[B-Greek] 2Co 12.8-9

Carl Conrad cwconrad2 at mac.com
Sun Nov 11 06:23:57 EST 2007


On Nov 10, 2007, at 9:19 PM, Donald Morris wrote:

> Does Paul's thorn in the flesh refer specifically to people?
>
> 2Co 12.8
>
> hUPER TOUTOU TRIS TON KURION PAREKALESA hINA APOSTHi AP EMOU
>
> I am being told that the word aphistemi ( APOSTHi) refers to only  
> people, not things, and therefore could  not refer to an illness.

According to BDAG's entry on AFISTHMI s.v. 2.a. (go away, withdraw),  
the word is sometimes used figuratively: "Fig. of conditions and moral  
qualities depart, withdraw -- affliction Hs 7:7; life s 8, 6, 4;  
understanding s 9, 22, 2; righteousness and peace 1 Cl 3:4 cod. H;  
wickedness Hv 3, 6, 1.

Granted, these are all extra-biblical citations, but inasmuch as the  
verb AFISTHMI appears only 14x in the GNT, and also in view of the  
fact that we're already using figurative language in the language of  
verse 7 (ἐδόθη μοι σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί,  
ἄγγελος σατανᾶ, ἵνα με κολαφίζῃ EDOQH  
MOI SKOLOY THi SARKI, AGGELOS SATANA, hINA ME KOLAFIZHi), that  
figurative sense seems appropriate for the usage of APOSTHi in verse 8.

> In addition, in the following verse...
>
> KAI EIRHKEN MOI ARKEI SOI hH CARIS MOU hH GAR DUNAMIS EN ASQENEIAi  
> TELEITAI hHDISTA OUN MALLON KAUCHSOMAI EN TAIS ASQENEIAIS MOU hINA  
> EPISKHNWSHi EP EME hH DUNAMIS TOU CRISTOU
>
> ...that because the word astheneo is being used rather than  
> asthenes, it is refering to distressing emotions rather than  
> physical ailments
> and therefore refers to problems caused by people.

The word used here is not the verb ἀσθενέω ASQENEW nor the  
adjective ἀσθενής ASQENHS but the noun ἀσθένεια  
ASQENEIA.
According to BDAG, ASQENEIA senses range over (1) a state of  
debilitating illness, sickness, disease; (2) incapacity for something  
or experience of limitation, weakness; (3) lack of confidence or  
feeling of inadequacy, weakness. That seems to cover both physical  
illness and spiritual or psychological difficulties. It seems to me  
that opens up interpretation of the "thorn" to a pretty broad range of  
physical and or psychological/spiritual possibilities.

> I realize this is a scripture that generates many opinions and  
> interpretations.  I would appreciate your thoughts.

I don't think that the suggestions above that were intended to narrow  
down the range of possible interpretations of the "thorn" are really  
very useful. My own thinking about this is that, however curious we  
may be about what Paul is referring to in these verses, he quite  
intentionally does not tell us, and that we ought to refrain from what  
can only be guesswork at best.

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad at ioa.com or cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/





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