The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: the Second Epistle to the Corinthians
And heard unspeakable words , which it is not lawful for a man to utter . What were these mysteries that Paul heard or saw in paradise ? They are related indeed in the book which is styled “ the Apocalypse of S. Paul,” but this book is not genuine, and is full of mythical stories, and is scouted by S. Augustine ( Tract 98 in Johan.), Bede, Theophylact. Epiphanius attributes it to the sect of Cainites. I should reply that no certain answer can be given where Paul kept silence. Still it is natural to suppose that Paul saw and heard wonderful things of the nature, gifts, grace, glory, and orders of the angels, as S. Gregory says (in Ezech, Horn. 4). Hence S. Dionysius, in his “ Celestial Hierarchy,” so describes the orders of the angels from what he heard from S. Paul, that you might think he saw them with his eyes. Again, he may have heard wondrous things about some Divine attributes not known to us here ; he may have seen too the glory of Christ, for he was taught the Gospel by Christ (Gal. i. 12). He was caught up that he might receive authority, and not be inferior to the other Apostles, who had seen Christ in the flesh and been taught thoroughly by Him (Chrysostom). Theodoret adds that he saw the beauty of paradise, the choirs and joys of the Saints, and heard the tuneful harmony of the heavenly hymns. This caused his exclamation of admiration : “ Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
Secondly, it is better to suppose that he heard the mysteries of the reason, mode, and order of the Divine reprobation and predestination , and the call of men, especially of the heathen provinces to be converted by himself. Of this mystery Paul frequently expresses his admiration, as in Rom. xi. 33, and it had special reference to his mission (Baronius).
Thirdly, he may have heard mysteries concerning the Gospel of our redemption by Christ ; for he says (Gal. i. 12) that he had received this Gospel by revelation, viz., when he was caught up. Lastly, he heard, as it might seem, mysteries of the government and progress of the Church in his time and afterwards. This, too, would affect his office, as he had already been singled out as the Church’s teacher and guide. He calls them “ unspeakable words,” both because he was forbidden to utter them, and also because we are unable either to speak of them or to understand them.
Ver. 4 . — Of such an one will I glory ; yet of myself I will not glory . He speaks of himself when caught up and in his ordinary state as two different persons, so as not to be thought vain-glorious ((Ecumenius).
But in mine infirmities . My calamities, my sufferings. By a common Hebrew metonymy “infirmity” is here put for “grief.” They are related as cause and effect or effect and cause. Cf. ver. 9; Micah iv. 10. In Isa. liii. 3, we read of Christ that He should be “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with infirmity.”
Ver. 6 . — But now I forbear lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be . Lest he should think me an angel or some god, as the Lycaonians did (Acts xiv. 10). He could have related more wonderful things about himself, but modesty and humility cause him to conceal them. “All the Saints,” says Anselm, “ not only do not seek at all for glory above their measure, but they even shrink from that which they have merited.” S. Bernard says beautifully (Ep. 18 ad Pet.): “ We praise others hypocritically, and delight in vanity ourselves ; and thus they who are praised are vain, and those who praise are false. Some flatter and are crafty ; others praise as they think and are false ; others glory in the words of both and are vain. He alone is wise who says with the Apostle, ‘I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.’”
Ver. 7. — And lest I should be exalted above measure. From this it appears that Paul, as the heavenly teacher of the world, had many great revelations, and was accustomed to them, and, as it were, at home among them. Some of these are narrated by S. Luke. Cf. Acts ix. 3; xviii. 9; xxii. 17 ; xxvii. 23. S. Augustine (Enarr. in Ps. lxxviii. 68, Vulg.), on the words, “Benjamin in the excess of his mind,” understands S. Paul to be referred to as being of the tribe of Benjamin.
There was given me a thorn in the flesh. Not by the devil, but by God. Not that God is the author of temptation, but He allowed the devil, who was ready beforehand, to tempt Paul, and that only in appearance, and in the matter of lust to humble him. Cf. Augustine (de Nat. et Grat. c. 27). “ This monitor,” says Jerome (Ep. 25 ad Paulam, on the death of Blesilla), “ was given to Paul to repress pride, just as in the car of the victor, as he enjoys his triumph, there stands a monitor whispering to him, ‘ Recollect that you are a man! ” So, too, at the installation of a Pontiff, tow is lighted and extinguished, while the words are sung : “ Holy Father, thus passes the glory of the world.” Hence the best preservative against the temptations of the flesh is humility. If you are rooted and grounded so deeply in humility that, as God exalts you by His gifts and graces, there will be no need for Him to apply this thorn to keep you humble. Cf. Rom. i. 24, note.
What was this thorn, and how did it buffet S. Paul? How was it a messenger of Satan? Augustine (de Nat et Grat. c. 16) replies that he does not know what it was. But two things are certain : (1.) that he was vexed by Satan, and (2.) that this vexation was like a thorn fixed in his flesh, and continually paining him.
But it is not certain what its particular nature was. Anselm, Bede, Sedulius, and Jerome (in Gal. iv. 13) think it was bodily illness, as constant headache (S. Jerome), or colic (S. Thomas), or costiveness, or gout (Nicetas, commenting on Orat. 30 of S. Gregory Nazianzen), or some internal disorder. S. Basil (in Reg. cap. ult.) and S. Augustine (in Ps. cxxxi.) think that this goad was some disease sent upon Paul, just as on Job, by the devil. The Apostle, however, nowhere else complains of any diseases. Moreover, they would have been a great hindrance to him in the preaching of the Gospel.
Secondly, Chrysostom, Theophylact, Theodoret, CEcumenius, Ambrose, Erasmus think that this thorn refers to the persecutions Paul endured from his adversaries, and of which he speaks in ver. 10. But these were external goads, not thorns in the flesh, and of these he is wont to boast, not complain.
Thirdly, others, with more probability, think that this thorn in the flesh consisted in blows and beatings, often given to Paul by Satan, as to Antony and others, so that pain remained in his body, as a thorn, from the blows he had received. This is the literal meaning of the words used no doubt ; but if this be so, Paul would surely have said more plainly: “There was given me the messenger of Satan to buffet me.” Nor would the generous mind of S. Paul have complained of this : he was but raised higher by the attacks of devils and men, and found in them matter for glorying.
Fourthly, others think, therefore, that this thorn in the flesh was the motions of concupiscence and the temptations of lust. This concupiscence , like a thorn or a dart, is so deeply fixed in the flesh that while life lasts it cannot be taken out. Hence it is called in Greek, σκόλοψ, a stake, a sharpened stick, a thorn, a javelin, or sting.
It may be asked: “Why, then, does he call this thorn ‘the messenger of Satan,’ or the minister of Lucifer?” I reply that he means by the messenger of Satan, Satan himself, as the exciting cause of this thorn of concupiscence ; or even he calls the thorn sent by Satan, the adversary of his chastity, by the name of Satan. This would be a metonymy, where the cause is put for the effect, the agent for his work. For the devil, by stirring up the humours, by kindling the blood, by inflaming the feelings that subserve generation, by putting foul images before S. Paul’s mind, gave life to that concupiscence which had been as it were put to sleep, and mortified by his numerous labours, fastings, and troubles. Thus he stirred up S. Paul to obey the foul motions of lust.
Secondly, it is proved, from Rom. vii., that this concupiscence was in S. Paul, for there he bewails it more than he does here. Hence, too, as he said (1 Cor. ix. 27), he was in the habit of castigating his body.
Thirdly, had it been anything else he would have said so clearly ; but as it is, modesty and shame bid him conceal it, and call it metaphorically a thorn.