The passage
      v7. To give balance to his vision of paradise, Paul was inflicted with "a stake for the flesh". This "splinter", this "sharpened wooden shaft", this "thorn" in the flesh, humiliated him. Given passages like Galatians 1:8, 4:13f, 1 Thessalonians 2:18, the "thorn was possibly a physical illness, something that may well have repelled people. Paul calls his thorn a "messenger (angel) of Satan". That is, he sees it as demonic in origin, not something sent by God. Although Satan does his thing, God is still in control and uses this evil for ultimate good, Heb.12:10.
      v8-9a. Paul tells us that three times he asked that the "thorn" be taken away from him. This implies that on three occasions he was overwhelmed by the problem. In v9a he tells us that his infliction, Satan's messenger, was transformed into a triumph of grace, a vindication of the Lord's gracious power. Paul tells us that "He (Jesus) said", that is, the words were a revelation from the Lord to Paul. The revelation was a very powerful one indeed. Jesus reminds Paul that his gift of eternal sovereign grace transcends adversity. The operation of God's powerful grace is most clearly seen when viewed from human inadequacy, particularly when that inadequacy seemingly undermines gospel ministry. As far as Paul was concerned, his inadequacy verifies the authenticity of his apostleship.
      v9b Paul now makes a simple point; the above being the case, he therefore, welcomes inadequacy, trouble, etc. for it is in weakness that Christ's power is most readily evident. So as far as Paul is concerned, it's bring on the weakness. Like the shechinah glory radiating forth from the midst of the temple, God's sovereign grace is most evident in the life of his people when they are inadequate rather than strong. In weakness, the indwelling Spirit is operative, and this because we are bound to rely on him more than we would in good times. For this reason, Paul can "boast all the more gladly" about his weakness.
      v10. Because the sovereign grace of God, operative in us, is made complete in weakness, Paul is therefore well pleased with weakness. This is no self indulgence in suffering for merit's sake; it is no revelling in persecution to gain status in the sight of God. It is simply an awareness that Christ's grace is more evident in times of trouble. As Chrysostom put it, "How great is the advantage of affliction, for now..... we have filled the church with countless evils, but when we are persecuted we are more sober minded and more earnest and more ready for church attendance and for hearing." There is strength in weakness, for when we are weak, then are we more aware of God's all-powerful grace.

Thorns and thistles
      Church fellowships throughout the world seem powerless in the face of the secular city. We have little to give, and the little we do give seems so compromised, spoilt and of no effect. In the face of our weakness, the Lord's word to us is this, "when we are weak, then we are strong." When we are beaten low, it is then we can recognize and apply God's sovereign grace. Weakness, failure, trouble, doubt, fear....., all the things that seem to confine our individual Christian lives and the life of our Christian community, is the stuff that lays bare the operation of God's sovereign grace. The assault of circumstance will never frustrate the dawning of the kingdom of God. The greater the weakness, the greater the trouble, the more evident is Christ's saving power. The Evil One rants and rages and does his worst, and yet within this strife there operates the mighty kindness of our God. His grace is sufficient for us for his power is fulfilled in weakness.
      The institutional church throughout the Western world is, in numerical terms, facing decline. We fear the very survival of our church. This fear has prompted the wholesale adoption of Church Growth methodology. Denominational traditions, worship style, are all being thrown away to somehow make our church services more "accessible" to outsiders. It's all about keeping the numbers up. Interestingly, while one denomination casts off a particular tradition, another picks it up, as if tradition somehow equates with attendance numbers. We are driven by marketing strategies, niching, and ever-changing secular marketing philosophies, but to what end?
      Numbers must never concern us. If we are weak, small and insignificant, or seemingly heading in that direction, we really don't need to be ashamed or afraid. We should boast of our weakness, for when we are weak, then we are strong. In fact, the more we look like failures in worldly terms, the greater opportunity there is for us to be successful in spiritual terms. When everything is going well for us, we tend to rest on our own strength. When things are down, we tend to rest on the Lord. As we rest on Jesus, as we trust him, it is then we find ourselves in the center of his will.
      Our approach then should be to do the best we can within the circumstances we face. As for our weaknesses, troubles, difficulties and hardships; delight in them, for when we are weak then we are strong.

v7
      Therefore, in order that I should not be conceited, I was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, in order that he might buffet me, (in order that I not become) lest I become conceited.
      th/ uperbolh/ (h) "these surpassingly great" - The word can be qualitative as in the NIV, "extraordinary", or it can be quantitative, "excess". Qualitative seems best. Note that the phrase "surpassingly great revelations" is most likely the conclusion of the sentence beginning in v6b. Paul refrains from boasting about anything so that people will not think more of him than can be determined by his teaching and by the evidence of his life, "and that goes for (even) the wondrous revelations" which he has just alluded to. "But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me because of the abundance of the revelations", NAB.
      dio - therefore. The new paragraph begins with "therefore". Therefore, the reason Paul is not going to get into boasting is as follows:
      skoloy (oy opoV) "a thorn" - "Thorn" seems best, but Bruce goes for "splinter", while some others argue for "stake", in the sense that Paul is impaled and therefore immobilized. The "thorn" doesn't seem to immobilize Paul, but rather removes any opportunity for him to be placed on a pedestal. There are numerous theories as to the meaning of the thorn: i] human opponents, eg. the judaizers, possibly even Satan or a demon, or possibly temptations, particularly sexual; ii] some particular ailment: poor eyesight, cf. Gal.4:13-15, epilepsy (Lightfoot), malaria (Ramsay), poor nerves. Some physical ailment seems best, but an ailment that does not limit him physically, but rather socially. Something like a speech defect or squinting eyes would fit. "I was given a physical handicap", Phillips.
      iJna + subj. "-" - so that, in order that. Three purpose clauses follow in v7 explaining why Paul is not going to get into boasting about spiritual qualifications. To undermine any conceit Paul was given by God a "thorn" in his flesh, a visit from a satanic messenger, in order to buffet him, in order that he might not be conceited. Note the NIV does not have the third clause which repeats the sense of the first. "In order that I not be conceited, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of satan, in order that he might beat me, in order that I should not be conceited."
      uJperairwmai (uJperairw) subj. mid. "conceited" - lift up. In the middle voice "exalt oneself", "become conceited" ....
      th/ sarki (x koV) dat. "in my flesh" - in the flesh. Often referring to one's lower nature, but here most likely referring to the physical body. The dative may be either of disadvantage, "for my flesh", explanatory of the personal pronoun, "given to me, that is, to my flesh", or locative, "in my flesh." Locative is preferred by most commentators.
      aggeloV Satana "a messenger of Satan" - The thorn is evil, something to weaken and buffet him, yet in God's hands it has a good purpose.
      kolofizh/ (kolafizw) subj. "torment" - buffet, batter, strike or beat with the fist. "To batter me", Barclay; "harass", Phillips; "rack me", Moffatt; "buffet", REB.

v8
      Concerning this I prayed to the Lord three times to take it away from me.
      uper toutou "-" - as to this. The verse begins "concerning this." The "this" refers to the "messenger of Satan" since the verb "take it away" is used in the NT of persons. None-the-less, the "messenger of Satan" is in apposition to (adding to or explaining) "thorn in the flesh", so Paul is asking for the thorn ("it") to be taken away.
      triV "three times" - three. Why three times? There are numerous suggestions: urgency, symbolism (note the many threes in the Bible), three separate attacks of the malady. The incident serves as an example of unanswered prayer made initially without the benefit of God's revealed will, which will is later revealed.
      parekalesa (parakalew) aor. "pleaded with" - ask, entreat. "Pleaded with" is very strong and a word like "sought" is far better than "begged", CEV. "Three times over I prayed the Lord to relieve me", Moffatt.

v9
      eirhken (legw) perf. "he said" - say. The perfect tense indicates a past action (the communication of God's revealed will on the issue of Paul's "thorn") with present ramifications (he no longer prays for the removal of the thorn due to God's revealed will on the matter).
      hJ cariV (iV itoV) "grace" - Paul often uses the word in the sense of "saving grace", but also of God's grace in appointing him an apostle. "Grace" also assures us that no trouble can take us from Christ, Rom.8:38. So what does Paul mean here? It is best not to particularize the word, but rather determine a sense that applies to all the above. A general sense such as "kindness" is too weak, so "unbounded mercy" probably best carries the sense. "Grace", in the sense of God's unmerited favour toward us in Christ for now and eternity, is a concept well able to carry us through the barbs of life.
      arkei (arkew) pres. "is sufficient" - is adequate, sufficient, enough. Some suggest that the word here carries a "stoic" sense of resignation, but Paul is not resigned to his situation in the sense of rolling over and giving up. For him it is onward and upward, despite his thorn. "My grace is all you need", Barclay.
      hJ dunamiV (iV ewV) "power" - the power, authority. The "my" is not in the text, but obviously it is Christ's power. It seems best to assume that "power" is a synonym for "grace". If this is the case, then "power" here is the power of God's unmerited favour, operative through the risen Christ, a power to eternally save.
      teleitai (telew) pres. pas. "is made perfect" - is completed, perfected. Both meanings are possible, but "completed" is better than "perfected", given that the revelation does not deal with moral issues. "My power is strongest when you are weak", CEV
      asqeneia/ (a) "[in] weakness" - weakness, sickness. "Weakness" is imaged in the crucifixion of Christ, just as power is imaged in the resurrection of Christ. Paul often speaks of his weakness in terms of persecution.
      hJdista (hJdew) sup. adv. "all the more gladly" - gladly. Superlative, "most gladly." Given this revelation, Paul will all the more gladly boast of his weakness rather than get into asking the Lord to take the thorn away.
      mallon adv. "-" more, rather. Possibly used to strengthen "gladly" - "much more gladly", but "rather" seems better. Paul boasts of his suffering "rather" than visions and esoteric manifestations (understood).
      kauchsomai (kaucaomai) fut. "I will boast" - I will glory, boast. "Will boast" does not mean he has yet to boast. Paul boasts in his suffering already, the true badge of an apostle of Christ.
      iJna + subj. "so that [Christ's power may rest ....]" - in order that [Christ's power may shelter, reside, dwell, abide over/on me]. This hina is subject to some debate. It does seem best to take it as a consecutive (consequence, result) clause. None-the-less, it is often taken as a final (purpose) clause. If a purpose clause, does Paul affirm his weakness in order that he can access the grace/power of God already abiding in him through his faith in Christ, or does he affirm his weakness in order that he will receive the gift of, or a greater portion of, God's grace/power? The second possible meaning is certainly not Pauline theology. Such a view leads to mysticism. Bultmann and others, who argue for the revelatory function of weakness, of divine encounter in surrender, of power drawn from weakness, are more into flagellation than revelation. The verb "rest on" is best understood as "abide" in the same sense as God in Christ dwells among us. This idea images the shechinah glory, God's radiant presence in the temple. So, Paul's identification with the suffering Christ, expressed physically in his own suffering (in particular the thorn), serves, as a consequence/result, to accentuate the grace/power of God that already abides in him, which suffering authenticates his apostleship. "Therefore, I have cheerfully made up my mind to be proud of my weaknesses, because they mean (result in) a deeper experience of the power of Christ", Phillips.