PThU Bible blog
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- A thorn in Paul’s flesh?In Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth there are a few chapters in which he does his utmost to win the congregation back to his side (2 Cor 10–13). His opponents had successfully appealed to extraordinary gifts and revelations. Paul could do the same, he writes, but he deliberately refrains from doing so. Paradoxically, his weakness becomes his strongest argument. In the middle of this section stands a puzzling little sentence: ‘to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me’ (2 Cor 12:7 NRSVue). What does Paul mean here, and in particular, what does he mean by that ‘thorn’?
- Did Paul have a near-death experience on the road to Damascus?The apostle Paul was a passionate preacher of the Gospel. But his life started differently. Paul was first called Saul and belonged to the Jewish movement of the Pharisees. As an ardent zealot, he aimed at imprisonment of the followers of the growing Jesus movement. In that context, he set out one day for Damascus. Along the way, however, something remarkable happened. Paul had an experience that turned his life upside down. In this blog, I discuss whether we can interpret Paul’s experience as a near-death experience.
- Does Paul tell us to always obey the government?A passage from Paul's letter to the Romans seems to say that you have to obey the rules of the government, even if they offend you. Does Paul mean it that way?
