Cows
Let’s look at some Bible verses which have led to some common wrong beliefs about divine healing.
There is, of course, nothing wrong with the Bible verses themselves; the issues arise when people read the Word with inaccurate preconceived notions and do not make the effort to truly understand what they’re reading.
Disproving these sacred cows is vitally important. The Bible makes it clear that in order to live in the promises of God, one must believe without doubt.
Mark 11:23
For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
James 1:5-8
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
There is a belief that these verses speak of Paul receiving a sickness or disease in his flesh, and that God refused to heal him. This is a false belief.
Paul’s thorn in the flesh came through a “messenger of Satan”. The Greek word behind “messenger” here is ἄγγελος (angelos). It can refer to a physical messenger or an angelic or supernatural being. Being of Satan, this messenger would have been an evil supernatural being, such as a demon, sent to “buffet” Paul.
Being buffeted relates to being physically struck or abused or to being treated with violence. It does not refer to being sick. For reference, the same word can be found in Matthew 26:67, Mark 14:65, and 1 Peter 2:20.
Jesus freed born-again believers from sickness and disease (more on this later), but not from persecution and tribulation. In fact, we can and should expect these things if we live godly lives (2 Timothy 3:12, John 15:20, Acts 14:22, 1 Peter 4:13). In listing his persecutions and struggles for the sake of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:9-13, 2 Corinthians 6:4-5, 2 Corinthians 11:23-30), it is important to note that Paul never mentioned sickness.
A potential cause of confusion may lie in the fact that the KJV of the Bible uses the word “infirmities” in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. The KJV of the Bible is over 400 years old. Many of the words used in it have somewhat different meanings today. The Greek word behind “infirmities” in these verses is ἀσθένεια (astheneia). This word can indeed refer to sickness, but in this context, it means weakness. This is confirmed by the fact that more modern versions of the Bible, such as the ESV, NASB, NIV, AMP, and NLT, all use the word “weaknesses” instead of “infirmities”.
Additionally, the same Greek word used behind “infirmities” in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 was used by Paul just a few verses earlier in 2 Corinthians 11:30, where he referred to his persecutions and struggles (which, as previously noted, did not include sickness).
Finally, similar terms to “thorn in the flesh” were used previously in the Scriptures. This term was never used to refer to sickness or disease. Paul, a scholar of the Old Testament, would have known this.
Numbers 33:55
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.
Joshua 23:13
know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. But they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.
Judges 2:3
Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’ ”
Ezekiel 2:6
“And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
Therefore, what was Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”? It was a supernatural being, sent by Satan, to persecute Paul. It must have influenced people and worked through them to “buffet” Paul. It was an attempt by Satan to prevent the spread of the Gospel. However, by the grace of God, Paul was able to endure and succeed in his mission.
