II Corinthians 12:8

For--"concerning this thing." thrice--To his first and second prayer no answer came. To his third the answer came, which satisfied his faith and led him to bow his will to God's will. So Paul's master, Jesus, thrice prayed on the Mount of Olives, in resignation to the Father's will. The thorn seems (from Co2 12:9, and Greek, Co2 12:7, "that he may buffet me") to have continued with Paul when he wrote, lest still he should be "overmuch lifted up." the Lord--Christ. Escape from the cross is not to be sought even indirectly from Satan (Luk 4:7). "Satan is not to be asked to spare us" [BENGEL].

In this chapter the apostle proceeds in maintaining the honour of his apostleship. He magnified his office when there were those who vilified it. What he says in his own praise was only in his own justification and the necessary defence of the honour of his ministry, the preservation of which was necessary to its success. First, He makes mention of the favour God had shown him, the honour done him, the methods God took to keep him humble, and the use he made of this dispensation (Co2 12:1-10). Then he addresses himself to the Corinthians, blaming them for what was faulty among them, and giving a large account of his behaviour and kind intentions towards them (Co2 12:11 to the end).