thorn in the flesh " was a permanent afi*ection under which the apostle continued to sufier. Lest I should he exalted above measure. This last clause expresses the design of God in permitting the apostle to be thus afiiicted. He carried about with him a continued evidence of his weakness. How- ever much he was exalted, although raised to the third heaven, he could not extract this rankling thorn. And the experience of God's people shows that bodily pain has a special ofiice to perform in the work of sanctification. In the unrenewed its tendency is to exasperate ; when self-inflicted its tendency is to debase and fill the soul with grovelling ideas of God and religion, and with low self-conceit. But when inflicted by God on his own children, it more than any thing teaches them their weakness and dependence, and calls upon them to submit when submission is most difiicult. Though he slay me, I will trust in him, is the expression of the highest form of faith.
8. 9. Por tills tiling I besouglit the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee : for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For this thing ^ v-n-lp tovtov, in reference to this ^ v-n-ep is here used in the sense of Trepi Tovtov may be neuter, /or this thing ^ i. e. this aflliction ; or masculine referring to ayycXo?, '' about this angel or messenger of Satan," &c. This is gene- rally preferred on account of the following clause, iVa aTroo-Tij, that he might depart from me. I besought the Lord, says the apostle, thrice. So our blessed Lord prayed " the third time saying. Let this cup pass from me." Paul was therefore importunate in his petition for deliverance from this sore trial. He says, I besought the Lord^ that is, Christ, as is clear not only from the general usage of Scripture, but from what fol- lows in V. 9, where he speaks of the " power of Christ." A7id he said unto me^ dprjKi {xoi. The perfect is used either for tlie aorist, or in its proper force connecting the past with the present. Tlie answer was not simply something past, but something which continued in its consoling power. Winer, § 41. "lie has said ;" the answer was ever sounding in the apostle's ears, and not in his oars only, but in those of all his