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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"And that I should not be exalted overmuch, through the exceeding greatness of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to buffet me." What sayest thou? He that counted not the kingdom to be any thing; no, nor yet hell in respect of his longing after Christ; did he deem honor from the many to be any thing, so as both to be lifted up and to need that curb continually? for he did not say, 'that he "might" buffet me,' but "that he" may "buffet me." Yet who is there would say this? …
Theophylact of Ohrid
By the angel of Satan and the thorn (σκόλοψ – stake, arrow), some understand a headache caused by the devil. But this is incorrect, for Paul's body was not delivered to the devil; on the contrary, Paul himself rather commanded the devil and set boundaries for him, when he delivered the fornicator to him "for the destruction of the flesh" (1 Cor. 5:5), and he did not transgress the boundaries set for him. What does "Satan" mean? Adversary, according to the meaning of the Hebrew word. …
Cyprian
That all good and righteous men suffer more, but ought to endure because they are proved. In Solomon: "The furnace proveth the vessels of the potter, and the trial of tribulation righteous men." Also in the fiftieth Psalm: "The sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and humbled heart God will not despise." Also in the thirty-third Psalm: "God is nearest to them that are contrite in heart, and He will save the lowly in spirit." Also in the same place: "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but out of them all the Lord …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
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? …
Thomas Aquinas
Here he speaks of the remedy against pride. In regard to this he does three things. First, he mentions the remedy applied; secondly, he discloses his prayer to have the remedy removed (v. 8); thirdly, he tells the Lord's answer giving the reason for the remedy applied (v. 9). In regard to the first it should be noted that very often a wise physician procures and permits a lesser disease to come over a person in order to cure or avoid a greater one. Thus, to cure a spasm he procures a fever. …
Bonaventure
And it must be so, for had he been proud, he could have lost grace and fallen into a reprobate sense. And so it is not without reason that the Apostle was given "a thorn for the flesh"; and he explains: "Lest the greatness of the revelation puff me up." And I say that a man who has attained such a state may order and command other men as did Paul, and also Dionysius, who ordered the Church according to the exemplar shown to him.
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