“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.”
2 Corinthians
12:7. One very interesting word in this verse
is “buffet”. The Greek word is
“kolaphizō”
and the complete meaning is even more interesting.
I’ll get to it in a moment. The word “Kolaphizō”
comes from the Greek root word “kolazō” which means to
curb, check, restrain, to chastise, correct, or to
cause to be punished. Understanding these terms makes
it easier to identify with Paul’s predicament. His
thorn in the flesh is the messenger of Satan, the one
doing all the buffeting. As Paul traveled he would
continually come up against restraints which would
hinder him in conveying the message God had assigned
to him to deliver. Satan’s continual attempt to stop
Paul was unsuccessful. Notice God won every round;
Satan always loses when he tries to stand toe to toe
with the Creator of the universe.
As
I said, the literal Greek word used in the verse above
is
“kolaphizō” (buffet) which adds a little more
to what Paul endured. It means to strike with the
fist, give one a blow with the fist, and to maltreat,
treat with violence and insults. Wow, that’s some
thorn in the flesh. Paul was buffeted and maltreated
almost everywhere he went. We can see from the various
attacks by the enemy that Paul’s thorn in the flesh
was more than just an infirmity which many attribute
to a malady regarding his eyes.
As
we read of the many perilous journeys of the Apostle
Paul, we soon come to realize that because of Paul’s
great faith and constant promotion of the Gospel
message the enemy was determined to stop him – hence
the buffeting. Paul and his traveling companions were
sure to be attacked; the enemy had many accomplices
who were continually attempting to kill Paul.
“And there
came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium,
who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul,
drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.”
Acts 14:19.
Stoning was an accepted form of capital punishment in
Paul’s day, and the Jewish people were especially good
at it. The people who were persuaded by the Jews to
stone Paul supposed Paul dead. He may well have been
dead as even the disciples gathered around him
supposing he indeed had died.
What happened next was certainly a miracle.
“Howbeit, as
the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and
came into the city: and the next day he departed with
Barnabas to Derbe.”
Acts 14:20. Only through God’s intervention was Paul able to
continue on his trek after being stoned and presumed
dead.
If
we move back a chapter, in 2 Corinthians we find where
Paul is giving an exhaustive explanation of all the
buffeting that had befallen him during his years of
ministry.
“…in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure,
in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews
five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice
was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I
suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in
the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters,
in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own
countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the
city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the
sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and
painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst,
in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”
2 Corinthians 11:23b-27. Can a mere man endure this kind of
buffeting, often to the point of death, and still
continue on in God’s service? Obviously the answer is
yes. God never leaves the side of those who are
diligently seeking Him while promoting His Gospel.
“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through
the will of God”
1 Corinthians
1:1. Paul, even though called by God to be an
Apostle, was still just a man and we see at this point
in his life he’s tired of all this suffering. So he
finally asked the Lord to remove his thorn in the
flesh (the continual buffeting of the messenger of
Satan). “For
this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might
depart from me.”
2 Corinthians
12:8. We can surely sympathize with Paul. No
one wants to be afflicted thusly. Not all of us have
had to endure the sufferings as our brother Paul, but
some of us have had what we would consider our fair
share. Letters come to me often from brothers and
sisters who are suffering and are in need of much
prayer. Although my heart aches for them God’s heart
aches much more.
How did Messiah Jesus respond to Paul’s request to be
relieved of this buffeting?
“And he said
unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my
strength is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians
12:9. Was Jesus being uncaring, unloving, or
selfish? Of course not. Jesus was reminding Paul that
it was He that got Paul through all the buffeting. In
other words, what Jesus was telling Paul was the enemy
had no great influence over him. By the grace of God,
no matter how Satan attacked Paul nothing was allowed
to actually destroy God’s chosen Apostle. Our Lord
countered Satan’s attacks by means of His sufficient
grace. Jesus’ strength is perfect no matter what the
enemy throws at us. And as we endure our own buffeting
God’s strength is made manifest in our weakness. God
is glorified as He sees us through the trials of this
life when, like Paul, we never give up.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon
me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in
distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then
am I strong.”
2 Corinthians
12:10. Paul knew that as he was being buffeted
by the enemy God was being glorified. Paul, therefore,
gloried in his infirmities. What Satan did to hinder
Paul’s ministry was being used by God to show the
world how weak and feeble the enemy truly is.
Many of my readers have responded to my commentaries
with very encouraging words. Some have supposed by the
strength seen in my writings that the disease I’ve
been afflicted with has abated and I’m now back to
normal. But that’s not the case. Jesus’ strength is
what you see coming through in the commentaries. Just
as He told Paul, His grace is sufficient for me and
His strength is made perfect in my weakness.
The true followers of Messiah Jesus should come to
realize that, like Paul, we will be increasingly
buffeted by the enemy. How long will these attacks
continue? Paul’s continued until his death. From
Paul’s time to this very day many Christians have been
martyred for their faith. The enemy is relentless in
his continual pursuit to attack and destroy the
saints. But as hard as he tries his plans are always
thwarted as Jesus’ strength is manifested in our
lives. “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and
in all things I am instructed both to be full and to
be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do
all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Philippians
4:12-13. Through Christ’s strength, Paul was
able to endure all the darts the enemy had in his
arsenal.
We
too have been given the same strength that Paul was
given, the same ability to endure the darts – the
buffeting of the enemy. This ability was set in stone
when we first believed. Now that we are in God’s hands
what can the enemy throw at us that can actually hurt
us? Satan can kill us, he can send his many followers
to attack us with a vengeance that may seem
unbearable, but he can’t beat us. We’ve already won
the battle and the war. Paul became weary; at one
point he even despaired of life.
“For we would
not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which
came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of
measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired
even of life:”
2 Corinthians
1:8. But Jesus continually delivered Paul out
of the jaws of death. Paul continued his ministry
right up until God determined that it was time for
Paul to go home.
Paul was on a mission for God, as are we who
diligently seek to serve Him. Paul was given the
strength to preserver in the face of all adversity
(buffeting). Jesus will always see to it that we have
the strength to carry out our mission as long as He
desires. God is glorified when we continue in His
service. When others see our determination, what they
are actually seeing is God’s hand on us. We too can do
all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Today there are many Christians being attacked
mercilessly around the globe. This buffeting will not
cease until Jesus comes for His bride, but will
actually increase. As the days grow closer to the
preordained end, there also grows a sense of
foreboding regarding all the wickedness we are being
forced to contend with. The sense of so much evil on
our horizon also brings about a more intense
anticipation that Jesus is indeed about to call us
home. This anticipation should also stir in us a sense
of danger in that many of our own family members are
still standing outside without a clue of what’s
approaching. The burden is great as the hour grows
late.
It
won’t be much longer now until all our suffering for
Christ is rewarded. With the coming rapture of the
Ekklesia of Christ, Satan will lose all he’s been
striving for. When we are gone and Satan realizes his
days are numbered to the exact day, he will also
realize he will then have full autonomy in a world
that has rejected God. Those left here will be sorry
they remained in rebellion to their Creator as Satan
begins his most vicious and relentless attacks, all
focused on an unsuspecting humanity. Comparatively,
Satan’s attacks on the Ekklesia amount to nothing more
than skirmishes when compared to what he will do to
the left behind crowed.
God bless you
all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All original scripture is “theopneustos” God breathed
My eyes are still giving me fits; please continue to
pray for me. Your prayers and gifts are greatly
appreciated. If Holy Spirit is leading you to send a
gift of support, please send it to Ron Graham – 96
County Road 5480 Salem, MO. 65560. Thank you my dear
brethren, God bless
My past commentaries are archived at the following
link
http://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html
If you’d like to be on my email
list to receive the commentaries just drop me a line
and let me know.
