earth and pinned him there with a ‘thorn’ (verse 7). Though it was a messenger of Satan, the thorn was given to Paul—that is, given by God (verse 7).14 By means of Satan’s agency the sovereign God ‘gave’ Paul what was needful for him. Paul’s reference to a thorn … given (by God) …, a messenger of Satan call to mind the early chapters of the book of Job where the Lord permits Satan to test, but not to kill, Job. God is not the direct but the indirect source of our testing; nevertheless Satan acts