ACC ~ 2 Corinthians 12 v7

THE DEVIL’S BORROWED POWER. TERTULLIAN: The right to tempt a man is granted to the devil … whether God or the devil initiates the plan or for the purpose of the judgment of a sinner, who is handed over to the devil as to an executioner. This was the case with Saul. “The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled and stifled him.” Again, it may happen in order to humble a man, as St. Paul tells us that there was given to him a thorn, a messenger of Satan, to buffet him, and even this sort of thing is not permitted for the humiliation of holy men through torment of the flesh, unless it be done so that their power to resist may be perfected in weakness. The apostle himself handed Phigellus and Hermogenes over to Satan so that by being chastised they might not blaspheme. And so you see that, far from possessing power in his own right, the devil can more easily be granted it by the servants of God. FLIGHT IN TIME OF PERSECUTION 2.7.

ENRICHED BY TRIALS. AMBROSIASTER: Paul is testifying that God makes provision for those who have done well, while at the same time he allows them to be cast down by various trials. This is both so that they shall not be deprived of the fruits of their labors and that they may be enriched by their trials so that they may have even greater eternal rewards. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

HIS ADVERSARIES. CHRYSOSTOM: There are some who have said that Paul is referring to a pain in the head caused by the devil, but God forbid! The body of Paul could never have been given over to the devil, especially when we remember that the devil submitted to Paul when he was bidden to. In Hebrew, any adversary can be called Satan. What Paul means is that God would not allow the preaching of the gospel to go forward, so that his proud thoughts might be checked. Instead, Paul was attacked by adversaries like Alexander the coppersmith, the party of Hymenaeus and Philetus and all the opponents of the Word. These were the messengers of Satan. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 26.2.

IS THE DEVIL GOOD BECAUSE HE IS USEFUL? AUGUSTINE: “And so,” they ask, “is the devil good because he is useful?” On the contrary, he is evil insofar as he is the devil, but God who is good and almighty draws many just and good things out of the devil’s malice. For the devil has to his credit only his will by which he tries to do evil, not the providence of God that draws good out of him. AGAINST THE MANICHAEANS 2.28.42.

HIS PERSECUTION. SEVERIAN OF GABALA: Many people think this was some kind of headache, but in reality Paul is referring to the persecutions which he suffered, because they came from diabolical powers. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

MESSENGER OF SATAN. THEODORET OF CYR: By “messenger of Satan” Paul means the insults, attacks and riots which he had to face. COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 349.

PRAYER IN OUR SUFFERING. AUGUSTINE: Therefore, in these trials which can be both our blessing and our bane, “we don’t know how we should pray,” yet, because they are hard, because they are painful, because they go against the feeling of our human weakness, by a universal human will we pray that our troubles may depart from us. But this need of devotion we owe to the Lord our God, that, if he does not remove them, we are not to think that he has deserted us but rather, by lovingly bearing evil, we are to hope for greater good. This is how power is made perfect in infirmity. To some, indeed, who lack patience, the Lord God, in his wrath, grants them what they ask, just as, on the other hand, he in his mercy refused the apostle’s requests. TO PROBA 130.

THE ADVANTAGE OF UNANSWERED PRAYER. CASSIODORUS: Paul begged that the flesh’s thorn be removed from him, but he was not heard by the Lord. The devil prayed that he might strike Job with the harshest of disasters, and we know that this was subsequently granted him. But Paul was denied the fulfillment of his prayer for his glory, whereas the devil was granted his for the devil’s pain. Thus it is often an advantage not to be heard even though postponement of our desires depresses us. EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 21.3.

FAITH PERFECTED IN WEAKNESS. CYPRIAN: Thus also the apostle Paul, after shipwrecks, after scourgings, after many grievous tortures of the flesh and body, says that he was not harassed but was corrected by adversity, in order that while he was the more heavily afflicted he might the more truly be tried. There was given to me, he says, a thorn in my flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me lest I be exalted. Concerning this thorn I asked the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And he said to me: “My grace is sufficient for you: for power is made perfect in weakness.” When, therefore, some infirmity and weakness and desolation attacks us, then is our power made perfect, then our faith is crowned, if though tempted it has stood firm. … This finally is the difference between us and the others who do not know God, that they complain and murmur in adversity, while adversity does not turn us from the truth of virtue and faith but proves us in suffering. MORTALITY 13.

THE SEVERITY OF A FRIEND. AUGUSTINE: Not everyone who spares is a friend, nor is everyone who strikes an enemy. … Love mingled with severity is better than deceit with indulgence. It is more profitable for bread to be taken away from the hungry, if he neglects right living because he is sure of his food, than for bread to be broken to the hungry, to lead him astray into compliance with wrongdoing. The one who confines the madman, as well as the one who rouses the lethargic, is troublesome to both but loves both. Who could love us more than God does? Yet he continually teaches us sweetly as well as frightens us for our good. Often adding the most stinging medicine of trouble to the gentle remedies with which he comforts us, he tries the patriarchs, even good and devout ones, by famine; he chastises a stubborn people with heavier punishments; he does not take away from the apostle the sting of the flesh, though asked three times, so as to perfect strength in weakness. LETTER 93, TO VINCENT.

2 Cor