2 Corinthians 12:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He says, "Lest I be exalted above measure, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh." But God said that He permits this for the manifestation of His power. Therefore you ask not only for something excessive, but even for something that would obscure the glory of My might. The words "sufficient for you" show that nothing further needs to be added, but that everything has been done. From this also it is clear that he is not speaking here of a headache. The sick did not preach, and they would not have been able to preach. Rather, he speaks of how the Apostles, though persecuted and pursued, overcame everything. Having heard such an answer, Paul says, "Therefore I will most gladly boast in my infirmities." So that the Corinthians would not lose heart when they saw the false apostles boasting of the very opposite, while the true Apostles endured persecutions, Paul shows that through persecutions he becomes still more glorious. In this especially the power of God is revealed. What happens to him is worthy of boasting. Therefore he says, "I will most gladly boast." "I did not say from sorrow what I listed above, or what I now mention, namely, that a thorn in the flesh was given to me. On the contrary, I am adorned by this, and I draw upon myself still greater power from God." Therefore he adds, "that the power of Christ may dwell in me." Here he also implies something else: in the measure that temptations increased, grace also increased and abode in him.

But God indicates another reason for this: that His power is revealed fully only when the Apostles are in weakness, that is, amid persecutions and dangers. "Therefore I will most gladly rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me." Since, he says, I have heard that the power of God is made perfect in weakness, from now on I will boast in my infirmities. The more numerous they are, the more abundant will be the power of God that they bring down upon me. Therefore do not think that I speak of the thorn with sorrow. Rather, I rejoice and boast, because through the increase of afflictions I draw upon myself a greater power of God.

The one who restrains a madman, like the one who rouses a man sick with lethargy, troubles both, yet loves both. Who can love us more than God? Yet He teaches us not only by gentleness, but also frightens us for our good. To the pleasant medicines by which He comforts us, He often adds the most bitter medicine, torment. Thus He tests the patriarchs, even such pious and devout men, by famine (cf. Gen 12:10; 26:1; 41:54; 42:1; 43:1). He sends grievous punishments upon a stubborn people. He does not remove the thorn from the Apostle's body, though he prayed for this three times, so that power might be made perfect in weakness. Therefore, in such torments, which can equally profit us or harm us, we do not know how we ought to pray. But since they are harsh and heavy, and since they go against the feeling of our human weakness, we pray, as is natural to human will generally, that they depart from us. Yet reverence before the Lord our God obliges us not to think that He has left us without attention because He does not remove suffering. On the contrary, by piously enduring evil, we may hope for a greater good. In this way weakness is turned into perfected strength. Indeed, to some people who lack patience, the Lord God in His wrath grants what they ask. Yet to the Apostle, in His mercy, He refuses what he asked.

This manner of victory was new: to prevail through the opposite, never to be conquered by anything, and to rush toward contests as though truly holding their outcome in one's own power. To understand this more clearly, look at those hateful men, the Jews, in whose hands the Apostles were as though caught in nets. Yet they were perplexed and said, "What shall we do to these men?" (Acts 4:16). Truly it was wondrous and strange, and more astonishing than anything else, that they had the Apostles in their hands, held them in bonds, and beat them. Yet they themselves were at a loss and spoke with the voice of the defeated, defeated by those very men who seemed to be in their power. For what they devised for the Apostles' disgrace, they saw turning into their glory. Thus the power of God truly shone forth more brightly in the weakness of the Apostles. It was not by firmness in affairs, nor by taking the field in battle, forging weapons, or gathering soldiers. Rather, by willingly preparing themselves to suffer evil, by this alone they raised trophies of victory everywhere.

But if people ask for what does not belong to salvation, they do not ask the Father in the name of Jesus. Therefore the Lord says to the same Apostles, who were still weak: "Until now you have asked nothing in My name" (Jn 16:24). It is as though He plainly said: You have not asked in the name of the Savior, because you do not yet know how to seek eternal salvation. Therefore Paul too was not heard. For if he had been freed from temptation, this would not have been profitable for his salvation.

Patience teaches labor and firmly endures outward temptations directed against self-control. Wax that has not been heated and well softened cannot receive the seal imposed upon it. Likewise, if a man is not tested through labors and infirmities, he cannot contain the seal of God's virtue.

Therefore the Lord says to Paul: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." When the devil departed from the Lord, then angels came and ministered to Him (Mt 4:11).

Just as the angels were not present during His temptation, so also when we are tempted, the angels of God withdraw from us for a time. After the tempters depart, they come to us again, ministering to us by granting us divine thoughts, illumination, compunction, sweetness, and patience. Then the soul, having labored, recovers its strength.

Therefore Isaiah says: "Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary. They shall walk and not hunger" (Isa 40:31).

Moses also says to the people: "He tested you and afflicted you, feeding you with manna in the wilderness, that the things in your heart might be known... As a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you" (Deut 8:2, 5, 16). And he adds: "That He might afflict you and test you, and do you good in the end" (Deut 8:16).

The prophet Nahum also says: "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him in the day of affliction" (Nah 1:7). Another says: "Do not say, 'I will avenge my enemy,' but wait for the Lord, that He may help you" (Prov 20:22), for the patience of the pious will not fail.

So also the most meek David was patient. When he was lying prostrate and Shimei threw stones at him and said, "Come out... man of lawlessness!" (2 Kgs 16:7), he was not indignant at him.

When David's nephew grew angry at him and said, "Why does this dead dog curse my lord the king? I will go now and take off his head" (2 Kgs 16:9), David forbade him, saying: "Leave him alone, and let him curse... and the Lord will return good to me" (2 Kgs 16:10, 12).

Therefore he rightly sang: "I waited patiently for the Lord, and He attended to me and heard my prayer" (Ps 39:1). Exhorting us, he says: "Be courageous, and let your heart be strengthened, and wait for the Lord" (Ps 26:14). "Those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land of the living" (Ps 36:9).

And: "Let not those who wait for You be ashamed on my account, O Lord, Lord of hosts" (Ps 68:7). "The furnace tests vessels of the potter, and temptation tests a man in his thoughts" (Sir 27:5). And: "Woe to those who have lost patience. What will they do when the Lord visits them?" (Sir 2:14). For "the patience of the poor shall not perish forever" (Ps 9:19).

And Zephaniah says: "If He delays, wait for Him, for He who comes will come and will not delay" (Hab 2:3). But "if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him" (Heb 10:38).

And Paul says: "If we endure, we shall also reign with Him" (2 Tim 2:12). And again: "You have need of patience, so that, having done the will of God, you may receive what was promised" (Heb 10:36).

And James says: "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work." And he adds: "Blessed is the man who endures temptation, because when he has been tested he will receive the crown of life" (Jas 1:2-4, 12).

The Lord also says: "He who endures to the end shall be saved" (Mk 13:13), and: "By your patience save your souls" (Lk 21:19). To Him be glory unto the ages. Amen.

"For My power is made perfect in weakness." Where nature is powerless, there the most perfect dominion of My power shines forth. When Paul, called by God, heard this, he not only ceased praying for deliverance from his adversaries. Filled with delight, he even boasted chiefly in his infirmities: "Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities." For, he says, in my weaknesses the perfection of God's power appears. Therefore with the greatest delight I will boast that I am weak and powerless, "that the power of Christ may dwell in me," that is, that Jesus Christ may strengthen me to fulfill my apostolic calling.

He says, Lest I be exalted above measure, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh. But God said that He permits this for the manifestation of His power. Therefore you ask not only for something excessive, but even for something that obscures the glory of My might. For the words, My grace is sufficient for you, show that nothing further needs to be added, but that everything has been done" (St. Chrysostom). "From your weakness My power appears in all its fullness and in all its perfection. If wise men or royal persons had been used for the preaching, someone might have ascribed the subjection of all to the Gospel to the power of those who served the preaching. But now the weakness of those serving the Gospel in the whole world shows the power of God. It alone appears here as acting, and everything that happens must be referred to it alone" (Oecumenius). "Having heard such an answer, Paul says: Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities. So that the Corinthians would not lose heart when they saw that the Apostles were in persecution, Paul shows that through persecutions he becomes more glorious. In this especially the power of God is revealed. What happens to him is worthy of boasting. Therefore he says, Most gladly I will boast. I did not say from sorrow of heart what I listed above, or what is now being mentioned, namely, that a thorn was given to me. On the contrary, I am adorned by this, and I draw still greater power upon myself from God. Therefore he adds, That the power of Christ may dwell in me. By these words he also gives to understand something else: in the measure that temptations increased, grace also increased and abode in him" (St. Chrysostom).