In this Dojo Discussion we welcome Dr. Kenneth Berding, New Testament scholar from Talbot School of Theology in Los Angeles who has just written the first ever academic book devoted to the topic of Paul’s mysterious “thorn in the flesh” comment in 2Corinthians 12. Is it possible to know what Paul’s “thorn” may actually have been? For the past 100+ years scholars have largely given up even trying to solve this millennia-old mystery. But Dr. Berding is trying to change that with this landmark in-depth examination of this ‘thorny’ exegetical issue!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:09 - Who is Kenneth Berding??

00:06:27 - Why devote a whole book on Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”??

00:11:49 - Why is there so much prejudice on this subject among interpreters?

00:19:58 - Thorns and face-punching! (A closer look at the Greek text of 2Cor 12:7)

00:32:52 - Ken’s 20 criteria that every proposed solution must take into account

00:38:52 - Paul’s ministry, Black magic, and Greco-Roman “voodoo dolls”??

00:50:17 - Building a cumulative case as opposed to a single ‘smoking gun’

00:52:03 - Satan, Job, Paul, and spiritual warfare today

01:01:25 - Linguistic and conceptual links between 2Corinthians and Job

01:03:56 - Some thoughts on Satan and Michael Heiser’s work

01:09:16 - the importance of scholarly disagreement within the Body of Christ

01:13:36 - Eye ailments in the Greco-Roman world

01:17:44 - Excruciating craniofacial conditions involving the Trigeminal nerve

01:22:54 - Could the “thorn” be a metaphor for false teachers or other human enemies of Paul?

01:26:45 - The importance of approaching a familiar Scripture with fresh perspective

01:29:53 - Could the “thorn” have been left vague so that it could apply to BOTH physical illness AND human opposition?

Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh is available in paperback or digitally at https://www.amazon.com/Pauls-Thorn-Flesh-Clues-Problem/dp/1683596838/

His book “How to Live an ’In Christ’ Life” can be found at https://www.amazon.com/How-Live-Christ-Life-Devotional/dp/1527105598/

For those who want to read more of Ken’s work, he blogs regularly at kennethberding.com and at thegoodbookblog.com.

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